Size

57 acres in Cumberland plus 19 acres in North Yarmouth

Public Access

There are two nearly one mile long trails on the property. These trails are open for hiking, walking, running, mountain biking, picnicking, skiing and snowmobiling. Please refrain from hunting with firearms, kindling fires, consuming alcoholic beverages, and interfering with access to the portion of the property on which the radar tower is built.

Conservation Purposes

This property has been protected for its value as a large tract of undeveloped forested land with ecological, aesthetic, and recreational values.

Description & History

Bruce Hill is a large, forested tract providing habitat for wildlife and public access for low impact recreation. The parcel was purchased by the Federal Aviation Administration in 1994 for the purpose of constructing a 77-foot tall airport surveillance radar tower to service the Portland Jetport. In 1995, the FAA awarded a conservation easement on 57 acres in Cumberland to CCLT and 19 acres in North Yarmouth to the Royal River Conservation Trust, totaling 76 acres of conserved woodland. 

Although Bruce Hill is heavily forested, the cleared area surrounding the radar tower and the power lines that pass through the property provide striking views. This large and undisturbed forest is home to many kinds of wildlife including deer, raccoons, wild turkeys, and many other birds. 

New trails were constructed and marked in 2016 as part of a larger trail network including connecting trails to the adjacent 213-acre Knight’s Pond Preserve, also protected by a CCLT easement.