I hiked the Hollingsworth Trail and it was well marked and relatively easy. Just have to be mindful of some roots and rocks. It looped around the Rocky shoreline,, which was beautiful. So it was. The ride to The preserve (Pigeon Hill Rd) is scenic. Parking could be tight on the busiest days but I was lucky! read more

Petit Manan Wildlife Refuge - Signage - Hiking Near Me

We hiked the Birch and Lobster Point trails. There is a fairly decent sized parking area at the Birch/Lobster trail head, which is the first parking lot on the right. There were only a couple of cars when we arrived on a Thursday in September. The trail starts off in a mass of blueberry fields. Unfortunately for us, it was past blueberry picking season. As a note, you can only hand pick the blueberries, no rakes are allowed. The trail then enters the woods, and you are in the woods until you reach the water. The trail is gravel/natural mulch which makes for easy walking. There are some roots but it's not too bad. In several wet areas, they have built boardwalks. There are some strategically placed adirondack chairs at various viewpoints of the water. They were very comfortable - what a great idea! So, if you plan ahead, you can pack a lunch and dine by the water :) As you hike along, there is a spur trail that takes you to Lobster Point. When you return to the main trail, the loop trail to Birch Point is not far away. Once you leave Birch Point, continue around the loop. There is a pretty narrow part through some low bushes that is cleared just enough for you to walk through. Then you come upon a very open, rocky space that is on the water. Another place that would be fun to hang out and have lunch. Finish the loop trail and head back to the parking lot on the original main trail. This isn't a hike that will get your heartbeat up; however, it is an enjoyable walk with some great water views. It took us about 2 1/2 hours but we lollygagged around quite a bit. There were some bugs but they weren't too bad in September. read more

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At this wildlife refuge I specifically went on the Hollingsworth Trail which is approximately 1.5 miles long so for people like me who are not experienced hikers it is perfect! Even on an overcast, foggy day, the trail and scenery were still beautiful. The trail itself was a good mixture of rock, wooden boardwalk, and typical trail. Definitely recommend this trail! read more

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We took the Hollingsworth Trail at Petit Manan Point and it was definitely worthwhile. When you arrive, drive past the first lot and continue on the dirt road to the second parking area. This 1.8 mile loop trail took us just about an hour, but we did linger about and explore along the water for a bit. It's a little challenging (wear good shoes), but I would think most moderately fit adults could handle it, I wouldn't recommend it for young kids. It was a nice trail and the area along the water had beautiful views! As we looped back around there was a small inlet, some people were wading, it looked refreshing! There are no bathroom facilities at the trail head so plan accordingly. read more

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Two trails on this peninsula take you through this rough Maine landscape. The trails are not suitable for really young children or unless you are relatively fit. The best part of this refuge is going out to the lighthouse via boat and getting a close up of the puffins nesting there. You cannot land, but you can get close enough for a great view of these pelagic birds on a clear day. read more