Seal Cove Shore Preserve

 The 1.2-mile wooded loop includes about 3,000 feet of water frontage, and is a good spot for shorebirds (and for a dip on a hot day!). The walking is fairly easy, through a mossy forest, and there are two benches in picturesque spots on Seal Cove. There is also a very cute, small shingly beach (which is a potential place for swimming, based on the tides).

The Coastal Rivers Conservation Trust describes the little cove here as a “bight,” like a bite-sized bay, and says that it attracts wading birds and small fish, including two species of native minnows called sticklebacks. It is a very quiet place.

Another highlight is the long boardwalk across a marshy lowland, filled with large ferns, nestled between two ridges. The land trust says it is a “primeval wetland.” Before you walk down to the bridge, you’ll get a chance to take in the view from up high.

The land trust map, shown below, also includes the trail map for Tracy Shore and Library Park, two nice nearby preserves. 

Directions: Located on the S Road in South Bristol off of Route 129, about 11 miles south of Damariscotta. Follow the S Road around the base of Seal Cove then stay right and turn north. The preserve trailhead will be on your right. There’s room for about three vehicles (and on the day I visited, two more cars found room to safely park on the roadside).