The Center Hill Nature Trail is a short (half-mile) loop located on Center Hill (1,658 ft), inside Mount Blue State Park, off Center Hill Road (unpaved) in Weld, Maine. This trail begins and ends at the parking area for the Center Hill picnic area, and includes excellent views of Mount Blue, Tumbledown Mountain, Webb Lake, and the surrounding lakes and mountains.

The steep, winding access road from Center Hill Road to the summit is paved, but not plowed in winter. There are snowshoe trails accessible to hikers from the base of the hill, or from the winter trailhead at park headquarters at 299 Center Hill Road, Weld, Maine. The best guide is Mount Blue State Park’s map and brochure.

We visited in May, before the summit road was open, and navigated the icy road to the summit on foot, then walked the Center Hill Nature Trail counter-clockwise, stopping at each viewpoint.  The trail was wet, but easily navigable, and snow was only present in shaded areas.

This short trail is perfect for families, with picturesque spots to take photos and picnic tables with beautiful views, and brochures are available (in summer) for a self-guided natural history hike through numbered stations.  In the summer, swimming is available a short drive away at Mount Blue State Park’s Webb Beach and Campground on the opposite side of Webb Lake.

For those doing more challenging hikes in the area of Tumbledown, Mount Blue, or other peaks, this ring is a nice break, and the viewpoints and benches are an easy way to get the lay of the land of the Mount Blue area.