A dense spruce and fir forest covers this 98-acre preserve on Deer Isle. Along the southwest shore of the island, lichens and mosses thrive in the cool, moist air of this coastal fog forest. A wide variety if coniferous forest birds such as Blackburnian warbler and golden-crowned kinglet can also be seen here. The preserve was donated to The Nature Conservancy in 1975 by artist and builder Emily Muir of Stonington.
OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
Sunrise to sunset
98 acres
From Route 1, take Route 15 down the Deer Isle peninsula. Turn right towards Sunset in Deer Isle Village. About three miles past the Sunset Post Office, turn right on Whitman Road. Turn right onto Fire Lane 88. The preserve entrance is marked by a small sign and registration box. From Stonington, travel about two miles west on the Shore Road. Turn left on Whitman Road, just after Airport Road.
Hours
Dawn to Dusk
Conditions
A quarter-mile nature trail winds through the preserve and connects with other trails on the island.
Preserve Guidelines
To learn more about the logic behind these rules, please read our complete list of preserve use policies.
What You'll See
Part of a more extensive trail system on Deer Isle, the quarter-mile nature trail in Crockett Cove Woods Preserve winds through the forest and a small bog. Red spruce is the dominant tree species, favored by cool temperatures and high rainfall along the coast. Other tree species include white spruce and red maple. The forest supports a variety of wildlife, including snowshoe hare, white-tailed deer, red fox as well as kinglets, warblers and chickadees.
Mosses, ferns and lichens are common within the fog forest. A survey of lichens within the preserve found that there are over 80 species, at least 8 of which are rare in Maine. The bog is home to pitcher plants, sundews, cranberries and speckled alder.
Download a map of the trails at Crockett Cove.
