The Pierce Pond Watershed

The Pierce Pond watershed, with its deep, cold, clear waters, vibrant forests, and unspoiled shores, sustains abundant wildlife and thriving fisheries. This unique undeveloped watershed offers unparalleled outdoor recreation opportunities.

Pierce Pond, a six-mile long, spring-fed lake, is the dominant feature of a tranquil 12,000-acre watershed that includes eight other ponds at varying elevations. Accessible by dirt road or float plane, Pierce Pond is located in Pierce Pond Township, Somerset County, Maine. It is surrounded by mountains including Dead River Mountain, Otter Pond Mountain, Hurricane Mountain, South Mountain, Bates Ridge, and Pierce Pond Mountain. The Bigelow Range is visible from many spots. Pierce Pond itself comprises Lower Pond, Middle Pond, and Upper Pond, with Lower and Middle Ponds connected by Caribou Narrows, and Middle and Upper Ponds connected by The Thoroughfare. Taken together the ponds encompass 1,650 acres, with a maximum depth of more than 100 feet. Brook trout, landlocked salmon, loons, and ducks flourish in Pierce Pond’s waters, while moose, bobcat, deer, bear, and other wildlife thrive in the forests that blanket the watershed.

The view of the watershed is considered to be one of the most spectacular along the entire Appalachian trail, which touches Pierce Pond at is southern end. Here at the outlet of Pierce Pond, Pierce Pond stream tumbles toward the Kennebec River, its gorge and waterfalls described as a “hidden jewel.” The stream, which runs steeply for about three and a half miles, is a classic remote brook-trout stream.

Pierce Pond has a wild, self-sustaining brook trout fishery. The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife maintains a list of Heritage brook trout ponds with self-sustaining populations that have not been stocked in the past 25 years. Of the 578 Heritage Ponds listed in Maine, Grass, Dixon, and Pickerel Ponds are located within the Pierce Pond watershed, along with High, Helen, and Fish Ponds on the backside of Pierce Pond Mountain.

Pierce Pond Watershed Trust has succeeded in permanently protecting the entire 10,500-acre Pierce Pond watershed from development—truly a remarkable achievement. Today, virtually every acre of the watershed is subject to a conservation easement (83 percent) or is owned by MWWT (17 percent).