May 4 and 5, 2024. The theme of this collection is “Ya can’t get theyah from heyah.”
One part of my LifeQuest is to see and, where applicable, hike in all the National Natural Landmarks that are open to the public. For the ones that are not open to the public, I try to get as close to them as I legally can.
Why do I do this? One, I enjoy learning new things, and I get a kick out of realizing how many special/precious/ancient landscapes are tucked away in various areas of the country. Two, trying to find some of these, or even the general vicinity of where they are supposed to be located, can be a fun challenge. Three, I enjoy driving through different landscapes and rural towns.
I usually don’t get photos of NNLs that are on private land since, of course, they are on private land. The best I can do in those cases is take a photo looking toward the general direction.
I present photos of the closest I could get to:
Photo 1: New Gloucester Black Gum Stand National Natural Landmark. Near the summit of Little Hill in New Gloucester stands a grove of virgin black gum forest. They exist at the northernmost location for this species. There are some unmapped old trails going up Little Hill. I took one, got to the summit, and walked to where various maps told me the black gum should be. I am not certain I ever found the right spot. This photo points toward the general direction.
Photo 2: This is as close as I could get to the Penney Pond and Joe Pond Complex National Natural Landmark. The kettle hole bogs and ponds are not accessible to the general public.
Photo 3: Got this great drive-by photo of Colby-Marston Preserve NNL. Could not find public trail access.
Photos 4 and 5: Carlton Pond Waterfowl Production Area. This breeding and resting habitat is “the only waterfowl production area in the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s (Service) North Atlantic-Appalachian Region” according to fws dot gov, and it’s managed as part of the Northern Maine National Wildlife Refuge Complex.
Photos 6-8: Passadumkeag Marsh and Boglands NNL. A small road goes through part of the complex, and there is a convenient pull-off by this bridge for water access.
Almost forgot! Also saw York (NW&S) River right after I drove north into Maine from NH.
