| Explore a Preserve | Mt. Desert Island Region

Mt. Desert Island Region

Flat and Ned Islands, Winter Harbor Flat and Ned Islands, Winter Harbor
Flat and Ned Islands, Winter Harbor

In the Mount Desert Island region, where we got our start, MCHT owns and cares for several off-the-beaten-path preserves open to the public. Kittredge Brook Forest offers miles of trails in the heart of the MDI, while offshore islands like Marshall Island and Black Island are wild and remote.

Places to explore in the Mt. Desert Island region

MCHT has preserves open to the public in the following towns. You can find other conserved lands to explore in the Mt. Desert Island region here.

Regional Preserves

Hands-on conservation starts here

MCHT doesn’t just protect land—we care for protected places and connect people to them. Our stewardship field staff work throughout the Mt. Desert Island region to make land more usable, safe and accessible. How do you want to experience the Mt. Desert Island region?

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Mount Desert Island Preserves

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Babson Creek

Somesville

This 36-acre preserve features meadows, salt marsh, and a small wooded area that attracts wildlife throughout the year.
Hiking
Birdwatching
Mainland Access
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Back Cove

Swans Island

Located on a quiet cove near the center of Swans Island, this 99-acre forested preserve is home to many wildlife species.
Hiking
Birdwatching
Water Access
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Bear Island

Deer Isle

Located in Deer Isle, this 21-acre island on the eastern edge of the Eggemoggin Reach is the perfect spot to come ashore and stretch your legs.
Hiking
Water Access
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Black Island and Little Black Island

Frenchboro

This 337-acre preserve, part of Frenchboro, features quiet picnic spots, rugged beauty, and breathtaking ocean-side camping.
Camping
Hiking
Historical/ Cultural
Water Access
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Blue Horizons

Bar Harbor

Blue Horizons is an ideal spot for people seeking a peaceful walk in the woods to a picturesque shoreline.
Hiking
Birdwatching
Mainland Access
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Buckle Island Harbor

Swan's Island

This 84-acre preserve features picnic spots and intimate views of a secluded harbor on the western shore of Swans Island.
Hiking
Birdwatching
Hand Carry Boat Access
Water Access
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Cranberry Shores

Cranberry Isle

This 19-acre preserve offers splendid oceanside vistas and diverse wildlife-viewing opportunities.
Hiking
Birdwatching
Water Access
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Flat and Ned Islands

Winter Harbor

Boasting views of Mount Desert Island and the Schoodic Peninsula, these two islands offer many scenic picnic destinations.
Birdwatching
Water Access
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Folly Island

Bar Harbor

Surrounded by conserved lands, Folly Island is the perfect destination for paddlers, picnickers, and wildlife watchers.
Water Access
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Frenchboro Preserve

Frenchboro

Frenchboro offers challenging hiking trails that lead to dramatic rocky bluffs, remote beaches, and stunning views.
Hiking
Birdwatching
Water Access
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Great Gott

Tremont

This 59-acre island preserve features gentle hiking trails, wildlife viewing opportunities, and pleasant coastal scenery.
Hiking
Water Access
Kelley Farm

Kelley Farm

Bernard

A year-round recreational destination, Kelley Farm offers dramatic views, including the mountains of Acadia National Park.
Hiking
Mainland Access
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Kittredge Brook Forest

Bar Harbor

This expansive preserve is within a 2,000-acre block of protected land teeming with wildlife.
Hiking
Birdwatching
Mainland Access
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Marshall Island (Ed Woodsum Preserve)

Unorganized Territories

Ed Woodsum Preserve, home to remote campsites, rugged trails, and sandy beaches, encompasses all 985 acres of Marshall Island.
Camping
Hiking
Birdwatching
Water Access
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Mitchell Marsh

Tremont

This 35-acre preserve features serene views of Blue Hill Bay, an expansive coastal marshland, and a cobble beach to explore.
Birdwatching
Water Access
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Noah’s Ballast

Swan's Island

This 10-acre preserve features an expansive boulder field deposited during the last glaciation.
Hiking
Water Access
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Old Pond

Hancock

This 57-acre coastal preserve features extensive marshes and adjacent uplands that host a broad diversity of flora and fauna.
Hiking
Birdwatching
Mainland Access
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Pond Island, Frenchboro

Frenchboro

This 241-acre preserve invites exploration and showcases spectacular scenery from the mountains of Acadia to Isle au Haut.
Camping
Hiking
Historical/ Cultural
Water Access
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Preble Cove

Great Cranberry Island

This small preserve is home to a small rock beach offering a great place to cool off on a hot summer day.
Hiking
Water Access
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Schoodic Forest

Winter Harbor

This 1690-acre preserve offers traditional outdoor recreational opportunities on the edge of Acadia National Park.
Hiking
Mainland Access
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Stave Island

Gouldsboro

Stave Island’s bold southern shoreline features spectacular views of Frenchman Bay, Mount Desert Island and Acadia National Park.
Camping
Water Access
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Stone Barn Farm

Bar Harbor

Featuring a historic Mount Desert Island farm, this 128-acre preserve is surrounded by scenic fields and pleasant forests.
Hiking
Birdwatching
Historical/ Cultural
Mainland Access
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Thomas Island

Bar Harbor

Thomas Island offers an off-the-beaten path experience just minutes from Acadia National Park.
Camping
Water Access
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Tinker Island (McKenney Preserve)

Tremont

The McKenney Preserve on Tinker Island in Tremont provides scenic vistas along its expansive beach-lined shores.
Camping
Water Access
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West Sister Island

Swans Island

Camping
Birdwatching
Water Access
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FEATURED STORY

How We’re Restoring Marshes

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MCHT’S WORK ON MDI

Conservation work on Mt. Desert Island

As the local land trust, Maine Coast Heritage Trust helps protect special places and support community needs across Mount Desert Island through preserves, partnerships, and projects rooted here since 1970.

Learn About MCHT’s Work on MDI
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