Sometimes Downeast Maine, particularly Acadia, can feel overrun by an invading force in the late summer, one equipped with out-of-state SUV’s and brand-new hiking gear. Even the formerly lesser-known Bold Coast oases of Lubec and Cutler seem to be, well, a little compromised in the crush of tourists seeking an authentic Maine experience. Ingersoll Point Preserve in Addison is a 145 acre corner of forest and ocean that has maintained its quiet pine coast aesthetic, thanks to its location, and the stewardship of the Downeast Coastal Conservancy. Trail maps and a brochure can be found on their website, or in the excellent book Maine Hikes Off the Beaten Path. Trailhead parking is at the rear of the South Addison Community of Christ Church at 316 Moosehorn Road in Addison, marked by a sign.
From the 3.5 mile trail network, we chose an outer loop, comprising the Adler Woods Trail (blue blazes), the Carrying Place Cove Trail (pink blazes), and the Wohoa Bay Trail (yellow blazes), a leisurely, approximately 3.2 mile hike, taking about an hour and a half. Shortly into the woods, through a narrow path lined by blackberries, the trail opens up, and a sign commemorates the gift by the trail’s namesake, Dorothy G. Adler, near a trail log. A quick check of the register disclosed a reported sighting of a bear and a coyote on the trails about a week or so prior. We didn’t see either of those things, but plenty of red squirrels and birds along the moss-lined paths.
The mixed forest has the unique fairy woods feel of Downeast Maine. Split-log bridges provide passage over meandering brown streams. From the Carrying Place Cove trail, we could see across the low tide of the Cove to the opposite shore and a lobster pound. The trail wound up and down the forest above the Cove until reaching the beach, connecting to the Adler Woods and Wohoa Bay Trails.
Here, the forest opens to wildflowers and below, the sea, with views of Wohoa Bay and the pine-covered Carrying Place Island. We saw the tracks of a small deer in the sand. The Wohoa Bay Trail continues south over the rocks and sand of the beach, then through tall grass to its westward course back through the forest. The only real elevation was a small, winding course up a small cliff. We saw a few people on the trail, but mostly had the forest and beach to ourselves, a rustic luxury for the Maine coast in summertime.
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Hiking in Maine 