Trail Map View All Saco Heath formed when two adjacent ponds
filled with decaying plant material called peat. Eventually, the
two ponds filled completely and grew together to form a raised
coalesced bog, where the surface of the peat is perched above
the level of the groundwater. Located in a rapidly growing area
of southern Maine, the 1,223-acre preserve features a self-
guided hike along a woodland trail to a boardwalk through the
heath’s varied peatland communities. In the spring, the
heathland plants bloom, spreading a carpet of lavender, pink and
white across the heath. Dawn to dusk The preserve is accessible
through a 1-mile trail and boardwalk. The terrain is relatively
level and easy. To learn more about the logic behind these
rules, please read our complete list of preserve use policies.
What You’ll See The Heath features a unique assemblage of plants
that are adapted to thrive in its nutrient-poor soils. These
include Labrador tea, leather-leaf, rhodora, cottongrass, sheep
laurel and scattered pitch