Preserves

Protecting Land

Our Preserves

Thanks to two decades of generosity, we now have many preserves for the public to enjoy. We manage and monitor them carefully to protect habitat and water resources. It is no surprise to anyone on Vinalhaven that our soils are thin, which is why we cannot allow vehicles (motorized or otherwise) or horses, as they chew up the fragile soils. And should a trail or preserve have some degradation because of use, we may temporarily close it to allow it to recover.

That said, our trails are in great shape, and we hope you take advantage of them!

Welcome to Vinalhaven Land Trust’s Preserves

Visitors to our preserves are invited to partake in the traditional activities of Vinalhaven life. Those activities include walking, hunting (in season), wildlife observation, and plant study. Dogs under control and on the trail are welcome in most preserves.

Trail guides and instructions on how to reach the trailheads are in our kiosk, just off the Sands Road at 12 Skoog Park Road.

We encourage you to explore:

Skoog Park – right in town, a great place to picnic and watch harbor activity of all types

Lower Mill River - on the way to Calderwood's Neck

North Perry Creek - north end of island

Fox Rocks (privately owned, public access permitted on trail only)

Eleanor L Campbell - Calderwood's Neck

Starboard Rock Sanctuary (no dogs), access only by land

Granite Island Trail, Basin Preserve

Otter Pond Trail, Basin Preserve

Whitmore Pond Sanctuary (no dogs) - on Crockett River

The Town of Vinalhaven, Maine Coast Heritage Trust, and The Nature Conservancy all have some wonderful parks and preserves. Information about these can be found at our kiosk, at the kiosk located at the ferry landing, and on line.