The Great Wass Island Preserve

With a cloudy day ahead of us and nothing to do, we both got on the internet to find a day trip.

Mark found a great hike and I found a tour so we set off.

The Great Wass Island Preserve was acquired by The Nature Conservancy in 1978.

There is a 4.5-mile hiking trail but we only walked about 1 1/2 miles.

Map of the trail.

The trail was very rocky with lots of exposed tree roots.

The bogs (or heaths) of Great Wass are unique to this part of the state. They are maritime slope bogs that formed on top of coastal bedrock.

Exposed granite bedrock is evidence of the “Fundian Fault,” a long crack in the Earth’s crust that extends from the Bay of Fundy to the coast of New Hampshire.

Raised bogs formed thousands of years ago as sphagnum moss accumulated in the scoured basins left by retreating glaciers.

The acidic, peat soil supports plants and shrubs that can stand the extreme nutrient-poor environment.

A little world on a large rock.

We found a few flowers and interesting mushrooms along the trail.

The island projects farther out to sea than any other land mass in eastern Maine.

The waters of the Gulf of Maine and the Bay of Fundy meet here and mix to produce a cool, humid oceanic climate.

Even with a little bit of rain it’s a very enjoyable hike.

Next time: The Maine Sea Salt Company