A Walk Through the Seasons at Green Point Preserve
Green Point Preserve is a reminder of the simple beauty of Midcoast Maine. This preserve is the perfect place for an easy walk to unwind after a work day or if you’re intrigued by just about everything in the natural world like I am, you could spend a full day here. It’s located in West Bath and the trail itself is only about half a mile long. As short as the trail is, there's something for every type of nature enthusiast at Green Point Preserve and a reason to visit no matter the season.
In the fall, visit for the beautiful changing leaves from the plentiful hardwood trees along the southern tip and all the uniquely shaped mushrooms found along the trail. In the winter, there’s a special type of beauty as all the short spruce and fir trees along the pathway get coated in snow.
If you enjoy “weird duck season” like I do, winter can be a great time to visit as there are a lot of fun species of waterfowl that use the Winnegance Bay as important habitat during the colder months. One of my favorite, reliable winter species is the surf scoter, which can be identified by its large colorful beak. This species often shows up in flocks of 30+, so Greenpoint can be a great place to spot them!
Spring is when the preserve starts to wake up and when the woods really come to life. You can find white tailed deer raising their fawns here and you can be serenaded by dozens of species of songbirds making their way back to Maine after a long migration.
One of my favorite, reliable winter species is the surf scoter, which can be identified by its large colorful beak.
Cinnamon fern along the trail at Green Point Preserve
Green Point is also home to one of our salamander plots, a community science effort KELT conducts to measure salamander populations, which helps us better understand the health of a forest. In the spring or fall you may find volunteers recording their discoveries and it’s always a great opportunity to learn more about these amazing amphibians. Summer is when amphibian activity starts to slow, but there’s still plenty to discover. You’ll frequently find ospreys and eagles gracefully hunting in the bay, using their well adapted talons to snatch fish right out of the water to bring to their nearby nests. There is also plenty of plant diversity, with my favorite being the numerous species of ferns growing right along the path.
Even without the perspective of a naturalist, Green Point Preserve is well worth the visit. The whole walk down to the point is beautiful and then once you make it to the rocky coast itself, the view truly opens up. It’s a calming spot to sit and look out at the breathtaking views of Winnegance Bay. Whenever I'm sitting on that rocky coastline, watching the birds and sailboats float peacefully in the water, I’m filled with gratitude that I get to live in this amazing region of Maine.
Reminder that our Explore the Estuary Trail Challenge is currently going till the end of October. You can help with the conservation and stewardship of places like Green Point Preserve by getting out and recording your miles on our trail challenge website.
See you on the trails!