The scent of balsam fir, and the flute sounds of the Swainson’s thrush grace my footsteps as I walk down the trail in Indian Point Blagden Preserve on Mount Desert Island, Maine.

This moss-filled forest that leads to Western Bay was donated to the Nature Conservancy in 1968 by Donald and Zelina Blagden. The 110 acres of protected land offers a view of Mount Desert Island’s primary forest with moss covered forest floors offering a wide diversity of plants and wildlife.

Seeing the variety of evergreen and deciduous trees in their mature state is unique from the eastern part of the island where Acadia National Park is most visited. In 1947, there was a devastating fire that covered over 17,000 acres and many homes and forests were completely destroyed. Many a visitor is unaware that the forest they are walking in this popular section of the park is actually secondary forest and is only now starting to fully rebound.

As a wildlife photographer, I have found a wider variety of bird life and wildlife on the quiet side of the island than on the touristy section of Acadia on the eastern part of the island. Perhaps in part due to the difference in forestry.

The trail from the parking area to the water is just under three miles in length. Arriving to the water’s edge it was as if I had my own private waterfront. A rocky beach with granite boulders protect the cove.

The marine life along the water’s edge offers the observant explorer a variety of discoveries.

Nature’s Conservancy’s conservation at Indian Point Blagden Preserve on the quiet side of the island is vital to protecting these natural lands for future generations. Due to the caring and generous nature of the Blagden’s this serene landscape is available to visitors to enjoy away from the tourist masses.