BANGOR DAILY NEWS • October 18, 2025
With the federal government shutdown affecting services at Acadia National Park, many visitors are looking for scenic trails, quiet lakes and coastal views elsewhere. Cobscook Shores in Lubec offers 20 privately funded parklands with more than 15 miles of undeveloped shoreline. Nearby, Quoddy Head State Park encompasses 541 acres at the easternmost point in the U.S. The region’s Bold Coast offers additional coastal escapes. Downeast Coastal Conservancy and Maine Coast Heritage Trust preserves feature dramatic cliffs, secluded coves and quiet trails for hiking, beachcombing and birdwatching. Great Wass Island Preserve in Beals adds granite ledges, ocean vistas and wild blueberry barrens. Near Ellsworth, Great Pond Mountain Conservation Trust manages 5,200 acres of trails through forests, ledges and open ridges for hiking, wildlife viewing and camping. Donnell Pond Public Reserved Land offers hiking, fishing, paddling with primitive campsites available. Blue Hill Mountain has panoramic views of Blue Hill Bay, while Holbrook Island Sanctuary features woodlands, open fields and shoreline trails. Camden Hills State Park offers sweeping views of Penobscot Bay. Beech Hill Preserve in Rockport features rolling meadows.