Littlejohn Island Preserve

On this walk you get an excuse to visit the tip of Littlejohn Island, baby cousin to Cousins Island. The 23-acre Littlejohn Preserve, managed by the Royal River Conservation Trust, offers lovely views and little pocket beaches. A couple of them look like they’d make good bases for diving into the cold ocean. On hot days this is a nice spot to be for the sea breeze.

The shortish loop — it’s about 0.7 miles around the island tip — includes a small meadow and paths through ferns, oaks, beech, and white pines.

While the well-made paths are easy — with a few boardwalks and planks — it’s a bit more difficult to clamber down to the enticing shore. Departing from the main path on the north shore of the island, you can follow short unofficial trails others have taken, but be careful.

There are only four parking spots here, in a little parking lot of Pemasong Lane. If it is full, you’re not allowed to park on the road’s shoulders or at the end of the lane. The preserve is incredibly popular, so in order not to be disappointed, you should try to go during the off-season (spring, fall, and winter), and even then, aim for weekdays or at the beginning or end of the day.

Directions: To reach the preserve, you’ll follow increasingly narrow lanes, until you end up on a quiet dirt road. After crossing on to Cousins Island, turn left onto Talbot Road by the Littlejohn Community House. Cross the bridge onto Littlejohn Island, then turn left onto Littlejohn Road. Bear left onto Pemasong Lane. Follow Pemasong Lane (please strictly respect posted speed limit of 15 mph) until you reach a parking area on the left, just before the stone gate with the “private” sign on it. Please park in this area and walk down to the end of the road through the stone gate to the entrance of the Preserve (2/10 of a mile, straight ahead, all turns are private driveways).

Check out more info and photos from Littlejohn Island Preserve at Carefree Creative, a Maine-based web company that has helped us with our website!