Information and Guidelines
Uses of the Wildlands include hiking, jogging, bicycling, horseback riding, geocaching, letterboxing, fishing, hunting, photography, nature study, paddling, picnicking, berry-picking, x-c skiing, snowshoeing, and snowmobiling. Need a map? Visit our Access & Maps page.
Birding:
The Wildlands is home to more than 150 bird species. Go here for bird list and other information
Camping:
We have three fee, reservation-only, walk- in, bike-in, paddle-in campsites: Mitchville, Baker Brook, and Cedar.
Please click here for more info and to reserve your site.
Hiking:
Two hiking-orientated maps are available as downloads or from the office Access and Maps
Dogs:
Allowed on leash only; please protect the wildlife! Thanks for removing feces from trails, roads and parking lot. Please note: Dogs are not allowed in the Wildlife Protection Zone, a roughly 1000-acre area where the management priority is protecting wildlife habitat. It includes Hothole Brook, Hothole Pond, Coywolf, Bump Hill, and Birding Trails.
Geocaching:
Have a GPS unit and want to try geocaching? Go to http://www.geocaching.com for Wildlands caches. If you want to place a cache, please contact us first about it.
Letterboxing:
Biking:
Please stay on multi-use trails and avoid foot-travel-only trails, or our 2 mountain bike specific trails:
- Popple Grove: .3-mile beginner loop, in .25-miles from the South Gate
- Capstone Trail: this purpose built trail continues to expand and currently has 3 miles of the best trail in the area! Riders will find lots of flavor with berms, rock drops, fast descents and old school feel. Approach from Dead River parking lot/ trailhead either by riding the Dead River road to Connector trail, or Don Fish Road to Connector trail south, which starts at the Mountain Trailhead with the Stuart Gross hiking trail, but immediately bears left to a new Connector climbing trail.
Horseback riding:
Please stay on multi-use trails and avoid foot-travel-only trails, and remove droppings from parking lots. Horse trailer parking available at South Gate and along Valley Road when South Gate is open, or at Craig Brook National Fish Hatchery for Dead River Gate. Riding groups, please call 469-6929 or e-mail [email protected] to notify us of a large group ride. For 2022 and 2023, there is an unsafe bridge that prevents vehicles from going to the old horse trailer parking field, but there is a turnaround and parking on the roadside about a mile in. The gate is being opened Sundays through October.
Hunting, Trapping & Fishing:
For information about hunting in the Wildlands and to request permission to hunt, fill out this form. (Trappers: contact Steward.) Please carry your permission form with you as you hunt in the Wildlands.
Snowmobiling:
Snowmobiles are welcome on designated trails. Snowmobile map
Groups:
If your group wants to have the gates opened or to use the property in a way other than what’s listed above, please contact us.
Off-road vehicles:
No ATVs, drones, dirt bikes or other off-road vehicles (other than snowmobiles in winter) are allowed. Thank you for complying and helping us protect the sensitive wildlife habitat.
Foraging and berry-picking:
Raspberries and blueberries are plentiful in July and early August; blackberries ripen in august. Please do not remove wildflowers or other plants, animals or animal remains.
Respect the Wildlands:
Take only pictures and leave only footprints! Remove all trash. Keep the Wildlands wild! Questions or comments? 207-469-6929 or [email protected].