The trail starts along an old quarry road, a wide, easy, relatively level path through the woods. After about 0.1 miles, the trail arrives at the dramatic cliffs of the quarry. The trail to the top is to the right, heading around and up the east side of the cliffs. It is only about 300 feet to the top, but it is a difficult steep ascent over tree roots and large rocks. From the top, there are views to the north and east of the Deer Isle bridge, the Little Deer Isle village, the causeway to Deer Isle, and across to the mountains of Acadia in the distance.
A loop can be created by continuing over the hill and turning left onto a trail to the west, which loops back to the trailhead. For those not feeling up for the climb to the top of the hill, that ascent can be avoided by staying to the right at that intersection where the trail ascending to the summit breaks off to the left, and continuing around the loop counter-clockwise to the trail to the west.
Be prepared to use hands and feet for the final climb. The rocks are slippery and treacherous when wet or icy. To protect rare plants, stay on the trail and walk on rock when possible.
Pine Hill contains a key piece of Maine’s geological heritage, in the form of the uncommon serpentinized peridotite rock type, which crystallized from a magma. For many years, it was assumed that Pine Hill was the throat of a volcano. However, it may simply be a window into a dike, a tabular sheet of magma that forced its way into a crack in the surrounding rocks and crystallized.
Owing to the unique chemistry of the rocks, extreme soil conditions are found here, providing habitat for unusual plant species. Pine Hill’s incredible diversity of lichens is particularly notable, with over 70 species identified to date.
HISTORY
The bold outcrops on Pine Hill have been a favorite place to climb for the view from the top for many generations. The peridotite rock was quarried for many years; the Deer Isle causeway, originally built in the 1930s, waslater reinforced with rocks quarried from Pine Hill in the 1940s. More recently Pine Hill has been recognized as a site of national geological and botanical significance. Both the rock (peridotite) and the plants that grow on this type of rock are very unusual. Recognizing Pine Hill as a place treasured by both islanders and scientists, in 2006 Pat and Kurt Fairchild generously donated this land to Island Heritage Trust to ensure it is available to the public forever.
GUIDELINES
For additional information, visit the Island Heritage Trust website, or contact:
Heading south on ME-15 across Little Deer Isle, take a right at the Chamber of Commerce Booth onto Eggemoggin Road. Continue 0.2 miles and turn left onto Blastow Cove Road (at the church). Go another 0.2 miles to the parking area on the right. There is a fence at the trailhead.
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