Kennebec Highlands Trails French Mountain Mount Phillip The Mountain
Sanders Hill Trail
Distance: 2.9-mile loop
Trailhead: A small parking area is located on the west side of Watson Pond Road, 1.3 miles south of Watson Pond Road’s
junction with Route 27. Description: The Sanders Hill Trail is a loop and can be hiked in either direction; counterclockwise is described here. The trail, marked with blue blazes, leaves from the north side of the parking area, winding westerly and briefly paralleling an old logging road. At 0.2 miles there are nice views from the south end of Watson Pond from atop a large boulder. The trail crosses the infl ow for Watson Pond, briefl y follows what was a logging road, then, after veering to the left, narrows and begins
climbing moderately to the west. The trail eventually turns right (north) after crossing a short wet area and follows the ridgeline through a rock fi eld where there are views to the east of Watson Pond, Mount Phillip, and French Mountain. The trail cuts directly through and over some large granite slabs at 0.9 miles and continues on to a sparsely wooded summit area with views to the east and south through the trees at 1.1 miles. The trail continues northwest over the Sanders Hill summit (854'), then descends to join the Kennebec Highlands Trail at 1.3 miles. Turn left (south) and follow this broad gravel trail. At 1.9 miles, just before a bridge over upper Beaver Brook, turn left (east) back into the woods along the brook. The trail crosses two small brooks in a northeasterly direction, swings east through a young mixed growth forest and past a large rock (Snapper Rock), and finally turns north to reach an old logging road. Turn right (east) onto the logging road and continue back to the parking lot.
Belgrade
Regional
Conservation
Alliance
PO Box 250
Belgrade Lakes, ME 04918
(207) 495-6039
brca@belgradelakes.org
