An out-and-back hike combining the Hemlock Trail and Shore Trail is the most popular excursion through the 250-acre Basin Pond Recreation Area. Carey Kish photo

The small town of Monroe (pop. 931) is a place you’re not likely to casually pass through on the way to somewhere else. Located in rural Waldo County, 6 miles south of Interstate 95 and about that same distance west of US Route 1/Maine Route 3 and the Penobscot River, in true Maine geographic terms, you’ve kind of got to go to Monroe to get there.

I must admit that I’ve bypassed Monroe — quite innocently enough — for, well, a long time. Since my college days at the University of Maine, at least, back in the heyday of the beloved Red Barn (defunct now for many years), the town’s rustic entertainment venue that hosted popular musical acts such as Bill Chinnock, the Blend, Oak and the James Montgomery Blues Band, as far as I can remember anyway. If you know, you know.

Monroe’s 39 square miles are home to a wealth of natural beauty, from woods and wetlands to farms and fields, all nestled amid low, rolling hills. That’s reason enough to make the pleasant drive, but when you discover there are great hiking trails to be enjoyed, as I did recently thanks to a tip from a friend, you consult your Gazetteer and go.

Northern Pond Natural Area is considered “the jewel of Monroe” by many in the area. Protected two decades ago, the town-owned 160-acre property encompasses the lovely 11-acre pond as well as a nice section of Thurlow Brook. Four trails totaling 3 miles of hiking wind through the preserve. Enjoy the mature stands of hemlock and be on the lookout for beaver activity. The hand-carry boat launch is an easy walk, so you may wish to consider a return trip with your canoe or kayak for further exploration.

“Northern Pond is well-used year-round. It’s very accessible, with parking right off Dahlia Farm Road,” said Joe Isgro, a longtime Monroe resident, selectman, outdoor enthusiast and member of the Monroe Conservation Commission.

The Commission has helped protect 1,500 acres in town over time to ensure public access for recreation. It also functions as the lead trail builder, with assistance from numerous local volunteers.

Basin Pond Recreation Area is another beauty in Monroe’s conservation inventory. A 4-mile network of multi-use trails extends from the trailhead on Maine Route 139 to the pristine 29-acre pond, along a meandering stretch of Marsh Stream, and across the wooded hillside on the east side of the pond. An out-and-back hike combining the Hemlock Trail and Shore Trail is the most popular excursion through the 250-acre parcel. Eagles, beavers, muskrats and various ducks are likely to be seen en route.

The Basin Pond land was recently purchased from the Town of Monroe by the Coastal Mountains Land Trust. According to Isgro, he contacted the land trust and they came out for a visit, hiked around, and liked what they saw. The sale later went to a town vote and was approved. An agreement has been signed and a survey and deed are in the works. That’s good news.

Ray Wirth, another tireless member of the Monroe Conservation Commission, lives near Basin Pond and is responsible for much of the trail building effort there. Wirth, along with his partner, Lesley Gregory, own and operate Water Walker Sea Kayak & Basin Pond Outdoors. Their website at www.touringkayaks.com is a great resource for hikers looking for more information and trail maps for Northern Pond and Basin Pond.

Visitors to Monroe would do well to stop in at the Monroe Country Market, which serves as the de facto downtown near the crossroads of Maine Routes 139 and 141. Yummy snacks, cold drinks and a friendly word or two can all be had at the store. You can also get directions to nearby Monroe Falls. Reached by a 5-minute walk, the impressive 35-foot cascade on Marsh Stream is a must-see before you leave town.

“It’s the vastness, the openness of Monroe, that I really appreciate,” Isgro said. “It’s got that small-town feeling. New people are moving in and opening new businesses. There are more conservation projects in the works and more trails planned, too. It’s a really exciting time for us. We’re glad more people are discovering what’s here.”

Carey Kish of Mount Desert Island is the author of Beer Hiking New England, AMC’s Best Day Hikes Along the Maine Coast and the AMC Maine Mountain Guide. Follow more of Carey’s hiking adventures on Facebook and Instagram.