Late in the afternoon a day earlier this week, we decided to take the short 1/4 mile hike to the top of Douglas Mountain. We haven't been there this year and the stone tower is a favorite spot. And the kids are hosting a new Flat Stanley so they wanted to show the flat character the sights from the top of the mountain.
Once we turned onto Douglas Mountain Road to get to the trail head, we found a ton of signs (it felt a bit like NYC without the lights) directing us to a new parking lot. It seems the town has decided to move the parking area and trail head. But, they haven't completed a portion of the trail so hikers have to park in the new, gated lot and walk up the steep, narrow road to the old trail head. OK, change takes a while. I can understand that. But what was really upsetting was that the new parking lot is locked at 6 p.m.! And there are barriers, tape and signs everywhere - and I mean that literally - that there is no parking anywhere else on the road or within a mile of the old trail head.
It's summertime. The sun doesn't set until after 8 p.m. Why close the parking lot that early? Why not close at dusk instead to maximize the hours hikers can enjoy the trail? Does the Town of Sebago not understand that even if the kids are in camp this summer, families might still want to take a late-afternoon hike to enjoy a picnic dinner on Douglas Mountain?
I used to really like the trails in Sebago but the new "hours" are really disappointing and inconvenient. It's a real bummer. I guess we'll have to go back to Rattlesnake Mountain. There are great views of Sebago Lake there without the gates and regulations and rules to follow. Nor all the sign-age litter.
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