This 34-acre coastal preserve boasts a beautiful spruce forest and a trail leading to 2,140 feet of granite coastline. From the shore, you can enjoy spectacular views of Penobscot Bay and Ash Island (conserved by Maine Coast Heritage Trust), or hunt around for treasures in the wave-fed tidepools among large, striking rocks. On the trails, enjoy moss-covered rocks, bearded lichen, and grassy paths. 

Conservation History
This preserve was originally protected in 1986 through an easement by Maine Coast Heritage Trust (MCHT), who transferred it in 1988 to Georges River to become our first conservation easement. In 2016, the preserve was donated by the original easement owners to the land trust and opened to the public. 

Trails
Granite Point Trail (center trail)

This trail provides the most direct route from the parking lot to the ocean. The trail turns into a boardwalk a few hundred feet before water, leading to a deck with two benches for viewing. This structure is part of a continued project to improve the access of this preserve and make the Granite Point Trail a mostly flat and easier hike.

Length: 0.4 miles

Width: 3 feet

Surface: Packed earth, 3ft-wide boardwalk

Obstacles: Roots, rocks, step up to boardwalk

Muscle Ridge Trail (southern trail)

The entrance to this trail is about 0.1-mile down the Granite Point Trail on the right, beginning at an old rock wall. This trail brings users down to the water’s edge and follows the coastline to a rocky point, where it meets the other two trails. A more difficult hike, this trail has many view points along the way, large root balls that have been hoisted up from tree blowdowns, and a forest of beard lichens (a sign of great air quality) to experience.

Length: 0.4 miles

Width: 3 feet

Surface: Packed earth

Obstacles: Uneven footing, roots, rocks, bog bridging

Hermit Trail (northern trail)

The entrance to this trail is about 0.2-miles down the Granite Point Trail on the left. This trail brings users through small fields of coastal grasses, over old rock walls, and along the coast, where a host of large white pines have fallen due to the powerful winds at the point. This short extension brings users to the northern part of the preserve and connects back to the other two trails at the tip of Ash Point. 

Length: 0.3 miles

Width: 3 feet

Surface: Packed earth

Obstacles: Uneven footing, roots, rocks, staircase to platform at trails end​​