Less of a trail, more of a swimming destination, Babb's is an adyllic spot for cooling off in the summer. If you are interested in adding a trail to this adventure, there are several great ones close by, including: Shaw Park, Mountain Division Trail and Gambo Preserve.
Babb's Bridge is Maine's oldest covered bridge, built in 1840. The original bridge was burned by vandals in 1973 and an exact replica was built with lumber milled locally in Gorham. It spans the Presumpscot River between Gorham and Windham and is located on Hurricane Road. Parking is on the side of the road. For shallow swimming, I recommend walking down the path to the right of the bridge. This area also offers space to leave a towel, have a picnic, etc.
This river is great for fishing, swimming and kayaking. There are some ropes hanging off of the bridge and a larger rope swing on the other side of it. If you want to try the rope swing, my suggestion is to grab hold of the rope above the large, white knot. That will provide enough ground clearance. Additionally, when you've swung out as far as you can, let go! If you keep holding on, the rope will drag you back to the dirt hill and it may not end so well. My two cents...take it or leave it.
The water is clear and pretty warm. You may have to drag your kids out of here, so pack plenty of snacks and plan to stay for a while.
Lastly, bring your fishing pole if you want to catch some fish. They are plentiful here! Ok, maybe we didn't catch one, but we witnessed a 10 year old catching them left and right. Not sure what his trick was, but the boy knew what he was doing.
Enjoy this sweet spot. Happy swimming!
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