Located just off Route One headed toward Camden, Maine, is a 66-acre, privately owned park known as the Merryspring Nature Center. Though I've grown up in this area, I had no idea of the existence of the Center until someone mentioned it in passing when I said I was looking for new places to take the pups. Barely a mile down a well-traveled side road just behind the Camden Hannaford shopping plaza, I found just that place. Though it was a warm, sunny Sunday when I arrived, there were only two cars in the limited parking spaces off to the side of the road. Park hours are listed as sunrise to sunset, trails are well-groomed and dog-friendly, and wildlife is abundant. Hooray for the fun of a new place to discover!
The Center is comprised of an entire network of trails, several well-kept gardens, picnic areas, and an open meadow in which dogs can roam free. Dogs are required to be on-leash in all other areas of the park, and there are a couple of places where they are not permitted. These include the central office and gardens and a children's garden just to the back of the office. All areas are clearly marked, so there's no question as to protocol when you're moving from site to site.
On this particular Sunday, there was only one pup - a handsome golden retriever - happily playing fetch with his people in the "dog meadow." I ran into a couple of mountain bikers on one of the trails, but otherwise seemed to be on my own for the majority of my time at the Center. Of course, it's early in the season yet; I'll be sure to update my blog as the summer wears on, to see just how busy this dog-friendly oasis becomes.
Though Merryspring charges no visitation fee, regular pup-visitors are encouraged to become "Merry Dogs." The fee for this is $35 for one dog or $50 for the multi-dog household, and helps to support upkeep of the grounds. I just sent off my check for Killian and Adia, as I expect we'll be regulars there in no time! Though the Center does not have an extensive off-leash area and there are a number of places where pups are not allowed to roam, I would still recommend this as a great spot for an afternoon of hiking and pup-friendly revelry. Check out the website for more information, or take a jaunt over to the Center and see for yourself. You and your pups will be happy you did!
1 comment:
Unfortunately for dog walkers, Merryspring Nature Center stopped welcoming dogs in 2012 as we refocus our mission on horticulture, ecology, and education. Fortunately, the local adoption center, PAWS, has opened a dog park across the road.
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