Black Duck Cove, Lubec

This was my favorite of the Cobscook Shores parks. It offers a lengthier hike than the others — 2.5 miles one way — which helps magnify the reward at the end! We loved sitting and resting inside the well-made pavilion at the tip of the preserve point. It is perched atop a bluff with the vast quietness of South Bay and its islands beyond.

But while the finale of the hike is amazing, the way there is almost as good. The 2.5-mil Shore Trail, which winds through cedar forests, is easy to follow and hews fairly closely to the cove. Once you are close to the trail’s end, you can go left up to the pavilion or right to Black Duck Cove. The trail to the cove wasn’t that thrilling — spend your time on the bluff and at the pavilion instead. You can follow a herd path beyond the pavilion to a rocky outcrop, where we watched a couple of harbor seals after hearing them as we made our way to the shore! They were making interesting vocalizations.

We wondered if the trail will one day make a loop? Could be nice.

Directions: The trailhead and small parking area is off North Lubec Road, about two miles north of the intersection with Route 189. The park is just a bit past Stanley Road on the left.