Boot Head

Spruce Grouse
Boot Head Preserve, protected by The Maine Coast Heritage Trust, is a 690-acre site encompassing spruce/fir forest, peat bog, rocky coast, and a pebble beach. The round trip hike is less than 3 miles, but it packs a wallop over its short distance. It has been a good spot for spruce grouse, especially over the first quarter mile to the peat bog overlook. From early May through mid-June, several males often hold breeding territories adjacent to the trail. However, their defense is to freeze motionless, and it's easy to walk right by without noticing. As summer progresses, the males wander away from their territories, and females with young may be encountered more often.

Yellow-bellied flycatchers, Lincoln’s sparrows, and palm warblers nest in the bog. It’s usually pretty easy to find northern parula, American redstart, and yellow-rumped, black-throated green, and Nashville warblers here. Ruby-crowned kinglets are vocal in early summer and golden-crowned kinglets anytime. Boreal chickadees forage through the area sporadically. The beaches and the overlook from Boot Head are scenic.

Directions: The preserve is reached via the Boot Cove Road, also known as the South Trescott Road. The turn 11.2 miles north of Cutler, and provides a 6 mile shortcut between Route 191 and Quoddy Head State Park. At the Route 191 intersection, there is an old general store with the name “Fitzhenry’s Store” still visible. Proceed 2 miles and look for the trailhead parking area.
Lubec, ME 04652




GPS: 44.775359, -67.031193