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Settlement Quarry Preserve, located in Stonington, Maine is home to dense woodlands with thick foliage. A rugged path covered in gravel, leaves and exposed tree roots are known as Old Quarry Road. The path is ideal for hiking as well as snowshoeing during colder months.
The Settlement Quarry Preserve is managed by the Island Heritage Trust, which purchased the Settlement quarry in 1996. The quarry, of which visitors can follow self-guided tours from time to time, closed in 1980. Stonington is known for its granite which stretches for miles forming the bedrock for Deer Isle. The granite is covered by a layer of glacial deposits. Settlement Quarry is not the only quarry in Stonington, there are also Crotch Island Quarries and other smaller ones.
The Preserve offers 2.9 Km of looped trails. From the parking lot, a wooden covered kiosk marks the trailhead, where visitors can find a map with all the necessary information. A right turn leads to the 0.3 mile Glacial Erratic Trail moving over a wooden boardwalk, followed by a trail through evergreen woods. The landscape changes to smooth granite and an uphill hike leads to the viewpoint with outstanding views of Webb Cove, Deer Isle, Merchants Row, Isle au Haut, and 19 other smaller surrounding islands. A sign provides a labeled photo marking the different landmarks visitors can spot. The Glacial Erratic Trail proceeds to intersect with Grout Pile Trail, which moves along large boulders of granite, and of course the grout. The short trail moves through the forest with a side trail leading to another viewpoint.
Access to the preserve is free and is accessible to people of most abilities. When traveling with young children, however, keep in mind that the granite can be slippery and there are some sheer drops leading to the quarry.
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