Riverfront Woods Preserve
Description
The 50-acre Riverfront Woods Preserve, protected by conservation easements held by Royal River Conservation Trust and owned and managed by the Town of Yarmouth, represents one of the last remaining pieces of unfragmented habitat and shoreline along the Royal River in Yarmouth. The preserve supports beavers, otters, deer and a variety of bird species and distinct flora, creating a surprisingly remote experience for paddling in the summer and skating, snowshoeing, and skiing in the winter. The trails are designed for wheelchairs, baby carriages, and comfortable walking. Dogs and bikes are not permitted, increasing the remote experience of the preserve.
At the end of Riverfront Drive (off East Elm Street near the East Elm and North Road Intersection), Yarmouth
1.2 mile trail network
More information
A paved trailhead parking lot with an informational kiosk is located at the end of Riverfront Drive in Yarmouth.
The Main Trail begins from the parking lot and extends along the powerline corridor to the Royal River. It has been graded to have minimal slopes and is wheelchair accessible. The first third-mile of trail is surfaced with hard packed gravel and is a minimum of 4 feet wide, with 5-foot wide passing areas at least every 200 feet.
At a quarter-mile from the parking lot, there’s a railroad crossing which, although inactive, still has rails in place. The gaps between the rails are filled, to aid with mobility.
Side trails are narrow and have uneven trail treads. The side trails contain several wetland boardwalks, some of which have a small (less than 8 inch) step up on either end.
Allowed Uses:
- Walking and trail running
- Nordic skiing and snowshoeing
- Fishing on the Royal River
- Skating
- Kayaking and canoeing - Riverfront Woods Preserve is accessible from the Royal River, the storing of boats on the property is prohibited.
- Bowhunting allowed by permit on the Dugas Parcel only. Hunting is prohibited by deed on the Barker Parcel. See the hunting map on the preserve kiosk for more information. Regardless, all hikers should wear orange during all hunting seasons.
Prohibited Uses:
- Domesticated animals (not including service animals)
- Biking
- Motorized recreational veichles and snowmobiles
- Horseback riding
- Firearms (Yarmouth Firearms Ordinance Chapter 314)
- Hunting is prohibited on the Barker parcel
For more information, call Yarmouth Community Services 846-2406
In recognition of the preserve’s location in the traditional home of the Wabanaki people, the Yarmouth Parks and Lands Committee unveiled its land acknowledgement on September 23, 2023:
“The current stewards of open space in what is now known as Yarmouth, Maine recognize that the lands and waters we inhabit and enjoy are places from which Wabanaki peoples were forcefully removed. The Abenaki and other tribes of the modern Wabanaki Confederacy lived here and are still present. They stewarded these lands and waters as part of an interconnected ecosystem for thousands of years prior to European colonization. Let us respectfully acknowledge and learn from this significant history, while also appreciating the current beauty that exists here and recognizing the social, health, and other benefits we now derive from these unceded ancestral lands of indigenous people.”
For more information about the preserve, visit Yarmouth Community Services' Riverfront Woods Preserve website.
Riverfront Woods Preserve
The 50-acre Riverfront Woods Preserve, protected by conservation easements held by Royal River Conservation Trust and owned and managed by the Town of Yarmouth, represents one of the last remaining pieces of unfragmented habitat and shoreline along the Royal River in Yarmouth. The preserve supports beavers, otters, deer and a variety of bird species and distinct flora, creating a surprisingly remote experience for paddling in the summer and skating, snowshoeing, and skiing in the winter. The trails are designed for wheelchairs, baby carriages, and comfortable walking. Dogs and bikes are not permitted, increasing the remote experience of the preserve.
