2 Best Sights in Way Down East, Maine

One of the joys of hiking here is arriving in South Addison, a fishing hamlet on a remote neck west of Jonesport. The wide harbor views in this sleepy village make you feel like you've discovered the real Maine. More magic moments of discovery await at this Downeast Coastal Conservancy preserve; the trailhead's at the village's Union Church, where hikers are allowed to park. The 145-acre preserve has a 3½-mile trail network that winds through the woods before hitting the coast and Carrying Place Cove and Wahoa Bay.

At 317 feet, Pigeon Hill is the highest coastal point in Washington County, and it doesn't disappoint, rewarding hikers with panoramic views that stretch to Schoodic Peninsula, where Acadia National Park's mainland district is located; Petit Manan Lighthouse off the end of the narrow peninsula where this land rises; and island-splattered waters farther Down East. Hike up to the summit on the short historic trail, with some steep sections, that locals have used for generations. There are also longer, easier routes on the interconnected trail system, which was created when this became a Downeast Coastal Conservancy preserve. One trail traverses an old silver mine and another passes by a glacial erratic boulder. The 185-acre preserve’s loop trail to Pigeon Hill Bay begins across the road from the parking area.