City: Beals, ME

Category: Parks & Recreation

Telephone: (207) 729-5181

Address: Route 187

Description: Yet another Nature Conservancy property, Great Wass is the largest island in an archipelago at Beals, south of Jonesport, and it’s known for a couple of things: birds and wildflowers. There are some 104 species of the former, including spruce grouse, boreal chickadees, barred owls, and blackpolls, warblers that nest in the peat lands and coniferous forest. As for flowers, there are many varieties, which turn the island into a riot of color in spring and early summer. All told the preserve sprawls for about 1,600 acres, and there are a couple of popular trails that cover about 5 miles of fairly rugged terrain. The hiking can get a bit squishy after a rain.