Tidal Falls Preserve
One of New England’s best-known reversing falls—the phenomenon is created when the current “reverses” en route from bay to harbor—roils just below the U.S. 1 bridge linking Hancock and Sullivan. Frenchman Bay Conservancy’s 8-acre preserve (no dogs) beside the falls on the Hancock side is a great picnic spot, with tables strung along the waterfront. Two hours before and two hours after low tide is the best time for viewing the falls. The preserve has a viewing platform, and placards explain the area's rich history and ecology. Granite was quarried nearby and shipped in schooners over the falls, once the site of a ferry and train terminal for Bar Harbor visitors. The mingling of fresh and salt water creates an environment that attracts wildlife, especially birds and waterfowl. Free concerts are held at the preserve on Monday evenings in July and August; check the conservancy’s website for information. At the site you can also learn about hiking opportunities at its many other preserves in the region, from the Union River in Ellsworth to Gouldsboro on the Schoodic Peninsula.
