FBC owns 123 acres on the east shore of the West Branch of the Union River at Mariaville Falls and holds a conservation easement on 18 acres across the river on the west shore.

In the early 1800’s, William Bingham of Philadelphia established a thriving village at Mariaville Falls. There is no longer any trace of the dam, the two timber mills, the tannery or the boardinghouse and homes that once comprised a village of fifty families.

(The town name is pronounced “muh-RY-uh-vill”.)

Trail Description

To get to the trail, start at the FBC Mariaville Falls Preserve sign on Route 181. Follow the gravel access road that leads to a parking area in an abandoned gravel pit near the river. From there, an unimproved trail follows the shoreline and high ground to Mariaville Falls. Mariaville Falls is a dramatic stair falls that can be seen from an overlook along the path. Then the trail runs north along meandering slack water towards Route 9 and ends at a bend in the river. The river is clean and wild as far as you can see.

Directions

From Route 1A north in Ellsworth (the Bangor Road) go north and turn right onto Mariaville Road at Ellsworth Business Park at Boggy Brook. Keep bearing right on Mariaville Road (Route 180) for 8.3 miles until you reach the junction of 181 (just past the Beech Hill School) on the right. Take 181 and go for 9.7 miles to the wooden FBC preserve sign on the left. The access road to the trail begins at the sign. The parking area is located at an old gravel pit near the river.

The trail to the falls runs to the right along the river. In wet weather or high water, the trail can be a bit difficult. The trail leads to an overlook of the Falls.