BANGOR DAILY NEWS • September 21, 2020
Cobscook Shores, a new system of parks scattered along the coast of eastern Maine, will celebrate its grand opening on Memorial Day 2021. A number of the properties, however, are already open to the public. Covering more than 13.5 miles of Down East coastline, the parklands currently consist of 14 separate properties scattered from Whiting to Lubec. These separate preserves feature about 8 miles of trails, as well as boat launches, picnic areas, campsites and other amenities for recreationists. The $11 million project was funded by the Butler Conservation Fund, a private family foundation. The foundation also recently spent $26 million building Penobscot River Trails, a state-of-the-art system of trails for cross-country skiing, biking and walking near Millinocket. Built to the design standards of a national park, Cobscook Shores, like its sister project Penobscot River Trails in Grindstone, is intended to offer an alternative to the state’s heavily trafficked recreational destinations.