Moosehorn National Wildlife Refuge - Edmunds

Moosehorn NWR (Edmunds) covers more than 8,771 acres, with more than 10 miles of dirt trails and a wheel-chair accessible trail. The refuge provides visitors with exceptional wildlife viewing opportunities.
Trail Activity
Snowshoeing Mountain-biking Cross-country-skiing Walking
Length
13.60 miles, Network
Difficulty
Easy
Town
Edmunds Twp
Surface
Dirt/Forest Floor, Gravel/Crushed Stone
Pets
Permitted
Fees
No

Description

Most trails at the Edmunds Division are service roads with gentle grades. The refuge's landscape is varied, with rolling hills, large ledge outcrops, streams, lakes, bogs, and marshes. A northern hardwood forest of aspen, maple, birch, oak, spruce and fir dominates the upland. Scattered stands of majestic white pine are common.

The 3.5-mile Wilderness Trail begins at the Wilderness Area at either end of the gravel North and South Trail Roads. Only foot traffic is allowed on this trail. The Wilderness Trail runs through a varied landscape consisting of burned over areas that are re-generating, spruce and fir stands, an exemplary northern hardwood-spruce-fir forest, ledge outcrops, streams, bogs, and beaver flowages. The Wilderness Trail is comprised of the 0.9-mile North Trail and the 2-mile South Trail, connected by the 0.6-mile Camp Two Trail. To hike in a loop, follow the gravel service roads to return to your starting point.

Other trails:

  • The Timberdoodle trail is a 0.25-mile wheelchair-accessible trail, located on the left of the South Trail Road. 
  • The Weir Trail is 3 miles from the western end of North Trail Road to Route 1, and allows bicycles.
  • The gravel service roads that allow vehicles also permit biking, totaling 4.7 miles. In the winter, these roads can be traveled on ski or snowshoe.
  • Another service road connects from the Dodge Road (near Rocky Lake) to the Wilderness Trail. Bicycles are allowed on this road until it reaches the Wilderness Area boundary.

Other Information

Moosehorn is the easternmost National Wildlife Refuge in the Atlantic flyway, a migration route that follows the east coast of North America. Moosehorn's primary purpose is to protect wildlife, including migrating waterfowl, wading birds, shorebirds, upland game birds, songbirds, and birds of prey. The Edmunds Division covers 7,212 acres and contains a National Wilderness Area (2,712 acres) managed to preserve its wild character.

Camping, campfires, and motorized vehicles are not permitted on the refuge. Motorized vehicles and and mechanical transport (bicycles) are not permitted in the Wilderness Areas.

Cobscook Trails Project

The trails on Moosehorn National Wildlife Refuge are part of a larger network of hiking trails in known as Cobscook Trails. Cobscook Trails is a cooperative project of conservation landowners and community partners that seeks to expand opportunities for nature-based recreation and tourism in eastern Washington County. The group produces "Cobscook Trails: A Guide to Walking Opportunities around Cobscook Bay and Bold Coast Region," a 55 page booklet describing walks on 19 area properties. Find more information about Cobscook Trails, including how to purchase the guidebook, visit: The Cobscook Trails Project.

Natural Heritage HikesNatural Heritage Hikes is a project of the Maine Natural Areas Program in partnership with Maine Trail Finder. View the "Moosehorn National Wildlife Refuge - Edmunds Division Wilderness Trail" guide online here.

Trail Manager

Visit Moosehorn National Wildlife Refuge online for more information or contact:

Moosehorn National Wildlife Refuge

Moosehorn National Wildlife Refuge
103 Headquarters Road
Baring, ME 04694
Phone: (207) 454-7161
william_kolodnicki@fws.gov
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Nearby Events

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Trail Tips

Minimize Campfire Impacts
Use only small pieces of dead and down wood for campfires and let them burn down to ash. Please extinguish your campfire before leaving.
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Trailhead Information

Moosehorn NWR (Edmunds Division) is located between Eastport and Calais along US Route 1 in the Downeast region (look for the large brown wildlife refuge signs). The refuge hiking trails are located across from Cobscook State Park.

In the winter, trailheads are directly off US Route 1. Park along the side of the road. In the summer months, the North and South Trail Roads lead to designated trailheads and parking. The roads form a one-way, clockwise loop: South Trail Road to Crane Mill Road to North Trail Road. 

The Moosehorn NWR office (Baring Division) is located on Headquarters Road in Baring (~6.5 miles north of Calais). From US Route 1 take the Charlotte Road for three miles until you reach Headquarters Road on your right (look for the brown wildlife refuge signs). The refuge office is located half of a mile from the Charlotte Road turnoff. Visitors to the refuge are encouraged to stop at the refuge office to learn more about the refuge and pick up a trail map.

Click on a parking icon to get custom directions
Please Log In or Create Account to add comments.
bobirv
April 19, 2022
It would be nice to have a little more detail on the map and hyperlinks. When you click on them they only say Winter or Summer. They don't say anything about parking or distances. Being a former GIS Analyst I would be happy to help add some details to these.
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