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Ownership
Cape Elizabeth Land Trust (CELT)
Location
43.5740004, -70.2259109
On the eastern shore of Great Pond.
Access
The Cross Town Trail connects this parcel with other publicly accessible trails and parking areas.
- Trailhead on the north side of Route 77, adjacent to Golden Ridge Ln and across from the Kettle Cove Creamery
- Coming south on the Cross Town Trail, accessed from Sweet Fern Rd, Vernon Rd, or Fenway Rd (see Great Pond II).
Parking at Kettle Cove Ice Cream and Shack for trail use is limited to three parking spots facing Route 77 between the telephone pole and the fire hydrant. These parking spots are made available to the public through the generosity of the business owner — if these spots are full, please come back later or access the Great Pond Trail from another entrance.
Narrative walking south: From the trailhead off Fowler Road, you’ll pass the town boat racks, where the trail branches left and connects with a town property and trail around a small pond. Vernon Road and residential areas are nearby. The trail branches right and leads you to a sandy beach used for access to the water. Continuing along the edge of the pond, you’ll reach a system of marked trails and a boardwalk on the left, purchased and constructed in 2017, to explore a lush forest and extensive wetlands near the pond. These trails also connect with Sweet Fern Road and adjacent areas. From that trail junction, the main trail descends to a 700-foot boardwalk, which follows the curve of the pond, providing views over the water and marsh with their abundance flora and fauna. At the end of the boardwalk, a short steep rise up stone steps with a railing brings you back onto CELT property, where you’ll be rewarded with the best views of the pond from a rocky lookout on the eastern shore.
Description/History
One of Cape’s hidden outdoor gems, the 6-acre Great Pond I Preserve is part of a network of trails shared with the town-owned Greenbelt system. The property is named after its most prominent vista feature, which is the largest freshwater body of water in Cape Elizabeth.
Home to a wide variety of aquatic and terrestrial wildlife, many residents use the pond for boating, fishing, and bird watching in summer and in winter. Skating and ice fishing are popular pastimes. Great Pond itself is home to pickerel and largemouth bass. The marshlands and forests surrounding Great Pond provide excellent wildlife habitat for wading birds, ducks, geese, deer, and the occasional moose.
Rules
- Stay on marked trails
- Respect adjacent private properties
- No motorized vehicles, fires, camping, foraging, commercial use, or illegal activities onsite
- Public access from sunrise to sunset
Please cherish and help care for this natural preserve.
*Notice for Dog Owners
- Pick up and carry out all dog waste
- Dogs must be in sight and under control or on leash at all times
- Please keep dogs out of sensitive habitat areas
- No commercial dog walking at any time
- Reminder: Maine Law requires dog license and rabies tag on collar at all times
Date Protected
August 7, 1990
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