Maine Coast - The Most Scenic Drives in America: 120 Spectacular Road Trips - page 817

15. Holbrook Island Sanctuary
Nearby, Rte. 176 passes through rugged, unspoiled countryside and leads to the turnoff for
Holbrook Island Sanctuary. An ideal spot for picnics and nature walks, the seaside refuge
has some 1,250 acres of varied terrain—from pebble beaches to seaside crests.
Maine offers several hiking options, from the beaches and rocks of the coast to the forested hills and mountains inland.
16. Stonington
Farthersouth,Rte.15leapsacrossanarrowsuspensionbridgetoLittleDeerIsle,thencon-
tinues on to land's end in Stonington. In the late 1800s the area was a booming mining
center. The distinctive pink granite quarried here can be found in famous structures up and
down the East Coast. Today the quarries are active again, though on a much reduced scale.
Townlifeisnowgearedmostlytowardthesea,aswitnessedbyaharborfulloftrawlers
and other fishing vessels. Lobster traps are stacked high on the docks, and canneries are
ever ready to process the day's catch. The shops along Main Street offer a variety of well-
crafted wares, from pottery to clothing. For a glimpse of inland nature, head east on Indian
Point Road to Ames Pond, where the water lilies bloom in pink and white from June to
September.
17. Ellsworth
Passing by charming villages, saltwater ponds, meadows, and forest, the coastal highways
leadalongtheeasternshoresoftheBlueHillPeninsulatoEllsworth,whichisthecommer-