East Branch Sanctuary

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Grand Pitch of the East Branch of the Penobscot, East Branch Sanctuary, T5R8 WELS, Maine.

Check out our other Properties:

Big Wilson-Seven Ponds Sanctuary

Wassataquoik Sanctuary and Valley Sanctuary

Three Rivers Sanctuary and Lunksoos Sanctuary

Kineo Sanctuary

Sandy Stream Sanctuary

Deasey Ponds Sanctuary and Mud Brook Sanctuary

Bluffer Sanctuary

East Branch Sanctuary

East Branch Sanctuary comprises 10,556 acres located west of the East Branch of the Penobscot River in T5R8 WELS, Maine. The purpose of the sanctuary is to protect a portion of the valley of the East Branch adjacent to Baxter State Park, to provide sanctuary for its native plants and animals, and to ensure continued public access for compatible, low-impact recreational and educational use. The Sanctuary encompasses:

A 9‑mile stretch of the Penobscot East Branch that includes such spectacular rapids and waterfalls as Stair Falls, Haskell Rock Pitch, Pond Pitch, Grand Pitch, and The Hulling Machine;
Numerous brooks, beaver wetlands, fens, and two great ponds: Messer (26 acres), and Little Messer (28 acres);
A 6-mile boundary with Baxter State Park along the slopes of Traveler, Bald, and Billfish mountains, including the eastern summit of Billfish mountain (1,668 ft) with an exemplary rock outcrop ecosystem;
Patches of rare silver maple floodplain forest in the vicinity of the Oxbow along the East Branch.

As a matter of policy, motor vehicles are permitted only on main access roads. Snowmobiles and off-road vehicles are not permitted in the Sanctuary, except for strictly-limited administrative purposes. Since the property is a wildlife sanctuary, public access is not permitted for hunting or trapping. These polices are similar to those in effect in the adjacent Baxter State Park.

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Links of Interest: >>Forest Society of Maine >>International Appalachian Trail >>Forest Ecology Network >>Environmental News