From Eastside Boat Landing Park, the Augusta Greenway Trail proceeds south along the river, passing under Memorial Bridge and along the snow dump. The trail takes a fairly straight and level path under a canopy of box elders and other hardwood trees. At about the halfway point, the trail climbs a slight rise and comes into an open area, passing by the soon-to-be-redeveloped Kennebec Arsenal. This collection of eight granite buildings and the recently-restored retaining wall and wharf dates back to the Northeast Boundary Conflict and is the best surviving example of an early nineteenth century munitions depot. Be sure to take a short side trip down the steep granite staircase to get a closer look at the magnificent retaining wall and dock, made up of enormous blocks of granite, and recently restored through a Save America’s Treasures grant. South of the Arsenal, the Greenway becomes wooded again. This part of the trail seems wider and more road-like than the northern segment, perhaps for some maintenance purpose. At a point almost directly behind Riverview Psychiatric Center, the Greenway dead-ends, with no established connecting trails through the AMHI campus to the nearby Arboretum. An adventuresome hiker might choose to climb the steep, weedy hill here or a few-hundred yards north, just below the giant smokestack, but for the casual walker, turning around and returning to the starting point offers the best bet.
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