Among the rolling hills of the Eastside Road of Crabtree Neck you will find the old Ball Field, where for decades children spent hours learning to play ball. The first property that CNLT purchased, the Ball Field preserves 30 acres of open space, forest, and wildlife habitat. Enjoy a hike on the Woods Trail through classic Maine fields and woods, or visit the old apple orchard behind the Community Garden which the community gardeners are working to restore. Sightings of wild turkeys, deer, foxes, and a variety of bird species happen here. Most recently, bluebird boxes can be seen dotting the landscape.
The Woods Trail runs from the Community Garden on Eastside Road (which has parking) to Point Road through two CNLT properties: The Ball Field and the Sam Ball Woods.
Sam Ball Woods Preserve
The Sam Ball Woods Preserve is named after Samuel Ball who established a farm here in the late 1700s. The 24-acre preserve is now forested, but if you look closely you can see parallel mounds and ditches stretching through the woods. These are the vestiges of the historic Ball strawberry farm. Trails wind through the woods connecting the Point Road to the Community Garden on the East Side Road. The trailhead on the Point Road is located just north of the Hancock Point School and is marked by a large sign visible from the road. No parking is provided at the trailhead.
Click on any photo to enlarge and to see a slideshow