Cobscook Bay State Park

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Cobscook Bay State Park has two short trails providing opportunities to watch birds and observe the ebb and flow of the region’s impressive tides. In the winter the park maintains trails for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing.
Trail Activity
Snowshoeing Cross-country-skiing Walking
Length
2.20 miles, Network
Difficulty
Easy
Town
Edmunds Twp
Surface
Dirt/Forest Floor, Gravel/Crushed Stone, Rock/Ledge, Snow - Groomed
Pets
Permitted
Fees
Yes

Description

Nature Trail (1.2 miles, easy): The Nature Trail, which begins near the Park entrance, offers a forested, one-mile path that leads through forests, passes along a brook, and then rises to two scenic outlooks with views out over Whiting Bay and Burnt Cove. The trail up to the outlook has a short, steep, and rocky section: take extra care here in wet weather. The Nature Trail ends by two campsites, allowing walkers to return on a gravel road (for a 2-mile round trip).

Shore Trail (0.75 mile loop, easy): The Shore Trail (also known as the Anthony’s Beach Trail) is a 0.75-mile loop path that begins beside campsite 17, which follows the shore to the boat launch and then winds back through woods to come out between campsites 18 and 20. Many visitors enjoy shoreline explorations as well, but please don’t wander into waterfront campsites and be mindful of fast-moving tides.

A short 0.2 mile trail climbs steeply from the South Edmunds Road to Little’s Mountain and an old firetower. The 60-foot steel firetower, which is not open for climbing, was built in 1963 to replace the original wood structure built in 1951.

Read about MTF Accessibility Ambassador Enock Glidden's visit to the Refuge using his wheelchair at MTF Stories

View BPL's map and guide for Cobscook Bay State Park.

Other Information

The wildlife-rich waters of Cobscook Bay surround this 888-acre park on three sides. Cobscook, the Maliseet-Passamaquoddy tribal word for “boiling tides,” aptly describes this setting where the tidal range averages 24 feet and can reach 28 feet (compared to a 9-foot average tide along Maine’s southernmost coast).

The Bay’s productive food web nourishes more than 200 bird species. Attracted by Cobscook Bay’s sheltered coves, mudflats, and eelgrass beds, thousands of shorebirds stop over each fall to rest and forage as they migrate south from northern breeding grounds. The Bay’s inner coves support a quarter of Maine’s wintering black ducks and the state’s highest concentration of bald eagles.

Cobscook Trails Project: The trails on Cobscook Bay State Park are part of a larger network of hiking trails in known as Cobscook Trails. Cobscook Trails is a cooperative project of conservation landowners and community partners that seeks to expand opportunities for nature-based recreation and tourism in eastern Washington County. The group produces "Cobscook Trails: A Guide to Walking Opportunities around Cobscook Bay and Bold Coast Region," a 55 page booklet describing walks on 19 area properties. Find more information about Cobscook Trails, including how to purchase the guidebook, visit: The Cobscook Trails Project.

Trail Manager

Visit Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands online for more information and a printable map or contact:

Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands, Edmunds Twp.
40 South Edmunds Road
Edmunds Twp., ME 04628
Phone: (207) 726-4412

Nearby Events

VIEW EVENTS CALENDAR

Trail Tips

Plan Ahead and Prepare
Know how to choose and use your gear for each trip, factoring in the terrain and conditions.

Trailhead Information

Take US Route 1 to Edmunds and look for park signs marking the turnoff onto South Edmunds Road. The main park entrance is on the right 0.5 miles from the turnoff.  Stop at the park entrance to obtain a trail map and pay the day-use fee.

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