Stone Barn Farm, Bar Harbor
Featuring a historic Mount Desert Island farm, this 128-acre preserve is surrounded by scenic fields and pleasant forests that lead to Northeast Creek.
Stone Barn Farm is good for:
- Hiking – Explore the two-mile network of trails that traverse open meadows, weave through inviting forest, and arrive on the shores of Northeast Creek.
- Cross-country skiing/Snowshoeing – Pack your skis or snowshoes for a quiet tour of the preserve in the heart of winter.
- Birdwatching – Pack your binoculars as you venture through the preserve’s diverse habitats in search of resident and migratory birds.
How to get there
From Trenton, head south on Route 3 to Mount Desert Island. Stay right after the bridge to continue south on Route 102. Drive 2.2 miles and then turn left onto the Crooked Road. Continue 2.4 miles to the preserve parking lot on the left.
For a complete map with legend and guidelines, click on the Printable Preserve Map above.
Take a tour of Stone Barn Farm Preserve
Join Regional Stewardship Manager Douglas McMullin on a tour of this iconic property and special MCHT preserve.
Historic Farm
Dating back to the 1840s, the property’s iconic farmhouse has been viewed by countless Mount Desert Island visitors over the past two centuries. The farm’s other structures include a carriage house built in the late 1800s, a barn constructed in the early 1900s, and a small gazebo. When MCHT acquired the property in 2019, the various buildings were in different levels of condition. Work is underway to restore the barn and the farmhouse, stabilize the carriage house, and update the gazebo.
Learn more about the cultural and natural history of Stone Barn Farm.
Notes on topography, flora, and fauna
The 128-acre farm property is comprised of approximately 20 acres of open field, more than a hundred acres of mixed forest, and more than a mile of frontage on Northeast Creek. There is also a small farm pond at the base of the field.
The wooded section of the property has varied topography. There is a small area of white pine that appears to have been a plantation, but the remainder of the forest is mostly oak and mixed forest tapering down to wetland and marsh edge. There are also several vernal pools that welcome wood frogs each spring.
How this place became open to the public
Harry and Cindy Owen bought Stone Barn Farm in 1963. In 2001, the Owens conserved their property through a conservation easement with Maine Coast Heritage Trust. MCHT acquired the property in 2019 to open it as a preserve.
Preserve information/guidelines
- No camping or overnight parking permitted
- No fires permitted
- Carry out all trash
- Including human and pet waste and toilet paper
- Keep pets on leash and carry out all waste
- Please respect the privacy of preserve neighbors
- Foot Traffic Only—no bikes or mechanized vehicles
