In 2009, the Land for Maine’s Future board supported the acquisition of 40 acres of this 789-acre preserve, following its establishment in 1990. The whole preserve includes more than two-thirds of the shoreline (nearly 5 miles) of the Basin, a 360-acre tidal embayment on the west side of Vinalhaven. Most of the rest is protected by conservation easements. Filled with wildlife, the Basin hosts seals, Bald Eagles, Osprey, wintering ducks, and many species of birds, including the occasional Great Horned Owl. It is mostly spruce-fir coniferous forest with some pitch pine woods and hay fields at higher elevations.
The Basin has three miles of moderate hiking trails leaving from four trailheads: two on Granite Island Road, one off Wharf Quarry Road, and one at the end of Folly Pond Road. The trails are open to foot traffic only; please stay on trails and carry out all trash, including toilet paper and human and pet waste. Camping and fires are both prohibited. Please respect the privacy of Preserve neighbors and keep pets under control.
Closest Town: Vinalhaven, Knox County
Activities: Hiking, Kayaking, Wildlife Watching, Bird Watching, Dog Walking
Region: Midcoast Maine
Acreage: 40 protected with the help of LMF, 789 acres total in the Preserve
Directions: There are four trailheads. Two are located off Granite Island Road. The southernmost one can be found on the east side of the road, just after City Point Road departs west. The other trailhead is half a mile north of that one on the right, after the road turns from pavement to dirt.
There’s a third trailhead off Wharf Quarry Road, a narrow dirt road off North Haven Road that runs in a westerly direction. The trailhead and parking are about 0.3 miles off Wharf Quarry Road on the left; a high-clearance vehicle is recommended if you take this route. Wharf Quarry Road is closed during the winter, but parking is available on North Haven Road—look for signs. The final trailhead is located at the end of Folly Point Road, a 0.3-mile road that leaves west off of North Haven Road.
