3/10/25: This week will bring spring skiing conditions, and once the base breaks up, please stay off of the ski trails at Roberts Farm Preserve until they dry out. The Walker Trail will still be open for foot traffic. We will post when the trails reopen for walking, running, and biking.
3/21/24: The Noyes Mountain Preserve parking lot is closed for the season.
Hiking on the trails is still welcome, but parking is at your own risk.
NOYES MOUNTAIN
LOCATION: 172 Richardson Hollow Road, Greenwood
DISTANCE: 3 miles of trails
DIFFICULTY: Moderate
FUN FACT: Noyes Mountain includes 2,000' of
streams and 295 acres within the Norway Lake
watershed.
PERMITTED USES: Hiking, walking, biking, skiing,
snowshoeing, dog-walking
The View of the Mountain
Looking north up the reach of Norway Lake two near mountains shape the horizon and frame the distant view of Old Speck Mountain. The western mountain is Patch Mountain (elev. 1565 feet), and the eastern steeper mountain is Noyes Mountain (elev. 1500). By day this community has enjoyed a verdant mountain backdrop to the lake, and by night humans and wildlife have benefitted from dark hills uninterrupted by development. That could all change quickly. The land trust saw this as our first and best opportunity to protect that seminal view that has been drawn, painted and photographed by many amateur and professional artists in the region.
The View from the Mountain
The other view to protect for public enjoyment is less known to the general public and is the panoramic view south and west from near the summit of Noyes Mountain. Most of us have not seen Norway Lake, or North Pond, or the nearby McIntire Ridge or Patch Mountain from this altitude or direction. Easily travelled twitch trails will lead hikers, back country skiers, and snowshoers from a maintained landing to the viewpoint and summit beyond.
The Land
To the east of the summit, the land descends gradually to a saddle plateau towards Rock O Dundee. This is the path of the old road which crossed to Greenwood City. Now a working forest, the land was historically managed as a mix of agricultural fields, pastures and woodlands, as is evidenced by stone walls in the deep woods, and in historic photographs and paintings. The twitch trails on site are well maintained and will make wonderful hiking and back woods ski trails offering occasional views to the south.
Wildlife Habitat and Rare Plants
The parcel supports several rare plants and provides excellent wildlife habitat as it lies in an undeveloped block of 2691 acres. It also includes nearly 2000 feet of stream habitat and is given its size and altitude an important forested filter for the Norway Lake watershed.
Mineral and Cultural Significance
The parcel is the location of the respected Harvard Quarry (a separately held acre owned by Frank Perham open to the public) that was opened by Shavey Noyes and Tim Heath in the 1890s. The mineralogy of this mountain, like other deposits in this region, played an important cultural and industrial role in the history of western Maine.