This week for Asa’s World Tour of Maine we return to Calais to explore the Devil’s Head Conservation Area. Unlike other sites we’ve visited in New England named by early settlers for the Devil himself, this is NOT one of those places. In fact, “Devil’s Head” is an English corruption of the name early French settlers gave the 340 foot high granite headland. They called it “d’Orville’s Head” in honor of Sieur d’Orville who settled on St. Croix Island in 1604. Before that the Passamaquoddy called it “Kwagustchusk” which translates to dirt mound. Whether it was called dirt mound, d’Orville’s Head, or finally Devil’s Head, this area has been visited by people for thousands of years!
Today this town owned conservation area consists of 318 acres, with two trails and access to a rocky-sandy beach. However, we must caution be aware of the tides! Tides fluctuate up to 25 feet every six hours and can rise quickly so keep an eye on the water level when exploring the shore. Also the current is strong, so we don’t advise dogs going for a swim. The Devil’s Head Trail is 1.3 miles and has summit views of the St. Croix River and surrounding area. The Shoreline Bluffs Trail also has views of the St. Croix River and New Brunswick, Canada.
On the September day we visited, we first explored the beach area, being very mindful of the tide. This rocky beach has been the stopping point for travelers for thousands of years, since before recorded time when the Passamaquoddy would harvest fish and clams here. Early French and English settlers also stopped here to await the change in tide to carry them upriver. By the late 1800s as the area became more settled and industrialized, this stretch of land was a popular tourist destination, with the building of the Demonts Hotel in 1889. The hotel burned in the 1920s, but cottages continued to be used until the 1940s. Today you can still see evidence of the pier the coastal steamer would use when bringing tourists. Archeological surveys of the area have also uncovered prehistoric shell middens, seventeenth century stems from European tobacco pipes, along with nineteenth century pottery shards. Which is why in 2006 the Devil’s Head Conservation Area was listed on the National Register of Historic Places!
Alright, I admit, we spent a lot of time on this beach listening to Mom tell us about the early history of this area, and the first French settlement. We’ll tell you more about St. Croix Island in a later post though. Asa was getting bored, and we wanted to hike!
Following our walk on the beach, our plan was to stop at the picnic area, to enjoy a snack before heading off to hike the Devil’s Head Trail. However, that’s when our visit came to a sudden conclusion as we found ourselves fleeing Devil’s Head Conservation Area! We weren’t being chased by “Old Scratch,” but instead by our fiery old nemesis that could make us scratch and burn – Fire Ants! There weren’t any signs warning of an infestation, like we encountered last year at Shackford Head State Park in Eastport, Maine. Instead, while Mom and Dad were enjoying their sandwiches, they looked down to see these itty bitty foes crawling on our fur, and the ground swarming in them! Luckily our thick fur protected us, and Mom and Dad were prepared with a brush to remove them from us before getting into the car. Also thankfully, unlike the last encounter with fire ants when Mom got hurt, none of us got bit this time.
We don’t know if the fire ants are on the trails or just contained to the picnic area. But we didn’t stick around to find out! We didn’t have any issues with them on the beach though, but that could be due to the dramatic high tides. Therefore overall, what we can tell you for visiting is the beach makes for an interesting stroll at low tide with unique rock formations, and views of the St. Croix River and New Brunswick, Canada.
Dogs are allowed at Devil’s Head Conservation Area on-leash, and please clean up after them at this carry out park. Look for the sign along Route 1, in Calais where you can park in a lot at the entrance, or drive down the dirt road to a second parking lot at the picnic area. It is there where you can find the two trail heads and access to the beach. For more information to plan your visit, go to Devil’s Head at CalaisMaine.org.
