Description
The 26,432-acre Spring River-Narraguagus Forest is part of a network of resilient, connected lands and waters that will allow nature to adapt to climate change. The preserve features the namesake Spring and Narraguagus Rivers, which are low-elevation, low-gradient acidic streams with large areas of fine-grained marine clay deposits that provide important spawning and rearing habitat for endangered Atlantic salmon. These streams also provide spawning habitat for alewife and American shad and support American eel and wild brook trout populations. Due to the low gradient north of Tunk Mountain, the preserve is dotted with beaver flowages along many of the smaller streams. There are also more than 200 acres of non-commercially managed blueberry fields in the northeastern part of the property that provide sweeping views of Tunk Mountain.
The preserve includes most of the shoreline of the 479-acre Narraguagus Lake, considered one of the best examples of lakes of this type (large, deep, low elevation and low acid neutralizing capacity) in Maine. There are 12 species of native fish documented in this lake, including wild brook trout, alewife, American eel, brown bullhead, common shiner, fallfish, golden shiner, ninespine stickleback, pumpkinseed, rainbow smelt, redbreast sunfish and white sucker. One species of mussel, the eastern elliptio, has also been collected in the lake.
Another water body, Myrick Pond, is located downstream of an area of wetlands known as Ash Bog. This 44-acre pond supports six native species of fish, including wild brook trout.
This new preserve currently has no trails, facilities or services, and navigation is difficult and in places unpassable. Plans for recreational access points and navigational signs are in development.
Road Safety at Spring River-Narraguagus Forest Preserve
• Pass at your own risk—there are no facilities or emergency services on this property
• Maximum speed: 25 MPH
• Do not block roads or bridges
• Keep to the right—commercial trucks have the right of way
