Howard Hill Conservation Area

Discover

Howard Hill gives Augusta a woodland viewpoint on its own civic landscape. Above the city, an overlook places the Maine State House within the Kennebec River valley, making the familiar building part of a much broader scene. The walk earns its interest through that changing relationship: wooded ground and old roads lead to a place where architecture, river, and hills can be considered together.

Kennebec Land Trust describes several approaches to Howard Hill Historic Park. The Stevens Commons and Effie L. Berry entrance in Hallowell offers a route through field and woodland, while other entrances climb from Augusta. Choose the current mapped approach that suits the outing. The destination is the overlook rather than the highest point, so it helps to decide which view and return route will organize the walk.

Rebecca Goldfine's original Maine by Foot account particularly values the view of the State House. She explains that the actual summit stands higher but is enclosed by trees. That observation is useful even for visitors with no interest in reaching a summit: a scenic pause can provide the walk's natural endpoint. Allow time there for the building's position in the valley to become clearer as you look beyond its immediate outline.

The wooded approach has its own variety. The operator identifies ravines, large boulders, and a ridgeline with cliffs within the property. These features help explain why a relatively small urban woodland can feel substantial underfoot. Follow the chosen trail as it rises across the ground, noticing how an old road occupies a different space from a narrow passage between trees. The terrain gives the outing a character that a distant view alone cannot supply.

The hill also carries a long history of changing use. The land trust records Wabanaki use of the river and surrounding woods over thousands of years. Later chapters include the Gannett family's extensive grounds and the area's period as a state game preserve. These layers provide context for the present woodland without requiring every trace to be immediately visible. The paths offer a way to think about a place that has served many purposes over time.

Conservation brought another change. Kennebec Land Trust bought the property with public and private support, then transferred ownership to Augusta while retaining a conservation easement. That arrangement connects the everyday public walk with a lasting commitment to the wooded setting behind the State House. A pause at the overlook can therefore include both the view and an appreciation of the ground that keeps the perspective available.

Return by the planned route, letting the valley scene gradually give way to closer trees and the shape of the hillside. Howard Hill works well as an outing with a distinct focus rather than a race around every branch of its network. The approach, overlook, and descent each show a different relationship between city and woodland. Give all three time, and the familiar capital acquires a fresh scale: a civic landmark seen from conserved ground, framed by the river valley that helps define Augusta.

Fun facts

1. The scenic overlooks lie below the wooded true summit.
2. City ownership is paired with a Kennebec Land Trust conservation easement.

Read the official sources →

Visitor perspectives

1. Rebecca Goldfine enjoys the State House overlook and describes woodland approaches, clarifying that the higher true summit has no open view.

Capture

1. Frame the State House within the surrounding valley from the official overlook.
2. Use a woodland road to show the transition toward the city view.

Social

Howard Hill offers a woodland perspective on Augusta.

The State House sits within a much wider river-valley scene.

Choose an approach that leaves time at the overlook.

The highest point and the scenic viewpoint are different stops.

Ravines add interest to the wooded approach.

Old roads recall earlier uses of the hillside.

Conservation keeps the capital’s wooded backdrop connected to public walking.

An attentive descent completes the change from broad view to close forest.

Hashtags

1. #Cre8Travel
2. #Maine

Sources & visitor information

• www.tklt.org
• mainebyfoot.com