Westbrook River Walk
Trail Details
| Activities |    |
| Distance | 1.2 miles |
| Surfaces | Crushed gravel, boardwalk, paved |
| Amenities | Scenic views, benches, access to restaurants and shops |
| Dogs | Must be on a leash |
| Bus Route | METRO Route 4 |
| Parking | Street parking, public lots, and a public garage are available in downtown Westbrook |
Trail Description
This urban walkway follows the south bank of the Presumpscot River behind the buildings that make up downtown Westbrook, linking a series of ballfields and parks. The Westbrook River Walk has views of Saccarappa Falls, a hugely important fish passage to the indigenous Abenaki residents of the area who were displaced by colonial settlers and Westbrook’s mill industry.
The River Walk features a bridge over the river as well as many benches where you can enjoy the view. This wide and flat trail begins at Cumberland St. and ends at Bridge St.
This trail is maintained by the City of Westbrook. Is there an issue with this trail? Call (207) 854-9105.
HISTORY OF THE PRESUMPSCOT RIVER
The Presumpscot River has thousands of years of history. For millenia, Indigenous people lived next to and in harmony with the river, hunting its salmon, bass, trout, and other sea-run fish and planting corn, beans, and squash on its banks. The word Presumpscot means the river of many falls, and Abenaki tribal leader Chief Polin once said that the Presumpscot “is the river which I belong to.”
When European colonialists built dams on the river in the 1730s to power paper mills and gristmills, this interrupted the passage of fish, threatening a major food source of the Abenaki people. To protect the river, the fish, and his people, Chief Polin walked to Boston (Maine was still part of Massachusetts) twice to ask the governor to intervene and order the installation of a fish passage but was given empty promises. In response, Chief Polin eventually armed his people to fight for their access to the river. He was killed in 1756 after a long conflict, causing the Abenaki people to either retreat or go into hiding.
According to mainememory.net, “the Friends of the Presumpscot River have successfully promoted river and salmon restoration since 1992, pushing for fish passageways and dam removals in Falmouth and at Saccarappa Falls in Westbrook. They created a memorial in Westbrook in 2018 noting Polin as ‘the first advocate’ of the Presumpscot.” Indigenous historian and professor Lisa Brooks was instrumental to the creation of this memorial. You can visit the memorial on the Conant Trails.
Accessibility Information
This trail is wide, flat, and smooth with many benches. The trail turns from pavement to crushed gravel behind Frasier Field (map).