The small coastal town of Phippsburg in Sagadahoc County is home to three state parks, Popham Beach, Fort Popham and Fort Baldwin. All are within a short distance of one another and can be visited in a single day. For now we’ll concentrate on Fort Baldwin.

The Popham Beach/Fort Popham area is about 15 miles or so from the city of Bath on Route 209. From the southbound lane of U.S. Route 1 take the first exit off the Sagadahoc Bridge at Bath and bear left on to Vine Street. At the traffic light, turn left onto Washington Street towards Bath Iron Works. Continue on Washington Street, past the Maine Maritime Museum. Washington Street eventually becomes Webber Avenue which will bring you to Route 209 (High Street). At the stop sign make a left. You’ll come to a fork in the road at a place called Winnegance, now a part of West Bath. Bear left around the cove and continue on Route 209 to Phippsburg. Stay on Route 209 which eventually leads to Popham Road.

Fort Baldwin was once a part of the Fort Baldwin Military Reservation and occupies the lofty summit of Sabino Hill. The shortest way to the top is from the park’s northern entrance located on  Fort Baldwin Road. It’ll be a sharp left hand turn off Route 209, (the Popham Road) and is alongside a small cove. The road is narrow and winds past a private home, so drive slowly.

The parking area is on the right and the Fort Baldwin park entrance is just across from it. The way up is over a rough gravel road, the park sign indicates it’s a 500-foot climb to the top but the assent is gradual. Before starting off be sure to have a look around the grounds abutting the parking area. This place is the site of historic Fort St. George and Popham Colony established by the English in 1607. It’s here that the Virginia was built, the first sailing ship launched in the New World. A brass replica of the Virginia commemorating the historic vessel is anchored to a boulder overlooking Atkins Bay. Across the water you’ll see historic Fort Popham.

The trek up the old Fort Baldwin Road takes less then 10 minutes. At the summit are the fort’s ruins that are in remarkably good shape in spite of being left to the mercy of Mother Nature for decades. The fort was named for Col. Jeduthan Baldwin, who served as a military engineer during the Revolutionary War and rubbed elbows with the likes of General George Washington, Benedict Arnold and others.

The barracks and observation post were constructed between 1905 and 1912 and overlook the mouth of the Kennebec River. Although the trees have grown up over the years, there are places at the top where you still have a good view of the ocean, including the Pond Island Lighthouse. Three heavily fortified batteries were built and manned during World War I and named: “Cogan,” “Hawley” and “Hardman.” No enemy ships were ever fired upon. Following the war, Fort Baldwin was abandoned until the 1940s when it was manned again during World War II. It was during this time the tall observation tower was added where sharp-eyed lookouts watched for German U-boats. The tower is on the highest point of the hill and a little further up the road. The entrance leading inside has been gated off.

The ruins encompass roughly six acres and are best explored in the late fall after the foliage has died back. The Fort Baldwin site was added the National Register of Historic places in 1979.

The trail doesn’t stop at the fort’s ruins but continues on from the observation tower roughly southwards through the woods and gradually downward. It ends at another, smaller parking area off Perkins Farm Lane. This road takes the wanderer back to Route 209 and the beach. You can follow the tarred road back to Fort Baldwin’s main entrance, or retrace your route through the woods back to the summit.

Hiking the whole length of the trail takes about an hour or so. The trail was dry, hard-packed and easily followed during my recent hike.