Long Point

MCHT acquired the 180-acre preserve in Machiasport through seven parcels purchased and donated over a seven-year period (2013-2020). Located in Machiasport, the property encompasses most of the peninsula that juts out into the bay, including the prominence known as Long Point. This point is connected to the rest of the peninsula by a narrow isthmus, with a sweeping cobble beach on Cottage Cove to the south and productive clam flats to the north. A small portion of the preserve has frontage on the western shore of Holmes Point; the rest of the shoreline faces Cottage Cove and Little Bay. 

The property is mostly forested, with sections of early successional shrubland, old field, and intertidal habitats including fringing salt marsh, bold headland, and cobble beaches. With trails that are naturally surfaced, including rooted and rocky surfaces, narrow bog bridging, and some steep inclines, visitors will experience one of the most scenic properties on Machias Bay, offering sweeping views of the bay’s outer islands.

Machias Bay has extraordinary archeological and cultural resources dating back thousands of years. As part of the ancestral homeland of the Passamaquoddy, the bay also saw early European exploration and was the site of the first naval battle of the Revolutionary War.

MCHT is partnering with the Passamaquoddy Tribe, the State Historic Preservation Office, and the University of Maine at Orono to monitor and protect the cultural and historic resources of Machias Bay. You can help by staying on marked trails and contacting MCHT if you happen to find any archeological artifacts or note any vandalism.