Twin Bridges is a beautiful preserve that runs alongside the Crooked River. It is home to over 5 miles of trails that offer a range of year-round outdoor activities. It’s the perfect place to spend time outdoors with family, escape the city, or try a new recreational activity!

In 2014, the Loon Echo Land Trust and the Western Foothills Land Trust came together to start the process of acquiring the hundreds of acres of land that make up the Twin Bridges Preserve. This was a significant undertaking, as the preserve runs alongside the Crooked River, which is the largest river that flows into Sebago Lake, which provides drinking water for hundreds of thousands of Mainers.

In 2015, the trusts received additional funds from the Land for Maine’s Future funds. They were able to successfully obtain and protect 791 acres of land along the Crooked River, which includes land from both Otisfield and Harrison.

A quick search will bring up directions right to the parking lot(s). For those of you that don’t have a smart phone, just follow Route 117 until it intersects the Crooked River. There are two parking lots, one before the bridge and one after the bridge.

Once my husband and I arrived at the preserve, we decided to strap on our cross-country ski’s and explore the trails. The snow was fluffy and inviting. We covered most, if not all of the trails and discovered that a few of them weren’t quite cut out for skiing just yet. Let’s just say that we zigzagged around and over a lot of rocks and bumps. But i’m sure this will resolve itself once we get more snow. If you are looking to ski, I would recommend sticking to the interior trails and walking the other trails. Just until there’s more snow.

Overall, the trails were stunning. They were serene, picturesque, and well maintained. It was hard not to stop and take pictures of every snow-covered limb or branch. I was especially infatuated with the Hankins Trail that followed the river. The gentle flow of the river almost made me forget how cold it was outside. Keyword—almost.

There is so much to do within the preserve! Walk your dog, cross-country ski, enjoy a meal by the river, go fly-fishing with a friend, go for a swim, go hunting, snowshoe, etc. The opportunities are endless. Not to mention the trails are extremely family friendly.

If you’re looking to escape to a less-trafficked trail system, look no further! This preserve has it all. And it’s also located within 15 minutes of my two favorite breweries— the Oxbow in Oxford and Fluvial Brewing in Harrison. Get your outdoor recreation on and follow it up with a drink or some yummy food, you deserve it! And as always, don’t forget to stay safe!