Road project limits access to popular Hancock County hike

A road project that started this week in Blue Hill will limit access to a popular set of local hiking trails, although there are alternative ways to reach them.

The town of Blue Hill says that Mountain Road will be closed for eight to 10 weeks as it is totally rebuilt. During that time, hikers won’t be able to access the main parking area to reach the trails up Blue Hill Mountain.

“The water that runs off the mountain causes terrible damage to the road, so they’re rebuilding the whole thing,” said Town Treasurer Michelle Rockwell. She noted there will be a 2-week break in the project around the Blue Hill Fair at the end of August.

The climb up Blue Hill Mountain is popular for its relatively short distance and the wide open views it offers of the peninsula.

But Blue Hill Heritage Trust, the group that manages the mountain, says there are two routes that hikers can still use to summit it.

They can use street parking downtown and climb the Post Office Trail, which is about a mile long and connects with other trails up the rest of the mountain.

Alternatively, they can park along Turkey Farm Road, which provides access to the 2-mile Becton Trail up the backside of the mountain.