The Machias River, one of Maine's wildest and most cherished waterways, flows for 76 miles from Fifth Machias Lake to tidewater in downtown Machias. The State oversees stewardship and recreational use along its nearly unbroken shoreline, thanks to a remarkable effort that has protected more than 60,000 acres in the Machias River watershed-the country's largest, self-sustaining wild Atlantic salmon run. This landscape-scale conservation project, which spanned more than a decade, successfully preserved 252 miles of river and shore frontage from development and subdivision, while ensuring that the region's working forests can keep contributing to the local economy. Recreational access is guaranteed for all time, helping to maintain a scenic and popular backcountry canoe route (considered by paddlers to be more accessible than the St. John and less heavily traveled than the Allagash).

The State owns 14,000 acres outright and holds the remaining lands under conservation easements that prevent development and greatly restrict timber cutting in a 1,000-foot corridor on both sides of the river's mainstem and major tributaries. Many minor tributaries and other headwaters are completely protected through conservation ownership-either in the State's Duck Lake Public Lands (west of Fourth Machias Lake) or in the 55,678-acre Downeast Lakes Community Forest that Downeast Lakes Land Trust owns and manages (along Wabassus, Pocumcus and West Grand Lakes). The State holds additional easements in the upper watershed, ensuring that 88 percent of the land base cannot be subdivided and developed-a critical factor in preserving the river's high water quality).

Conservation efforts along the Machias may help stabilize Maine's Atlantic salmon population (which has fallen precipitously since the 1980s). Among the state's eight wild Atlantic salmon rivers, the Machias contains the greatest amount of juvenile-rearing habitat and has the highest estimated smolt production. The river system also supports a rich array of wading birds, waterfowl, neotropical migrants and grassland species. In 2006, the American Bird Conservancy identified this Downeast Lakes region of Maine as a Globally Important Bird Area, noting the occurrence of at least 180 species of birds, including 23 warblers.

Machias River Corridor

Fort O'Brien (Fort Machias) was built in 1775 and destroyed by the British in the same year. This state historic site is one of few Maine forts active during three wars - the American Revolution, War of 1812 and Civil War. Fort O'Brien's layout was altered several times over the 90 years it was active on this site. But the fort's important role in protecting the Machias River and its towns remained unchanged.

It was refortified in 1777 and destroyed once again by the British in 1814. Well-preserved earthworks which overlook Machias Bay were erected for a battery of guns in 1863. The first naval engagement of the Revolution was fought off-shore in 1775, five days before the Battle at Bunker Hill. In 1923, the United States Government deeded the site of Fort O'Brien to the State of Maine. First administered as a State Historic Site in 1966, it is now maintained by the Bureau of Parks and Lands.

Fort O'Brien State Historic Site

Roque Bluffs State Park provides visitors with a great diversity of coastal landscapes to enjoy in 274 acres on Schoppee Point (south of Machias). A beautiful, half-mile crescent of sand and pebbles along Englishman Bay is backed by the shallow waters of 60-acre Simpson Pond - allowing for bracing saltwater swims and much warmer fresh water soaks; no lifeguards available. Between the beach and the pond are several picnic areas and a children's play area adjoining the parking area. A 6-mile trail network just inland from the shore leads through old orchards, fields and woods, with paths that follow the rocky shores of Great Cove and Pond Cove. The town's trailerable boat launch is adjacent to the park on Schoppee Point Road.

The diverse habitats at Roque Bluffs State Park support abundant wildlife, and bird watchers enjoy interesting sightings at all seasons. Bald eagles frequent the area year-round and many migrant species stopover during spring and fall. Birders occasionally spot less common waterfowl, such as Barrow's Goldeneye, Redhead and Gadwall ducks, and Hooded Mergansers. During summer months, pipers, plovers and interesting species of gull (like ring-billed) frequent the beach.

Both Englishman Bay and Simpson Pond can be explored by canoe or kayak (with rental kayaks available for use on Simpson Pond). The pond is stocked so anglers can fish for brook trout in the spring and brown trout through much of the summer. Bait fishermen use the pond in fall and winter.

Roque Bluffs State Park

With 11,000 acres of woodlands and wetlands bordering three lakes near East Machias, the Rocky Lake Public Lands provide opportunities for boating, camping and fishing in a wildlife-rich setting. Bald eagles nest in the area, 10 species of fish frequent the lakes and streams, and dense forests of young spruce and fir provide habitat for deer, snowshoe hare, bobcat, coyote, and even the occasional fisher, bear and moose. The property includes four miles along the upper reaches of the East Machias River, a popular paddling destination that supports sea-run Atlantic salmon.

The glacially sculpted landscape includes meandering streams and rivers, bordered by wetlands, and lakes that run north-south (the direction the glacier traveled), interspersed by low ridges of glacial till. The three lakes (1,555-acre Rocky Lake, 332-acre Second Lake and 275-acre Patrick Lake) draw visitors to fish, canoe, camp, picnic and birdwatch during spring, summer and early fall. Late fall brings hunters, and in winter visitors come by snowmobile (as access roads are not plowed) to ice fish and trap.

While most of the property borders Rocky and Second Lakes, the Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands also manages 117 acres on Patrick Lake, three miles east of Rocky Lake. This property includes a gravel boat ramp, parking area and footpath to a picnic area bordering the lake. When water levels drop during summer months, a small sandy beach appears-providing shallow water where children like to swim.

Eleven primitive waterfront campsites are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Both boat launch areas (Mud Landing and South Bay) have authorized camping sites, and six more are accessible only by water. In spring and summer, canoers can use Second Lake as a camping stopover on the 2- to 3-day trip down the East Machias River from Pocomoonshine Lake or Route 9 to East Machias (a popular trip of 30 to 45 miles with Class I-III whitewater). Paddlers can add in a side trip to Rocky Lake as well.

State surveys of the warm-water fisheries have found small mouth bass, white perch, yellow perch, chain pickerel, alewife, American eel, white sucker, fallfish, and pumpkinseed sunfish, along with wild eastern brook trout in spring. Common loons and American bitterns thrive on the abundant fish, and waterfowl frequent the 2,000 acres of wetlands (which beaver help to create and sustain).

The State has designated 1,520 acres of the property bordering both sides of the East Machias River an Ecological Reserve, considering it an "exemplary stream shore ecosystem" with wildlife-rich marshes and an unusual silver maple floodplain forest. The Reserve designation helps maintain these ecosystems in their natural condition and allow for monitoring of ecological changes over time.

The property also contains two small sheep laurel-dwarf shrub bogs on the east side of Second Lake and a large wetland complex on the western shore of Rocky Lake that consists of spruce-larch wooded bogs and northern white cedar woodland fens.

Rocky Lake Public Reserved Land

Those seeking a taste of wilderness along Maine's coast will enjoy exploring the Cutler Coast Public Lands, a 12,234-acre expanse of blueberry barrens, woodlands and peatlands with 4.5 miles of headlands (interspersed by pocket coves and cobble beaches) overlooking the Bay of Fundy. Hikers can enjoy 10 miles of trails, three remote tent sites and spectacular views from the property's steep cliffs-part of the dramatic "Bold Coast" that extends from Cutler to Lubec.

For a guided tour of the region's geologic highlights, see Hiking the Bold Coast, Cutler, ME. Learn about the geology of the area on the interactive Maine Geologic Facts and Localities map.

Land for Maine's Future This property was acquired in part with funds from the Land for Maine's Future program. For more information about the LMF program and the places it has helped to protect, please visit the LMF webpage.

Cool, damp and windy conditions along the coast tend to stunt tree growth and favor species that normally would occur in alpine and sub-alpine terrain such as Hooker's iris, bird's eye primrose and baked appleberry. Birders have recorded nearly 200 species on or near the Cutler Coast. According to www.mainebirdingtrail.com, warblers, chickadees, golden-crowned kinglets and six species of owls frequent the woods, while seabirds and ravens nest along shoreline ledges. Offshore, from early summer to early fall, visitors may spot seals, porpoises and occasional humpback, finback, northern right and minke whales.

The lands north of Route 191 have several raised coastal peatlands (also known as bogs or heaths)-a plant community not usually found south of Canada. The bogs support an array of fascinating plants, including some sub-arctic and arctic species (such as Labrador tea) and carnivorous plants (such as pitcher plants and sundew) that draw nourishment from insects-rather than the acidic water and nutrient-poor soils.

The grassland "barrens," which were traditionally kept open by burning, contain species such as blue joint grass, flat-topped aster, alder and meadowsweet and support bobolinks and savannah sparrows. Due to the presence of bluejoint meadows and other exemplary natural communities such as huckleberry-crowberry bog and maritime spruce-fir-larch forest, Maine designated 5,216 acres of the property as an Ecological Reserve. The Reserve helps to maintain these representative ecosystems in their natural condition and allow for monitoring of ecological changes over time.

Cutler Coast Public Reserved Land

The wildlife-rich waters of Cobscook Bay surround this 888-acre park on three sides, providing opportunities to watch birds and observe the ebb and flow of the region's impressive tides. Cobscook, the Maliseet-Passamaquoddy tribal word for "boiling tides," aptly describes this setting where the tidal range averages 24 feet and can reach 28 feet (compared to a 9-foot average tide along Maine's southernmost coast).

Cobscook Bay State Park is a great base for family camping and explorations in easternmost Maine. Many of the park's 106 campsites (both for tenting and RVs) border Whiting Bay, a sheltered inlet within the larger bay. The Park offers a boat launch for those with the experience to handle boating in challenging conditions (with rapids created by fast-moving tides).

Cobscook Bay is an unusual estuary with a narrow opening to the sea, a long and convoluted shoreline, and relatively few feeder streams and rivers. Nutrient-rich salt water flowing in from the Gulf of Maine stimulates plankton growth, which in turn feeds a vast array of invertebrates (such as shellfish and marine worms). Eagles, ospreys, seals, otters and even the occasional bear enjoy the Bay's abundant fish, including smelt, alewives, shad, sea-run brook trout, striped bass and the Atlantic salmon.

The Bay's productive food web nourishes more than 200 bird species (see www.mainebirdingtrail.com for more details). Attracted by Cobscook Bay's sheltered coves, mudflats, and eelgrass beds, thousands of shorebirds stop over each fall to rest and forage as they migrate south from northern breeding grounds. The Bay's inner coves support a quarter of Maine's wintering black ducks and the state's highest concentration of bald eagles. A free birding list for the Cobscook Bay region is available at the Park entrance.

Cobscook Bay State Park

The Down East Sunrise Trail (DEST) is an inter-agency project of the Maine Department of Transportation (Maine DOT) and the Maine Department of Conservation. The project has rehabilitated 87 miles of the Calais Branch rail corridor for possible future rail use while at the same time providing a wide compact gravel-based trail for immediate use. The DEST is managed for use by snowmobilers, ATV-ers, pedestrians, bicyclists, cross-country skiers, and equestrians and other outdoor enthusiasts.

87 miles of multi-use trail is open for permanent year-round use from Ellsworth east to mile post 87, Ayers Junction in Pembroke (except for mud season).

Machias River Corridor Maps

Machiasport, ME

Machias River Corridor Description

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