Bath Pond Path opens to the public

by Laura Bednar

The Bath Pond Path in the Bath Nature Preserve is open to the public. The 1-mile long nature trail is located on the west and south sides of Bath Pond.

Park Director Alan Garner said it can be accessed from Beefy’s Trail or the Bridle Trail. The trail includes a small bridge that goes over the pond outlet, where pond water flows into Bath Creek. Boardwalks ranging from 15 to 200 feet surround the pond in wetter areas to keep people from walking in mud. The trail features varied habitats from wetlands to open fields.

Garner said the project was a few years in the making, with both Bath Park personnel and an outside contractor working on it in summer and fall. The park map has not yet been updated to include the path, but signage is present for people to find it.

The project is 95% complete, according to Garner, with just one culvert left to install. But the trail is open for visitors.

“The path around the pond opens more of the preserve for people to be able to experience the beauty of the Bath Nature Preserve,” Trustee Elaina Goodrich said. ∞