Column: A beautiful place to visit nature in the heart of Lewiston

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • June 27, 2026

Hidden in plain sight just 2 miles northeast of downtown Lewiston is the highest point in the city, the wooded 516-foot summit of Thorne’s Hill in the heart of the Thorncrag Nature Sanctuary, which is owned and managed by the Stanton Bird Club. Most local folks in the area know about this 450-acre jewel of an urban green space, which encompasses an interesting mix of natural terrain and 5 miles of footpaths for hiking and trail running, and in winter, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing. If you’ve visited Thorncrag in the past but not in the last 11 years, you’re in for a pleasant surprise. North of Whale Rock is an 80-acre parcel known as Centennial Meadow that was purchased from a local family, the Gendrons, in 2015. It’s a delightful walk through the fields and woods that is not only very pretty but peaceful as well. ~ Carey Kish