Bristol is home to several enjoyable land trusts on the Pemaquid Pennisula, one of those being Bass Rock Preserve along the shore of Muscongus Bay.

The wooded 10-acre preserve is part of the Pemaquid Watershed Association and is located a short distance from Round Pond Village, a place noted for its eclectic Fourth of July parades.

From Route 1, take the Damariscotta-Newcastle exit and follow Main Street through the Twin Villages. At the traffic signal, bear right onto State Route 129, (Bristol Road) which eventually becomes Route 130. Just past the Bristol Post Office, turn left onto Upper Pond Road and follow it to Route 32, where you’ll turn left again. The preserve is on Back Shore Road, which will be on your left by the Granite Hall Store. Rules for the preserve and a sign-in sheet are at a kiosk where the main trail is blazed blue.

The short walk carries you through the woods to the bay, where it ends on a rocky shore. Along the way it intersects with the green and yellow trails. The entire trail system can be traversed in under an hour, making it ideal for all ages. A map is posted on the kiosk, or you can download one from the Pemaquid Watershed Association website.

Pinioned in rock along the shore we were surprised to find a bronze U.S. Coastal Geodetic disk, also known as a “bench mark.” These are used as a point of reference for surveyors. This one was dated 1943. These discs can be found all over the country and there are a number of clubs whose members go out in search of them to photograph, an activity that’s called bench mark hunting.

The green trail takes you on a short loop through the woods and dozens of bright green forest ferns to an unusual geological feature pictured in the brochure, a two-foot-wide round cavity in the rock. A small, naturally formed crevice appears to show where seawater once ran in and out of it. Maybe eons ago the action of the tides gave it its round shape.

Of the three paths, the yellow trail appears to be the most heavily used. It carries you to a large rocky beach, where we found rocks of all sizes and shapes. The depth of the water must really drop off quickly here, for not too far from shore were a line of lobster buoys.  Across the bay to the right you’ll see Louds Island; to the left is Hog Island, home to the Hog Island Audubon Camp. Since 1936, the camp has offered environmental education programs for adults, teens, families and conservation leaders.

On the way back, take time to stop and explore Round Pond Village and its picturesque waterfront.

As stated in the brochure, the Pemaquid Watershed Association, established in 1966, is a non-profit organization dedicated to conserving the natural resources of the Pemaquid Peninsula through land and water stewardship and education. Bass Rock Preserve is open year-round for low-impact use from dawn to dusk.

To learn more about the preserve or the association, visit www.pemaquidwatershed.org.