Wicked Good 'Yahd' Sale May 15th at Gray Physical Therapy.... come by or sell your stuff! Proceeds to benefit the Save Libby Hill Campaign.
Please treat trails gently in Spring!
Early spring conditions mean soft trails. Until mid May the
trails can be easily damaged by rutting and erosion.
The rut below was left by an single ATV that illegally ran up the Lynx
Trail 10 days ago. We also have reports from Trail Stewards that horses
have been on the Moose Odyssey this past Saturday. You can help by only
walking on dry areas of trails. Mountain biking should be delayed until
late April. Horse back riding is not approved until after June 1 and motor
vehicles are never allowed on trails.
You can also help by sending us photos of trail damage or trail users not abiding by trail rules. A wall of shame gallery is under construction and we are looking for photos to post there.
We thank the 99.9% of considerate trail users and we hope the other 0.1% will see the advantages of taking good care of trails in spring!
High Winds Drop Branches... You Can Help!
The high winds last week caused some dead branches to drop on the trails. If you are out after things dry out please help out by tossing any branches in the trail to the side of the trail (4-5 feet off trail). If you discover any large trees blocking trails please email us!
2009 the Year in Review
Many things happen in a year and so it was at Libby Hill. See all that happened this past year in our year end review!
Come to Club Day today at Eastern Mountain Sports and Help Save Libby Hill!
Today, Saturday April 24th is Club Day at
Eastern Mountain Sports on Marginal Way in Portland. We will have volunteers to answer questions. If you need equipment, EMS will give you a discount if you support Libby Hill and we get a percentage of sales to help with our campaign! Come on down to EMS then hit the trails!
Learn about birds,
spring trail activities and help Libby
Hill -
March 13/14
-
learn more!
Ice Fishing
Derby Coming January 30th!

Crystal Lake and Gray will host a big outdoor winter fun event next weekend. The Gray Middle School will provide parking and a shuttle service to Crystal Lake so if you need parking and all slots are full at the trail head you may need to park at the high school.
GCE obtains $3,000 Grant from Margaret Burnham Charitable Trust!
Trail Day 2 - Incredible!
Over 30 people showed up with threatening rain to accomplish and amazing amount of trail clean up and new trail creation work!
Shown above is the ribbon cutting ceremony for the New Lynx Trail which leads trail users directly from the parking area into the trail system. See more of the work and photos that made this a landmark day for volunteerism at Libby Hill!
Hannaford has Come to Town and Supports GCE and Libby Hill!
Hannaford Supermarkets had a sneak preview of its new grocery store on Shaker Road in Gray on Friday evening August 28th. The new store is poised to open 7am, Saturday. Seeking to begin a long relationship with the local community, the store donated to three charities in Gray. Libby Hill Trails was chosen because it represents Hannaford's core value of "Healthy Lifestyles". Shown above, store manager Jarod Castonguay (left) presents Gray Community Endowment President, Carl Holmquist (right) with a check for $3,000 to be used for the Save Libby Hill Campaign. Also key in organizing the event and obtaining the donations was Tap FitzGerald, Relations & Public Relations Specialist. Many thanks to Hannaford for this generous donation. We look forward to being their neighbor across the street!
Now $23,500 remains to be raised to complete the purchase of land for Libby Hill Trails. Won't you join and help us get over the top by donating what you can?
Libby Hill Is On the Map!
Thanks to volunteer Dave Dowler we finally have two road signs for Libby Hill on Route 26. Jotul USA and the Gray Community Endowment also provided funds to purchase the signs. Also thanks to the Gray Public Works who erected the signs. Over 16,000 cars each day pass this intersection and the new signs will help people find Libby Hill Trails.
Delorme has also added Libby Hill Trails to its Topo USA version 8 software. They also will include Libby Hill Trails in their next printing of the Maine Atlas, scheduled later this year.
'Moby' Chickadee Spotted on Libby Hill
Saturday September 12th - A group of 5 geocachers spotted what appeared to be an albino chickadee about 30 feet away with 4 other chickadees and 2 nuthatches. They were spotted in the open area on top of Libby Hill just off the Moose Odyssey (Grid D4 on our Trail Map). The bird was almost completely white but had a call like a chickadee and was with a small group of normal colored chickadees. Residents who live nearby keep an eye on your feeders for a possible visit. Trail users who spot the bird please report to us at this email. The hunt for the great white chickadee is on!
Now Is the Time to Help!
Libby Hillers,
In the past month lots of things have happened at Libby Hill, including securing
payments from the Land for Maine's Future ($69,000) and the Town of Gray
($25,000). This combined with donations from other grants and private donations
has brought us to within $23,000 of finalizing our purchase of the Hancock
Property at Libby Hill. Yesterday over 700 appeal letters went out to trail
supporters. Here are
links to that letter and a
new fund raising sign that we'd like you to pass on to any trail users you
might know that might be willing to help. We can use donations of any amount
but the key is to get the word out to as many people as possible on helping us
reach our goal. We only have a few months left to finish this fund raising and
need all the help we can get to make it to the finish.
Also in the past month we have had two very
successful trail days with over 25 volunteers showing up each day to clean
up our ski trails and create our new Lynx trail. Finally we also created a
presence on
Facebook.
Thanks for all your support of Libby Hill and you can be proud of your work in
making this trail system a reality!
Steve McPike
Friends of Libby Hill, Gray Community Endowment
Ski Trails Receive First Grooming of the Season!
After receiving 5 inches of snow on Saturday, the additional 8+ inches on Wednesday gave us the base we were looking for! Some wet spots on the trails will freeze hard over the next few days. Skiing is only recommended around the ball fields until groomers can regroom this weekend to rework the hard freeze. Conditions for skiing will greatly improve with our next snowstorm now that a base is in place.
Snowshoers will enjoy good conditions on the Lynx, Ghost, Harold Libbey, and Outback Trails. Come out and enjoy your early Christmas gift!
Trail Volunteer Day Nov. 14 - Come and Create a New Trail and Give us Hand!
This Saturday we'll complete day 2 of our trail clean up days. This includes opening our new 'Lynx' trail which connects the Libby Hill parking lot with the Harold Libbey Trail. We'll have refreshments for volunteers and a trail opening ceremony. Then a cleanup of the back half of the Moose Odyssey and Deer Run trails. Make history and come join us!
We have had lots of folks offer to help on trail work and now is the time we can use you! We have one more trail volunteer day scheduled to prepare the trails for winter. Tasks include branch cutting and removal. Raking off rocks off trails, replacing signs, and breaking ground on new trails. If you can donate 2 to 4 hours of time on either of these days please contact us at 657-2114 or email to let us know you will attend. Learn more about what we will be doing!
First Trail Day in 2009 a success.... see what you missed including photos!
Friends of Libby Hill Demonstrate Geocaching at Eastern Mountain Sports Oct 2nd and 3rd
Tracy Ross will be demonstrating Geocaching at the EMS Event day this Saturday in Portland. Music, food, and special outdoor demonstrations will be presented. The Friends of Libby Hill will also staff an information table. Come and check out the fun and support Libby Hill at the same time! Click here to learn more...
Secrets of Summer
While we haven't had much sun, the rain has produced a bumper crop of flowers and healthy plants. The flower above is a wood lily. This photo is from July 5th and if you hurry you can probably find a few more blooms. This flower is just off the Harold Libbey Trail about 250 feet past the monument (G3). Also now in bloom is the eerie Indian Pipe. This plant has no chlorophyll and grows in partial shade. There are some off the Moose Odessey nearly opposite the Harold Libbey Monument (F4). Also in bloom are the beginning crop of mushrooms. They are especially early this year due to the heavy rains. Come on out and find what hidden beauties you can find. Send us your pictures and we'll post them to our website!
Libby Hill Isn't Just for Winter!
Libby Hill is often thought of as just a cross country ski place. Our best kept secret though is that it is just as popular the other 3 seasons of the year. The trails are nice and dry, insects are minimal, and the wildlife is erupting. May and June are great for discovering over 50 species of wildflowers and over 40 species of birds; particularly warblers who are nesting. Long days allow you to take a mini excursion after work or a long discovery day on the weekends. Come on out and see us!
Horse and Pet Policy Updated
The Friends of Libby Hill recently reviewed and updated the pet policy for Libby Hill. Please Click here to read more......
Tough Economy and Lost Your Job?
Libby Hill can help, visit our blog to see how you can help yourself and Libby Hill!
Snowshoe Raffle Winners
A fun loving crowd enjoyed 'Birdie Googins' as she kept them laughing and having fun throughout the evening. Tweny people won items from the 'Supah' raffle and in the snowshoe raffle, Meg Huskey and Carolynn Marsh were the winners of our great snowshoes. Thanks to everyone who came or bought tickets! Our event and raffles netted $1,500 to save Libby Hill!
See photos from the event on our Picasa Album here!
Wild Bird Store to Reopen after Fire
Derek Lovitch is a big supporter of Libby Hill Trails by providing bird tours to trail users. In January of this year, his store burned down in Yarmouth. Derek has decided to re-open in a new location in Freeport (Near Shaw's/Buck's Naked BBQ). He and his wife Jeannette look to open their new store April 1st with a grand opening on the weekend of April 18th and 19th. If you like birds, be sure to visit them in April to get your questions on birds and wildlife answered. You can visit their new website at www.freeportwildbirdsupply.com/.
Libby Hill Trails Awarded $7500 Grant
Feb 13th - The Fields Pond Foundation of Waltham, MA announced they will be awarding the Gray Community Endowment $7500 to be applied to the 'Save Libby Hill' campaign. This great organization seeks to help local organizations conserve open space. This grant helps us get within $32,000 of our final fund raising goal. Your help is still needed!
New Winter Snowshoe Trails Open !
Two new winter trails are now open to give snowshoers and winter hikers lots of hiking options on Libby Hill. Learn more about the Ghost Trail and the Winter trail here!
Horse Rider Causes Trail Damage
Our fourth incident of horse damage to our trails has resulted in restricting horse usage at Libby Hill.... read more
Updated Trail Map
See the new snowshoe trails on our new Jan 2009 trail map. Great work from our cartographer, Tracy Ross! Click here to download!
Libby Hill 2009...coming Attactions
Libby Hill has come a long way in the past year and 2009 promises more for trail users and supporters. Here are some of the things we hope to do in 2009:
2008 The Year
That Turned the Tide
We began 2008 with troubling clouds over Libby Hill. Negotiations had faltered with Hancock lumber on purchasing the most critical land Libby Hill Trails needed for access to its land-locked parcels. It looked like seven new McMansions were going to have their own prebuilt playground and trail users might be cut off from Libby Hill Forest. The winter started out with a simple message…… “get out the story of Libby Hill before it’s too late to save it”. See all that happened in 2008....
Donors and Volunteers... See How Many!
Trails don't make themselves, it takes time, money and effort to make it all possible. See how many people have donated time or money to make Libby Hill Trails! We still need you to join and make a difference in 2009!
Trails Open.... Yessssssss !
Dec 23 - With over 20 inches of snow in the last 5 days, Libby Hill is ready for
winter fun! We are open for snowshoeing and cross country skiing.
Our groomer is back in action and the groomed trails are now available for
skiers...... Merry Christmas! Thank you groomer volunteers!
Libby Hill awarded $7,500 grant from the
Davis Foundation....
see the story from
HomeTown News .
Stove Raffle Winner Picked!
Dec 1st - Congratulations to Jay and Cheri Sarton (L-R) of Gray who won our woodstove raffle! Thanks to everyone who bought tickets and helped us raise over $1,100 to Save Libby Hilll! Also special thanks to Jotul USA who donated this great stove and especially Dave Dowler (right) who works for Jotul and arranged for the raffle. Dave also is an avid trail volunteer and mountain biker.
New Donation Post thanks to McCann Fabrication

John Keller and Dean Bennett have worked with McCann Fabrication who made a beautiful donation post at our parking lot kiosk! Also thanks to Steve LaVallee and the town crew for installing the post. Be sure to help keep the trails going by dropping in a donation each time you trek up the hill, or donate online!
What our volunteers are up to!
Click here to see all the work being
done to keep Libby Hill going.
New Signage up at Libby Hill!
Four new signs are up on Libby Hill Road and our kiosks, see what is
happening on our recent blog article!
Have you donated yet?
Save Libby Hill!
.. We still need $42,000!
Libby Hill Forest Trails has a chance to forever guarantee the trail system will have access to the public and not be developed. This is made possible by purchasing 29 acres from Hancock Land Management that abuts the GNG Middle School and the existing Libby Hill Trails property. Learn more .....
The public must act now to preserve Gray's best open space and take advantage of this one time opportunity to protect one of Gray's greatest assets. You need to act now... don't lose this opportunity to save Libby Hill Forest Trails!
What you can do!
Donate Money - we need $39,000 for this purchase. Consider giving anything you can to help us meet this goal. Click here to donate online or learn how to donate by check.
Register as a trail user - We know 5000+ people use Libby Hill every year but when we apply for grants we need to have a more documented method to show how many people have used Libby Hill Trails. You could really help Libby Hill Trails if you would take a few minutes to 'register' that you used that hill, even it was only once! Click here to begin the registration.
Libby Hill Awarded Grant from Land for Maine's Future
July 9th, 2008 - The Land for Maine's Future awarded the Gray Community Endowment (GCE) $69,000 to help pay for the recent purchase of the Hancock Property. This is great news for the 'Save Libby Hill" campaign which still needs to raise nearly $60,000 to pay for the newly acquired 29 acres. The GCE and Friends of Libby Hill will now be reaching out the community to help support the trails and guarantee that the public will always have access to Libby Hill. Please consider a donation or attending the next Friends of Libby Hill Meeting on July 14th. This is an exciting time for the Gray community to make a positive contribution to a lasting institution that will forever stand as a public space. Now is the time for you to become involved! You can also contact Steve McPike at 207-657-2114 for more info.
Spring Trail Conditions Require Special Care by Trail Users
Trails are most vulnerable to damage in spring. From late March to May 1st, some parts of the trails can be easily rutted. Do you part by not snowshoeing once snow is below 4 inches, mountain biking until after May 1st, or doing anything that leaves an 'impression' in the trail. You can also be of great help by picking up small branches that have fallen on the trail, or better yet --- bring a rake with you on your next hike.
Generous local businesses and individuals have donated over 15 great products and certificates. One $5 ticket gets you a chance at all these great prizes worth hundreds of dollars! All happening at our benefit show this Saturday night. Click here to see what you could win....
Back Country
Snowshoe Trek This Weekend!
Looking to explore the back woods this weekend? Join us for the Backcountry Snowshoe Trek this Sunday. Bring some water a snack and be comfortable with a 4 mile tour. Click here for more details....
First Snow Comes... read a trail user's day at the trail.
Libby Hill in the News! See the Nov 21st News Article from the Gray New Gloucester Independent
A safe place to walk in Hunting Season!
Hunting is not allowed on Libby Hill, in fact it is part of the 'Maine Wildlife
Sanctuary" which covers all the area between Rt 26 and Rt 202 running between
the new bypass and North Raymond Road. Regardless though, it is always
good practice for trail users to wear orange in November as an additional
precaution.

See the Libby Hill Display at the Gray Library
Tracy and Amanda Ross did a fantastic job making a multimedia display of Libby Hill at the Gray Public Library! Be sure to visit the weeks of Oct 13 through the 25th and be sure to thank our great volunteers!
Fall Trail Tour - don't
miss your chance to discover Libby Hill with a trail guide!
Tour still on, still some space left!
Sharon's Walk - a trail user shares her Sunday walk.
Blueberries ready for picking!
GCE Purchases Hancock Property
June 30th - The Gray Community Endowment (GCE) closed on purchasing the 29 acre Hancock Property today! This acquisition was critical to preserving access to the Libby Hill Trail System. To fund this purchase, the GCE had to obtain an interest free mortgage from a generous group of local citizens. Now $126,550 still needs to be raised to repay this loan (please consider a donation today). We are very grateful to all who have made this purchase a reality and supported the effort to save Libby Hill! In particular special thanks to Carl Holmquist who has dedicated over eight years in making this land purchase a reality!
Local Election Approves Article 7 ... Thank you !
$25,000 was approved toward purchase of Hancock property by the citizens of Gray at the June 10th election by an overwhelming margin (955 to 422). This leaves the GCE with nearly $132,000 left to raise to complete the purchase of the Hancock property for Libby Hill Trails. Read more about the elections at Gray's Home Town News!
Birds of Libby Hill Event Coming
Sunday June 15th, 7am-10am
A very unique chance to learn about the variety of birds you can discover on Libby Hill happens next Sunday. Event participants will have the unique opportunity to have a local biologist and naturalist, Derek Lovitch, of the Yarmouth Wild Bird Center, who will lead a bird watching tour on the trails of Libby Hill Forest. Whether you are a novice or expert bird watcher, you'll learn how to identify birds in the diverse ecosystems of Libby Hill. Bring your hiking boots, binoculars, and questions! A great way to support Father's Day and support Libby Hill Trails! Advanced reservations are recommended because only 15 people are able to participate.
National Trails Day
Saturday June 7th, 1-4pm
(only 10 slots left)

National Trails day is a day all trails celebrate the joy of hiking! Libby Hill for the first time, will provide an extensive hiking tour of all the major sites available to trail users. If you like to walk or hike this 3 to 4 mile tour will take you on and off trail to sites you never knew existed. Hikers will also be given lots of ideas for future hikes they can do on their own. The tour will be led by Steve McPike who will provide information on the trails including natural and local history of Libby Hill. Tour donations will help support the 'Save Libby Hill' campaign. Help the 'hill' and have fun doing it! Click here to learn more
Dragonfly/Gray 4H Snowshoe Trek
A great day of snowshoeing was had by the kids and parents taking a snowshoe
tour on March 10th. The conditions were
beyond perfect, solid crust snow, sunny
skies, and beaver who left us presents! Thanks to all who came and made it
a fun morning in the woods!
Maine Classical Christian School Visits Libby Hill...... click here to see more on our trail blog
Have even more fun.. join the "Friends of Libby Hill" on
March 31st
The Friends of Libby Hill will have a informational meeting for folks to come
and learn about what volunteer activities are available at Libby Hill. Whether
you can donate an hour, adopt a trail, tackle a project, or organize event; we
want to show you how you can help! On Monday March 31st at 6:30pm, a no
obligation, informational meeting will be held at the Androscoggin Savings Bank
in Gray. Come by and find out what you can get involved with and how you
can meet some great people in your community. If you need more coaxing
contact Steve McPike 657-2114 or
email us!
We invite you to come to the "Friends of Libby Hill" informational meetin
g
on Monday, March 31st at the Androscoggin Bank in Gray at 6:30pm.
Learn how the motto of Libby Hill, "Promoting community through open space
recreation" will provide you with a fun way to meet new people, be outdoors, and
enhance your community. We have a wide range of volunteer projects that can fit
most any schedule. If you can't make the meeting but still want to help,
email us or call Steve McPike at 657-2114.
Testimonials Sought
If you are an enthusiastic Libby Hill
Trail Trail user- whether brand new or a veteran- we would love to hear your
story of why the trails are important to you! These stories help us with future
planning and resource development (read more.....)
At first we were told, there's not enough snow to have a winter fun day in March. Then we had to juggle speakers and events. Two weeks ago an ice storm blocked our trails. Then last Friday it was clear that another 10 inches of snow was going to deliver itself right in the middle of Saturday's event. Luckily, many of our event participants could reschedule to Sunday, March 2nd. All seemed saved then at 7:20am on Sunday I got a call from Dean Bennett saying the Recreation Department Truck had broken down on the way to the event. So.... one more scramble to get equipment reloaded on on site by the kick off.
Once on site, it was clear we got everything we could wish for, a cloudless
sunny sky, rising temperatures, and beautiful snow laden wind gusts giving a
perfect winter climate! If you just took a quick look from the sideline
you might not have been impressed. With events scattered over the fields
of the middle school and the trails it might have been hard to figure out what
all excitement was about. However, if you took the time to join in any of
the events you would have an unbelievably fun time.
Be
sure to visit our slide show to see the over 100 participants in our events
yesterday. We also had an additional hundred trail users out exploring
the trails on foot, on skis, on snowshoes, and on skis. I didn't meet a
single person without a smile on their face and enjoying the gift of Libby Hill
Trails. Thank you all for making the Libby Hill Fun Day, a great day for
everyone!
Lots of folks asked me "how much does this cost" or how can we help, we love this place! We never charge for our events but we do have costs to keep the trails open. The high winds kept our donation buckets from being very prominent so we didn't take in much money for future events. If you missed your chance, be sure to visit our donations page where you can donate online or by check. If you want to give your time, don't miss the opportunities at our volunteer page and send us an email to learn more.
Help us make it better... take our 1 minute Fun Day Survey!
Special Thanks.... How the fun day happened
It takes a lot to make an event happen. All these people helped make a fun day for you. If you see them be sure to say thanks for making the winter fun day happen. Better yet offer to volunteer or donate to recognize their efforts!
Dean Bennett - Gray Parks and Rec
Carl Holmquist - Trail Manager and Race Organizer
Shelly Holmquist
Anne Gass
Rick and Silas Leavitt
Judy Densmore and the food team
Deb Pyne-Young
Meg Huskey
John and Laurie Keller
Doreen McPike
Joel McPike
Tracy Ross
Patty Schorr
Ruth Johnson
Tom Watson the Eastern Mountain Sports Crew
Chewonki Foundation
SAD 15 Maintenance Department
Gray Public Works Team
Gray Fire and Rescue
Trail Users of Libby Hill
Jeanne Adams/GNG Independent
Marilyn Pocaro/Lake Region Weekly
Peggy Brown/The Notes
Special Thanks to our Groomers
Merritt Foster
Dana Giggey
Peter Reaman
Rick Licht
(did I forget you?..
please let me know)
The ice storm of last week did extensive damage to pine trees dropping hundreds of branches on the ski trails last week. Carl Holmquist enlisted help from the ski teams and other volunteers, the groomer was able to get through the trails on Sunday. Thanks to everyone who came to the help out this past weekend! For users going up on the trail this week, please toss any branches you might find in the trail.
Full Moon Snowshoe Tour
We had a cloudless night and a great turnout of over 20 people for our first
full moon snowshoe trek! As a bonus we also got to see the beginning of
the lunar eclipse!
Click here to see a collection of photographs folks took. We got more
interest in this event than any so far! Our website also had its busiest
'hit' day on the day of the event.

Weather alert and Event update Friday 3pm- Given the increased issues with the coming storm we have moved our Fun Day to Sunday, March 2nd. The weather looks much better on Sunday and road conditions will be much improved. All events are still scheduled to be held on Sunday at the times shown below. Volunteers should arrive as instructed. You can get updates on this website or call the Gray Recreation department at 657-2323 if you have any questions.
Upon arrival at the Middle School, come into the front entrance of the building where we will have our Information Booth and Orienteering booth. Here you can find out how to sign up for events and any changes to the schedule.
Libby Hill Winter Fun Day
Saturday March 1st, 2008
(Directions to event)
Come celebrate the fun of winter and discover the diversity
of Libby Hill Forest Trails in Gray, Maine. Events include indoor and
outdoor activities for all ages! Learn about winter sports, explore some
trails, try out some snowshoes, or discover some natural history. Food
will be available for sale or bring your own. GNG Middle School will be open for
lectures, warming up, bathrooms and tables for folks bringing their own food.
Outdoor Events
8:45am - Kickoff
9am – 10am - Adult 5K
X-Country Ski Race (register at Info Tent)
9:30am-10:30am Kids X-country
Ski Race (register at Info Tent)
10:30am Adult Snowshoe race
(register at Info Tent)
11am - Kids Snowshoe race
(register at Info Tent)
9:30, 10:30, 11:30, 12:30 –
Map Skills for Beginners (Orienteering Tent)
10am- 1pm – Orienteering “How to”
(Orienteering Tent see below)
10:30, 11:30, 12:30, 1:30 -
Orienteering (see tent section below)
10:30am and 11:30am – Libby
Hill Trail Tour - A 45 minute walk to top of Libby Hill to learn how to
navigate the trails. (register at Info Tent)
12:30pm-3pm – Sledding games
2pm-4pm – Guided Snowshoe Trek - Steve McPike will lead an off trail
snowshoe hike to Thayer Brook. Find new areas to explore on and off trail!
(register at Info tent). If you want to see where it is going read our
recent blog entry or see all
the
photos here.
Indoor Events (appropriate for all ages)
10am- 11am - Tracking Animals
in Winter by naturalist Brett Levin
Cancelled
Ever wondered what made those tracks you see on your winter walks? Find out how to tell one critter's tracks from another, and maybe even what the animal was doing as it made them. If possible, go outside, hunt for some tracks, and do a little animal tracking detective work!
11am – noon - Safety in the
Woods – Nancy Long, Girl Scouts of Maine
cancelled
A hands-on look at essential items for a day hike or beyond, and why you need them - or not? Specific suggestions for kids, teens, and adults, and how to "get found" if you do get separated from your group. Make a quick emergency shelter outside if time/conditions permit.
11:30am - 12:30 - Going Green
in the Woods - Holly Gillies, Outdoor Guide
Cancelled
"Going Green" is a hot topic these days, but aren't you already "going green" by taking a walk or hike in the woods? Maybe, and maybe not! This fun, game-based session shows you how you can make a difference on your next venture outside and keep forest ecosystems alive and well.
1pm & 2:15pm - Predators
The Chewonki foundation presents a talk on predators and brings some live predators with them. Limited to 30 people per session.
Food - Chilli, pizza, chowder, hot beverages and bottled water available.
Outdoor Tents – 9am-3pm
Eastern Mountain Sports Tent – giveaways, music, outdoor advice, free tryouts of snowshoes
Information Tent – Get trail maps, event information, register for events here
Orienteering Tent – Try out our new Orienteering course. Ongoing brief "how to" ongoing 9am-3pm, course opens at 10:30am, last start at 1:30pm. For those needing a bit more instruction, basic map skills & orienteering clinic at 9:30am, 10:30am, 11:30am, 12:30.
Ongoing Activities
Bonfire, sliding (bring your sleds), try out some snowshoes, free skiing and snowshoeing
Full Moon Snowshoe Tour
We had a cloudless night and a great turnout of over 20 people for our first
full moon snowshoe trek! As a bonus we also got to see the beginning of
the lunar eclipse!
Click here to see a collection of photographs folks took. We got more
interest in this event than any so far! Our website also had its busiest
'hit' day on the day of the event.
Orienteering Course under construction...coming soon!
Winter Nature Snowshoe Walk a great Day!
Caryl Widdowson, local naturalist will take snowshoers on a two hour guided look at how nature adapts to winter. Snowshoe conditions are ideal despite all the weather of the past week. Snowshoes are available if you don't have them, call Steve McPike to reserve 207-657-2114.
See our blog to see what fun the January 12th snowshoe trek had.
Explore more info on what you saw on the tour....
We are expanding our nature information section. Click here for more details....
Libby Hill Trails provides a full range of snowshoe experiences. Learn more of where to go or how to get started, no matter you level of experience (click here to learn more)
You can see our current trail conditions by clicking here to open the trail blog, trail conditions are on the left upper corner.
The snowshoe trails on Harold Libbey and the new Outback trail are also open with initial snowshoe tracks laid down.
Please help us keep trail info up to date and email us what condition you have
found the trails.
Click
here to send us a trail report!
New Outback Trail Maps and Trail Descriptions
We now have extensive trail descriptions of the Libby Hill Trails including new
maps. You can also
download a complete trail guide in PDF format (requires
Adobe Acrobat
Reader and high speed connection). The new
Outback trail which was just completed in November now has maps and
descriptions.
Full Moon Snowshoe Trek Coming!
- On Wednesday, February 20th, a full moon snowshoe trek will be led by
Steve McPike. The tour will go on and off trail to see how Libby Hill
looks in the glow of a full moon!
If you might be interested in a future full moon snowshoe (March) or hike please
let us know
Email us!. Participants, please
be prepared for a 2 hour snowshoe of
moderate exertion (if you don't have snowshoes let us know, we have a few to
lend out). Also bring a headlamp or flashlight.
Go to our blog to read more on the route for this walk, see the February 4th entry.
New Parking Lot
Our parking lot has had an upgrade! The Gray Public Works crew did
a great
job making the lot deeper and wider. They also moved the welcome sign to
the parking lot. Remember, trail heads begin not at the parking lot but
behind the middle school. Follow the driveway behind the school and proceed to
the trails heads that are on the other side of the chain link fence.
Libby Hill Forest Celebrates its 8th
Anniversary!
Libby Hill Forest is celebrating its 8th anniversary this fall! Providing six
miles of non-motorized recreation paths behind the Gray-New Gloucester Middle
School, this gem of open space in Gray is waiting for you to explore its
secrets! New this year are upgrades to the Harold Libbey Trail, new trail blazes
on all trails, and extensive trail maps and trail descriptions on our website.
See how much has happened in eight years by viewing our photo show
(click here to view albums).
Trail Walk makes for a fun afternoon!
Our trail orientation walk on Saturday, October 20th was a great time for the 16 folks who came out to enjoy a warm colorful afternoon on Libby Hill! All trail walkers got to navigate the newly marked trails with new detailed trail maps. Here is a sample of the comments from trail users:
"Now I really know my way around these trails."
"I never knew Libby Hill had so many activities to offer"
"I've lived in Gray for years and finally got to see what Libby Hill is all about!"
"We're definitely coming back and bringing some friends to show them what they're missing.""I didn't know there are trails for all levels of walkers."
If you missed this walk be aware that future trail walks are being planned. If you are interested in participating or being notified about our next walk email us (the more interest we get the sooner we will schedule the next walk).
Interested in volunteering for Trail Events ?
We are considering revamping our Friends of Libby Hill Committee, if you would like to be invited to an informational meeting in November please email us! Other volunteer opportunities are available at this link as well.