Hidden Valley Nature Center, Jefferson

Volunteers sampling sphagnum moss
(Bangor Daily News photo)

We've been members & supporters for two years, are friends with everyone involved, and have been meaning to go there a thousand times. We even have trekking poles emblazoned with its name. Today, we finally made it to Hidden Valley Nature Center in Jefferson. It was amazing and we're kicking ourselves for having waited so long.

There are 25 miles of trails on 800 acres of private land. Incredible effort and generosity has gone into clearing trails, building kiosks, huts, and boardwalks, labeling trees, and making hikers and skiers feel welcome. We are very grateful. Thank you, Bambi & Tracy & Gary & all associated!

As evidence that this is, indeed, a blog for outdoor dummies: We left our water and trekking poles in the car. So when we encountered steep terrain, we had to scavenge the deadfall for strong branches to support my wobbly knees and Mike's tender feet.

We ran into two sets of friends camping with their children in a large yurt atop a granite outcropping. From them we freeloaded a Shipyard Ale that they had painstakingly lugged in along with all their gear and up the steep hill. Thanks, Peter & Becky!

In all we hiked about three hours and came home happy and happily tired.