From its source at Fifth Machias Lake in the deep woods along the boundary of Washington and Hancock counties, the Machias River flows wild and free for 76 miles to empty into Machias Bay on the Gulf of Maine. One of Maine’s most beloved rivers, the Machias is home to 20 percent of the remaining wild Atlantic salmon habitat in the U.S. More than 60,000 acres and 250 miles of river and stream shoreline in the Machias River watershed are under conservation.

Just west of downtown Machias is the Machias River Preserve, 917 acres owned and managed by the Downeast Coastal Conservancy that protects some 3 1/2 miles of river frontage. Six trails thread through the signature property, offering hikers a little over 7 miles of wonderful wandering possibilities. Add to the mix a roughly 2-mile stretch of the Down East Sunrise Trail, a multiuse rail trail extending 88 miles across the region from Ellsworth nearly to Calais.

The hike along the Machias River on the Heritage Trail is one of the finest walks in Downeast Maine. Despite the proximity to town and U.S. Route 1, there’s a distinct feeling of remoteness out there, enhanced by the beautiful river, the mature forest and the abundant bird and wildlife. And as you stroll over the soft footpath, a series of interpretive displays describe some of the rich and colorful human and natural history of the river and the land here.

The Machias River Preserve is part of the Two Rivers Conservation Area, which also includes the 100 acres of Middle River Park and 2 miles along its namesake river on the eastern margin of Machias. Close to 3 miles of color-coded trails wind through meadows and forests of the popular parkland that was once the site of St. Regis Farm, where draft horses and cattle were pastured in the bygone era of the great log drives on the Machias River.

The Downeast Coastal Conservancy was formed 15 years ago through the merger of the Quoddy Regional Land Trust and the Great Auk Land Trust, both organizations with more than 20 years of conservation experience. Operating from the Route 9 corridor south to the coast and Steuben east to Lubec, DCC today has over 7,000 acres and 72 miles of Washington County shoreline under its stewardship umbrella, with more in the works.

“We’re preserving ecologically important lands and protecting access to cherished local spots, places like Vining Lake, Reversing Falls and Mowry Beach,” said Colin Brown, DCC’s Executive Director. “We’re looking at key gaps, the pieces of the puzzle that connect wildlife corridors and tie the interior forests to the coast. We’re also putting resources into outreach and education to get and keep more people connected to our preserves.”

DCC has 16 public access preserves with trails. Some are water trails, like at the Orange River Conservation Area, which offers miles of scenic flatwater paddling and several remote campsites in a pristine setting. The Orange River is part of a determined effort by DCC and a number of other conservation partners to protect and preserve the ancient native American inland canoe route from Cobscook Bay to Machias Bay.

DCC foot trails tally around 30 miles of hiking. The inventory includes two little peaks, Pigeon Hill in Steuben and Klondike Mountain in Lubec. Both yield big, bold views from their craggy summits, the former looks out over Narraguagus Bay while the latter takes in the glory of South Bay. At Ingersoll Point in Addison, mossy green paths lead to a huge panorama of Wohoa Bay.

Vining Lake Community Preserve in Cooper encompasses 406 acres of woodlands and an undeveloped pond that can be circumnavigated via a sweet 2-mile trail. A 3-mile circuit at Tide Mill Creek in Jonesboro reaches a scenic cove on the Chandler River, while the track on narrow Denbow Point in Lubec ends at a great look over Cobscook Bay to Leighton Head.

Per the DCC website, “these preserves are part of the last frontier on the Northeast coast of peaceful, untrammeled beauty; they include forests, woodlands, wetlands, islands, salt marshes, clam-flats, fishing villages and working waterfronts.” There is indeed a lot to see and do, on foot and otherwise, in this incredible corner of our natural world. Begin your adventure with a visit to downeastcoastalconservancy.org.

Carey Kish of Mount Desert Island is the author of Beer Hiking New England, AMC’s Best Day Hikes Along the Maine Coast, and the AMC Maine Mountain Guide. Follow more of Carey’s adventures on Facebook and on Instagram @careykish.