Seal Cove Shore Preserve
south bristol
Located on the western side of the tip of our peninsula, this trail is so secluded it doesn't even show up as a location on Instagram. Usually that means a trail is ill-maintained and full of Atrax-swallowing puddles, but not Seal Cove. Seal Cove is a secret paradise.
The trail is maintained by Coastal Rivers Conservation Trust, a non-profit organization dedicated to keeping our watershed clean and accessible.
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SWEAT FACTOR
The whole trail, loop and spur, is under a mile and a half, so it's perfect for little legs. It has some slight elevation change, (128' overall) but spread over distance and switchbacks it's barely noticeable. As you can see, it's very well marked.
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Features
The trail is fully wooded with primarily mature white pine and fir, featuring a long bridge over a flock of ostrich ferns (Rhysy's favorite part) and several side trails to benches overlooking about 3,000' of muddy, marshy frontage on Seal Cove, a salty little inlet near the mouth of the Damariscotta River. I suspect it would be an excellent spot to watch herons and avocets without the toddler scream-singing the alphabet song on loop.
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what we think
In all, it's an excellent way to spend an hour or so, especially with a stir-crazy toddler during a pandemic. We didn't see another human the whole time we were there (we did hear a small one through the forest, but that doesn't count) and the boy passed the eff out as soon as we turned back onto 129. Goal achieved.
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get there
The trailhead's fairly easy to find. Head south on 129 from Damariscotta, stay south when it splits from 130, turn right on S Road, and find the sign on the right. There's parking for maybe three vehicles.
Seal Cove Shore Preserve
S Rd, South Bristol, ME 04568
Amanda Nelson-McNelly
Mother of sleeping toddler.
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