On this stretch of the Damariscotta River you can often see Hooded Mergansers and Common Goldeneye. The old historic apple orchard and riparian habitat are good for songbirds.

The upper Damariscotta River is famous for its enormous oyster shell heaps, also called middens. Native Americans created the middens over a period of about a thousand years, between 2,200 and 1,000 years ago.

The east side of the Damariscotta River once contained an enormous shell heap named Whaleback because of its shape. Much of this midden was removed in the late 1880s to supply a factory built here to process the oyster shells into chicken feed. As a result, only a small portion of Whaleback remains today.

Managed in cooperation with the Coastal Rivers Conservation Trust, the area around the midden is now a State Historic Site that includes a small hiking trail and beautiful views of the river. A series of interpretive panels helps inform visitors about the history of the area.

The Rhoda and Leon Cohen River Trail, which connects Round Top Farm to Whaleback Shell Midden State Historic Site is designed for accessibility. The trail is 8′ wide with very little slope and a firm smooth surface. Van access is available at either trailhead.

A swinging bench by the shore affords an ideal view of one of the largest intact middens on the east coast, the Glidden Midden, just across the river.