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This week, we are going to visit another site managed by the Coastal Rivers Conservation Trust, the La Verna Preserve!
Like I shared in my last blog, I have a group of girlfriends I met when I first started teaching almost 16 years ago! This was another site we visited during our weekend together last year. I can imagine this preserve is amazing in all seasons but we explored this preserve in the fall and…it was STUNNING! We could not stop commenting on how beautiful, breathless, and picturesque this preserve was!
The La Verna Preserve is sandwiched between the villages of Round Pond and New Harbor, Maine on the historic Route 32 on the Pemaquid Peninsula in midcoast Maine. I highly recommend driving this portion of Route 32 between the two villages..the ocean views and historic homes are impressive!
Directions to the La Verna Preserve can be located on the Coastal Rivers Conservation Trust website. You’ll find one parking option just across the road from the trailhead.
NOTE HERE: Parking on Route 32 is prohibited and they DO ticket cars that do so. Route 32 is not very wide and parking on the shoulder can definitely create some unsafe driving conditions in this area. I would recommend having a Plan B and Plan C should you find the parking lot full. I will provide some recommendations for those a bit further down.
The Preserve is almost entirely forested, with the exception of when the trail meets the ocean’s edge. Therefore, heading here during peak foliage season is a MUST. With lots of oak, red maple, red spruce, white birch, and white pine, the forest is ALIVE with color in the fall.
Within the forest, you will find Meadow Brook with some sedge meadows and shrub swamps and there is also a vernal pool trailside.
There are two options for trails on the Preserve; a 2.6 mile option or 2.9 mile option. Both are lollipop loops. The slightly longer one bumps out for a little extra mileage along the perimeter of the preserve. Both options will combine near the ocean’s edge to give you those amazing panoramic views of Muscongus Bay!
Some other items worth mentioning are that leashed dogs are permitted and there is some poison ivy near the shore. If you need a refresher on what poison ivy looks like and how to handle if contact is made with it, check out this great overview from the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
The best way to minimize the rash and pain when you know you have come in contact with poison ivy is cool water and soap. If you do not have soap, apply rubbing alcohol to the site. Therefore, always travel with a first aid kit that has rubbing alcohol. The one I love does!
The Bathroom Low Down:
Be prepared. There are NO bathrooms on site.
Options for a Plan B or Plan C:
The best time to get to the La Verna Preserve is first thing in the morning or later in the afternoon. If you head the Preserve and find the parking lot full, here are a couple of options to explore on the Pemaquid Peninsula:
- The Granite Hall Store: Here is a great little store in Round Pond that sells penny candy, home goods, gifts and toys. The store is about a 10 minute drive from the La Verna Preserve.
- The Forts at Pemaquid: Located in Pemaquid Harbor, this a great opportunity to explore several historic sites at the mouth of the Pemaquid river. It is about a 15 minute drive from the La Verna Preserve
- Pemaquid Point Lighthouse Park: Located at Pemaquid Point, this is a great spot to check out the lighthouse, climb the rocks along the short, and grab lunch at one of the various picnic tables around the site. It is about a 25 minute drive from the La Verna Preserve
These are also great to add on to your trip after you finish hiking the Preserve as they are not far from the Preserve itself. Also, sometimes a candy store visit can be a great motivator to finish a hike for those with little legs (or even those with bigger legs, like me!).
Also, don’t forget to check out the Whaleback Midden Historic Site in Damariscotta on your way to or from hiking the Preserve. Be sure to check out my blog on the Midden Site!
What’s in my car or backpack for this visit?
Key Takeaways:
- La Verna Preserve offers some great hiking trails through a forest with unbelievable ocean views!
- If heading there between September 15th and December 15th, remember to wear your hunter orange!
- Leashed dogs are allowed.
- Watch out for poison ivy. Bring a first aid kit that has rubbing alcohol to minimize pain and rash.
- Have a Plan B or Plan C if the parking lot is full!
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Thank you,
~Natalie
This post may include affiliate links. If you click on one of them, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you.
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