Stanwood Wildlife Sanctuary

Amazing place. The animal caretakers are dedicated, compassionate, and professional. They know how to treat the birds with respect and care. It's really encouraging to see. The refuge has a lot of different trails; we took the perimeter trail and saw a good amount of wildlife -- birds (both wild and not), snakes, red squirrels, frogs, and scents/traces of larger wildlife too. We also saw a visitor using a wheelchair without issue in the main area. I'd 100% recommend it for all ages.

I visited here this past Fall. It is a very fascinating place! I took a tour of the old house which was neat and the learned the history of Birdsacre and the family connected to it. It was quite interesting! Even more interesting was seeing the birds that have been rescued and brought here that for various reasons can no longer survive in the wild. The different owls were especially neat to see up close. I loved the Barred Owl pair. Beautiful! The outdoor enclosures they are in are very large, well designed to be like their natural environment and nice. The birds all look very well cared for. Most would probably have not survived if not for the dedication and care of the people here. I hope to get back to check out the hiking trails at another time. Very nice to have a place with hiking trails in Ellsworth! So important that places like this get preserved. We need more nature and fewer retail developments.

This place was so amazing so visit!! Before hiking there are so many birds to see and they're all kept in beautiful outdoor enclosures! The volunteers there were so incredibly nice and shared so much knowledge with me about the woman's research that started this. I spent 3+ hours on the trails and didn't see another person while out there. I would highly recommend checking this place out when visiting Ellesworth!

A beautiful walking trail, so peaceful and clean. The sanctuary area for the birds is great. We loved getting to see them so close, my daughter was amazed.. loved our trip here today.

I’ve been coming here since I was a kid, and it’s always been one of my favorite places to go. It’s always been an educational experience, and the trails have provided many years of escape from the chaos of the city and waves of tourist. It’s not always the happiest experience, since this is a place that takes care of birds that have suffered trauma and often rehabilitation and release aren’t an option. This is a place where they can survive, and live the best life they can.

Lots of lovely trails in a forested area. The paths are well marked and the whole place is beautiful. There are interesting objects to look at and play on (egg rock, Queen's throne). There's a washroom and a gift shop. Entrance is donation based.

Hidden gem, right off a main road in Ellsworth, on the way to Bar Harbor. Several trails of varying length, very well marked.

The Stanwood wildlife sanctuary is truly a beautifully preserved piece of natural beauty right in the heart of Ellsworth Maine. I highly recommend bringing your kids here for a leisurely stroll on the trails or enjoying your lunch break in the picnic area.