Winter weather finally arrived this week, but when conditions permit, here’s another local find for hikers to check out.

The West Woods and Morris Farm trail system offer enjoyable early morning or afternoon walking and/or hiking. There are over 200 acres to enjoy here that traverse three abutting properties: the Sortwell Memorial Forest, Morris Farm and land owned by the town of Wiscasset. There are actually four different ways to begin hiking here. One is off Willow Lane not far from where the road crosses Ward Brook. From Route 1, turn onto Churchill Street at the municipal building. Just down the street is Willow Lane on your left.

There are two parking areas on this side of the preserve, the larger one is exactly 0.9 miles from Churchill Street on your right. You’ll see a sign on a tree identifying this as the Sortwell Memorial Forest. The property was donated by the Sortwell family in 1955 and is now owned and maintained by the New England Forestry Foundation. A small kiosk marks the trail head. No trail maps were available during my last visit. By going to the town of Wiscasset’s website, you can download a map showing the trail system. On the menu bar click on “Visit” and drop to “Community Trails”; from here simply click on the “West Woods and Morris Farm.”

Following the white-blazed trail will carry you a short distance into the woods before it divides. Taking the trail that veers off on the right, the Elderberry Trail, carries you eastward over a small footbridge and eventually to the other, smaller Willow Lane parking area. From here it swings to the left and then bears right leading to a meadow and small stream at the rear of the Morris Farm property.

Backing up to where the trail divided, if you go straight the way carries you along the Tall Pine Trail, very aptly named for the towering Northern Pines surrounding it. The path takes you over a series of small hills and ultimately brings you out behind Wiscasset Middle High School. Keep in mind as you’re walking along that in the early 1900s this was all cleared pasture land. Over time it has all gone back to woods.

The West Woods-Morris Farm trail system is best appreciated by making several visits. It offers a number of smaller side trails that are fun to explore. One of these is back at the parking area where we started. It begins at the trail head on the left and is easily followed running slightly downhill. It follows Ward Brook and ends at a small marsh.

The other preserve entrances are located at Wiscasset Community Center, the middle high school, and Morris Farm. All of the trails are pretty easy to follow but it’s always best to carry along a compass or GPS unit. Although there hasn’t been any snow yet, there has been a good deal of rain lately, making sections of the trails muddy and soggy in places. It will likely stay this way until the ground freezes.

The trail system is maintained by volunteers and open year-round from sunup to sundown. It’s best explored with a trail map.