Basin Preserve
Vinalhaven
Jump to
Guidelines
What You Need to Know
- No camping permitted
- No fires permitted
- Stay on established trails (not suitable for wheeled vehicles)
- Carry out all trash (see details)
- Keep pets under control
- Respect privacy of preserve neighbors
Why we Care
987 Acres of Adventure
With three miles of trails winding through evergreen forest and offering scenic shoreline vistas, the Basin Preserve delivers an experience worth protecting. Launch a kayak near Granite Island Bridge for a quiet paddle, or keep an eye out for seals, great blue herons, and birds rarely seen on the mainland while you explore this beautiful corner of Vinalhaven.
Features
How to Get There
The Basin Preserve offers four trailheads off the Wharf Quarry Road, Folly Pond Road, and Granite Roads. See below for more information.
The state-run Vinalhaven Ferry connects Rockland to the island several times daily. Vehicle space is limited—reserve early, especially in summer. Touring the island by bike instead of car is a great option. The Wharf Quarry trailhead is four miles from the ferry terminal and the southernmost Granite Island trailhead can be reached in a little more than two miles.
Explore the Map
Click on trails and landmarks to learn more about what Basin Preserve has to offer.
Preserve Details
Property:
Town:
County:
Accessible:
Field Notes
Getting to Know Basin Preserve
The Path to Conservation
A culmination of more than twenty years of land conservation work, the first portion of The Basin preserve was established in 1990 with the most recent addition occurring in 2009. This preserve would not exist without the generous support of conservation-minded landowners surrounding The Basin, most of whom donated their land or conservation easements. A portion of The Basin was supported with funds by the Land for Maine’s Future program.
On the Land
This 789-acre preserve surrounds a 360-acre tidal embayment on the west side of Vinalhaven known as the Basin. It is jointly owned and managed by MCHT and the Vinalhaven Land Trust (VLT). The Basin Preserve includes 64% of the bay’s roughly seven miles of shoreline and conservation easements protect most of what remains. The Basin is largely spruce-fir coniferous forest mixed with hay scented fern fields and pitch pine woods at higher elevations.
Look out for wildlife! You’ll see seals on the ledges, bald eagles and osprey hunting, lots of winter ducks, and maybe even one of the Great Horned Owls that nest nearby. In the springtime, the woods are buzzing with songbirds. Into fall, the trails are lined with Amanitas and other mushrooms.
Stories from the Midcoast
Landmark Legislation Provides Ongoing Conservation Funding
A broad partnership of land trusts, sportsmen and conservation supporters celebrates that the Maine Legislature has passed a law establishing dedicated, ongoing Land for Maine’s Future (LMF) funding for the first time in the program’s 39‑year history. As the State of Maine’s primary funding vehicle for conserving land for its natural, economic, and recreational value, LMF helps keep Maine’s special places special – from mountain summits and shorelines of rivers, lakes, and ponds, to coastal islands, beaches, working forests, farmlands and wetlands.
Be part of the movement
Contribute to a future with
healthy, open lands & waters
Donate Now
Give your time to help
care for the coast
Volunteer Now
Be a champion
for conservation
Spread the Word
More Information on Basin Preserve
Four Trailheads to Explore
- Wharf Quarry Road: 0.3 miles down Wharf Quarry Road (heading west off North Haven Road). Small parking area on the left. High-clearance vehicles are recommended for easier access. The road is closed in the winter, but parking is available on North Haven Road—look for the signs.
- Folly Pond Road: Located at the end of this 0.3-mile dirt road heading west off North Haven Road.
- Granite Island Road South: The southernmost trailhead on Granite Island Road, located on the east side just after City Point Road turns west.
- Granite Island Road North: About 0.5 miles north of the southern trailhead, on the right just after the road turns from pavement to dirt.
Help Us Take Care of the Preserve
This preserve belongs to all of us; that’s why it’s important to leave as little trace as possible when you visit.
To do that, please:
- Carry out all trash
- Carry out all pet waste
- Carry out all human waste (including toilet paper)