Goat’s Cove trail

We had our first warm day of the season, and we both managed to take a few hours off to get outside! It was our first time hiking at Goat’s Cove. The trail starts out from a trailhead above a little harbor, then it passes through the trees above the water’s edge, for a mile or so.

The water down below looked amazingly brilliant blue when we glimpsed it through the trees.

There’s a wonderful spot where the trail comes out of the trees and we saw the rocky shore and cliffs ahead, and a little bridge crosses a noisy stream on its way down to the ocean.

Soon the trail descends a steep stairway down onto a rocky beach. It’s a little inlet with a tumbling rocky waterfall coming down into the ocean.

We’re continually amazed at the amount of trail infrastructure here on the East Coast Trail. Compared to the AT and the White Mountains it seems like there’s much more steps, gravel, and general maintenance done on the trails here, even in some fairly remote areas. The terrain is very rugged here so perhaps it’s needed more- either way it’s beautifully done and these trails feel very loved and tended.

The tide was out and the rocks at the waters edge were a bit slippery and green but I couldn’t resist picking my way down to stand on a rock watching the waves moving around under my feet.

After we visiting the little beach and the waterfall, we continued on the trail, scrambling up a steep rocky ascent with some help from a rope that was anchored to the top. From the top we could look back at the beach and the great staircase leading down to it.

We almost made it to the end of the trail at Beachy Cove, but ran short on time and had to turn back before the end. We’ve visited Beachy Cove before- it’s a little rocky beach and waterfall similar to the one we crossed on our hike, but a little bigger and closer to a road. It’s well worth a visit if you’ve never been!

It feels so good to see all the little signs of spring after such a long, cold, damp winter. Trees are still bare but the first leaves are starting to emerge, and the forest floor is beginning to turn from mossy winter greens and browns to vibrant spring greens!