FOR AN ISLAND GETAWAY
Monroe Island, Owls Head
A forested island with an away-from-it-all feel, just a half-mile paddle or boat ride from Owls Head Harbor. Explore the 225-acre preserve on its 1½-mile trail network that meanders through spruce forests, rambling meadows, and ponds. Have a picnic on the beach on the north end, and take in memorable scenery of the Camden Hills and Penobscot Bay. You can spend the night on one of the island’s two campsites.
FOR A FAMILY-FRIENDLY ADVENTURE
Woodward Point, Brunswick
This 88-acre preserve, minutes from Brunswick’s busy downtown, offers an ideal easygoing excursion for little ones. It has sprawling pastures, spectacular views of the New Meadows River, and 1½ miles of trails through fields and forests and along the water’s edge.
FOR A LONGISH WALK IN THE WOODS
Witherle Woods, Castine
Hikers come to this 185-acre preserve, at the tip of the Castine peninsula, to feel immersed in nature just a few steps from the town and harbor. Its 6½ miles of trails, on former carriage roads, wind through stands of spruce, balsam fir, and ash trees, and they gently ascend to Blockhouse Point, a wide-open lookout over Penobscot Bay.
FOR A HISTORY LESSON
Long Point Preserve, Machiasport
Explore a 3-mile trail that rings the rugged peninsula, looping through forests and salt marshes and showing off views of outer Machias Bay. Check out interpretive kiosks on the trail to learn about the cultural history of the area, part of the ancestral homeland of the Passamaquoddy and also the site of the first naval battle of the Revolutionary War.
FOR AN EPIC VIEW
Bog Brook Cove Preserve, Cutler and Trescott
Along the farthest reaches of the rugged Down East coast, this 1,170-acre preserve has some knockout ocean vistas. The preserve’s 5½ miles of trails traverse rocky knolls, lush meadows, spruce forests, and cobble beaches.
Want more tips on where to go on the coast from MCHT staff? Get your insider guides today at MCHT.org/adventures.
Please note that Maine Coast Heritage Trust is closely monitoring the COVID-19 crisis and taking guidance from the CDC and local health authorities. If you visit a preserve, please take precautions to prevent the spread of the virus.