The Sebago to the Sea Trail (S2S) has great hiking and biking in the warm months, but the trail offers wonderful opportunities for winter activities, too. Exercise, fresh air and a little sunshine are welcome antidotes to cabin fever.
Get out and get active, but remember, safety first. Dress warmly and in layers. Bring water, a charged cell phone and other emergency supplies, and let someone know where you are going. Pets on leash are welcome, but remember that the phrase “leave no trace” applies to your pets, too. Animal feces left in the middle of a trail is a drag. There are no restrooms on any of these trails for humans.
A printable map of the entire S2S Trail is available here. The trail is broken down into eight segments. Sections 1 through 4 are in or closest to Gorham.
Many people are familiar with Section 3, the paved Mountain Division Trail from Otter Ponds to Route 202 (4.5 miles, one way), which connects with the Shaw Park Loop along the scenic Presumpscot River, and with Section 4, South Windham to Westbrook, (4.8 miles along a flat rail bed) with parking at the Windham Post Office on Rt. 202. Section 4 begins across the street from the Mountain Division Trail, near the Blue Seal Feed store.
While less well-known, Sections 1 and 2 also provide great opportunities for winter activities. Section 1 begins at Sebago Lake and goes to Route 237, but you will hike it in reverse. It is owned by the Portland Water District (PWD) and is managed by Presumpscot Regional Land Trust. This 2.8 miles round trip, slightly downhill on the way in and uphill on the way out, travels through forests that include an old family cemetery on the left and further on, a beautiful beaver habitat on the right. About a mile in, a trail veers to the left leading to the shores of Sebago Lake, a stunning view of the mountains and an opportunity to do a little ice fishing, if you have a fishing license and are so inclined.
There is limited parking (three vehicles or less with all of this snow) at the end of Pond Road off Rt. 35 where you will find a PWD kiosk with a permit to fill out and put on your dashboard. There is also parking and a permit kiosk at the Portland Water District lot on Rt. 237, with a slightly longer walk across Rt. 35 and then a left to walk to the start of the trail at the end of Pond Road. Alternate parking and a slightly different hike in is located on Rt 35, on the left heading toward North Windham, at the intersections of Rt. 35 and Busque Road.
Section 2 is Route 237 to Otter Ponds (1.2 miles) which connects to Section 3, the Mountain Division Trail and also to a series of trails through Otter Ponds YMCA Camp. The Otter Ponds offer some great ice-fishing opportunities. Pond #2 and Pond #4, aka Snake Pond are well stocked with Brook Trout in the spring and fall. Catches here can taper off later in the Winter season. Remember to bring your Maine permit.
Park in the Water District lot on Rt. 237, fill out a permit at the kiosk, and walk through the woods road south toward Otter Ponds and follow the Sebago to the Sea Trail signs. Alternate parking is available at Johnson Field on Rt. 35. Look for the kiosk to fill out a PWD permit.