{"id":1442,"date":"2026-06-19T08:03:00","date_gmt":"2026-06-19T08:03:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bangormetro.com\/?p=1442"},"modified":"2026-06-18T14:58:28","modified_gmt":"2026-06-18T14:58:28","slug":"oceanside-state-parks-to-explore","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bangormetro.com\/?p=1442","title":{"rendered":"Oceanside State Parks to Explore"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
Hike, sunbathe, and picnic along the Maine coast<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
By Aislinn Sarnacki <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The sound of waves crashing on the shore, mixed with the cry of gulls, serves as a siren song, drawing people to the coast \u2014 especially in the summertime. On hot, sticky days, the ocean\u2019s edge is the place to be, with its cool, fresh breeze and even colder water. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Lucky for us in Maine, we have plenty of places we can go to enjoy public beaches and oceanside trails, including several state parks. These parks feature amenities such as restrooms, picnic tables, benches, parking areas, and well-maintained and marked trails. Plus, each park has unique character, with their own historic landmarks, geological features, interesting habitats, and resident wildlife.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Lighthouses, cobblestone and sand beaches, dramatic ocean cliffs, coastal bogs, wild roses, sea ducks, seals, tidepools, sea glass, mossy forests, and bobbing lobster buoys \u2014 these are just a few of the delights of Maine\u2019s coastline in the summertime. Add to that a steady breeze that keeps away the bugs and you\u2019ve found paradise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you aren\u2019t much for sunbathing and beach lounging, enjoying the ocean by traversing trails may be more up your alley. Trails are also a great way to see a greater variety of flora and fauna. And sometimes, they lead to private beaches, hidden coves, and remote ocean overlooks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Whether relaxing on a beach or hiking oceanside trails \u2014 or doing a bit of both \u2014 don\u2019t forget to bring some snacks or even a full-blown meal. Did you know that food tastes best when eaten outdoors? Just be sure to pick up after yourself, and don\u2019t leave your food unattended \u2014 unless you want a squirrel or gull to attend to it for you. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
When visiting Maine\u2019s state parks, whether they\u2019re coastal properties or inland, keep in mind that each park has its own visitor rules, including specific guidelines for dog owners. For example, dogs are not permitted on certain beaches. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Maine state parks also have entrance fees that range from $1 to $8 per person, depending on the park, how old you are, and whether or not you\u2019re a resident of Maine. Children under 5 and adults who are 65 and older are free. Veterans and active duty personnel can also gain free entry with a pass issued from the Maine Bureau of Veterans\u2019 Services. You can look up fees and park rules ahead of time at maine.gov\/dacf\/parks. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Here are just a few of my favorite coastal Maine state parks. Pro tip: Visit early in the morning and on weekdays to avoid the biggest crowds.<\/p>\n\n\n\nBDN photo by Aislinn Sarnacki Steps lead down to the rocky shore of Moose Point on March 17, 2013, in Moose Point State Park in Searsport.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
Moose Point State Park <\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n
Searsport<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
With sprawling lawns, a rocky beach, stands of towering white pines, and easy woodland trails, this state park is an excellent place to bask in nature at a leisurely pace. Picnic tables, benches and a gazebo make it an ideal place for setting up a picnic, too. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Overlooking Penobscot Bay, this park features 1.5 miles of well-maintained footpaths. Big Spruce Trail travels near the shore under the shade of tall evergreens; Moose Trail threads through a mixed forest filled with plantlife; and Meadow Trail explores the park\u2019s open, grassy areas. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Two wooden staircases lead down to a long, rocky beach that\u2019s open to everyone \u2014 dogs included, as long as they\u2019re leashed. In addition, you can enjoy views of the ocean while sitting on blocky ledges along the Big Spruce Trail.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If your thirst for oceanside adventuring isn\u2019t quenched by the end of your visit, you can also visit the nearby Fort Point State Park in Stockton Springs. With just under a mile of trails, Fort Point is home to an active lighthouse, the remains of Fort Pownall (built in 1759), a tidal sandbar, a belltower that once served as a fog signal, and a stone marking the original burial site of Gen. Samuel Waldo, for whom Waldo County and Waldoboro are named.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dogs are permitted but must be leashed. For more information, visit maine.gov\/moosepoint.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Directions: <\/strong>The park is located off Route 1 about 5 miles north of Belfast and 2 miles south of Searsport.<\/p>\n\n\n\nAislinn Sarnacki | BDN \rCoin-operated viewing scopes stand atop Griffith Head in Reid State Park on June 26, 2015, in Georgetown. Below is Mile Beach.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
Roque Bluffs State Park <\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n
Roque Bluffs<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
This 274-acre park features a long, easily-accessible beach, plus over 3 miles of intersecting hiking trails that lead to some spectacular spots along the coast. With picnic tables at scenic locations, be sure to bring a meal or snack to enjoy while breathing in the salty ocean breeze.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This is a fun place to observe some geological features. The sand-pebble beach, for instance, is an unusual geological feature of the Down East coast. It\u2019s the result of an accumulation of sediment that eroded from a glacial moraine lying to the east. And at the eastern end of the beach, glacial striations mark the bedrock. These deep grooves were left behind by a glacier moving over the rock thousands of years ago.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Looking out to the ocean, you can see Libby Lighthouse, built in 1817 and still an active beacon. You\u2019ll also likely spot a few birds. A variety of ducks and gulls usually dot the water, and bald eagles often soar overhead. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dogs are permitted on the trails if leashed, but they are not permitted on the ocean beach from April 1 to Sept. 30. For more information, visit maine.gov\/roquebluffs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Directions:<\/strong> This park has two parking areas, both off Schoppee Point Road in the village of Roque Bluffs. The first parking lot is right by the road\u2019s intersection with Roque Bluffs Road and Johnson Cove Road, and the second parking lot is about 0.2 mile down Schoppee Point Road. Trailheads are located at each lot. The beach is across the road from the second lot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Shackford head state park<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
Eastport<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Featuring mossy forestland, pocket beaches and dramatic ocean cliffs, Shackford Head was named after one of Eastport\u2019s earliest settlers, Capt. John Shackford, a Revolutionary War soldier who moved to eastern Maine with his family in 1783. The captain owned the headland and used Broad Cove as his ship\u2019s anchorage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Conserved in the late 1980s, the park is located on a rocky, forested headland that juts out into Cobscook Bay. It can be explored on 2.5 miles of hiking trails that intersect and vary in difficulty from easy to moderately challenging. One of the trails leads to an overlook atop a rocky headland at 173 feet above sea level. The view includes Campobello Island in New Brunswick, the town of Lubec, and the Eastport cargo pier on Estes Head.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This is an especially great place for birding, with visitors reporting sightings of a variety of warblers, hermit thrushes, bald eagles, common terns and spotted sandpipers, among many other birds. Ornithologists have documented at least 28 different bird species nesting on the headland.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dogs are permitted but must be leashed. For more information, visit maine.gov\/shackfordhead. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Directions:<\/strong> After crossing the causeway onto what\u2019s known as Moose Island and the city of Eastport, you\u2019ll approach Eastport\u2019s downtown area, where the road bends to the left. At the bend, take a hard right onto Deep Cove Road. Drive 0.8 mile turn left at the park entrance. Follow the gravel drive to where it ends at a parking area and circular turnaround. Along the way, you\u2019ll pass by Cony Park, a town-owned park with a picnic shelter and access to Cony Beach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Reid State Park<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n
Georgetown<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Home to Maine\u2019s first state-owned saltwater beaches, this park was donated to the state by Georgetown resident and successful businessman Walter E. Reid in 1946. It became a park just a few years later. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The park\u2019s main beaches are East Beach, Mile Beach, and Half Mile Beach. All three are sandy, though East Beach is smaller, quieter, and has coarser sand. Both Mile Beach and Half Mile beach are important nesting areas for two endangered birds: least terns and piping plovers. During nesting season, sections of the beaches\u2019 sand dunes are fenced off and signed so people are aware to keep their distance from these two species, which are both small and relatively well camouflaged. Since both species roam and hunt outside their nesting areas, it\u2019s important to stay alert and give them space.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If looking to stretch your legs, head inland to explore 3.5 miles of trails that form two big loops through the forest. These two trails, the Ski Loop Trail and Little River Trail are popular among hikers and bicyclists. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Easy footpaths also span between parking lots and beaches and visit Griffith Head, a rocky headland that overlooks the park. From there, you can look out over the ocean to lighthouses on Seguin Island, The Cuckolds, and Hendricks Head. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dogs are allowed on the park trails but must be leashed, and they are not permitted on the beaches from April 1 to Sept. 30. For more information, visit maine.gov\/reid. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Directions: <\/strong>The park is located at the end of Seguinland Road, which is off Route 127 in Georgetown, and there are a few different parking lots.<\/p>\n\n\n\nLUBEC, Maine — 06\/02\/16 — West Quoddy Head Lighthouse, which has served as a beacon for ships off the rocky coast of Maine for more than 200 years, is one of the key features of Quoddy Head State Park.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
Quoddy Head State Park<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n
Lubec<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Located on the easternmost peninsula of the United States, this 541-acre park is home to an iconic red-and-white striped lighthouse and large trail network. With picnic areas, interpretive displays, a bog boardwalk, cobblestone beaches, and about 5 miles of trails, it\u2019s a place that you could spend the entire day exploring.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The park features five named trails. The Coastal Trail is 2 miles long and travels over dramatic cliffs to visit cobblestone beaches and interesting rock formations. Thompson Trail and Inland Trail travel through a mixed forest to intersect with the Bog Trail and boardwalk, which travels out into a coastal plateau bog with subarctic and arctic plants rarely seen south of Canada. And the Coast Guard Trail traces the rocky coast north of the lighthouse to reach an overlook of Lubec Channel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Interestingly, this park is often wreathed in fog that forms when warm, moist air from the mainland meets masses of cold air over the surrounding waters. This creates a special, spooky, romantic atmosphere associated with eastern Maine\u2019s mossy, spruce-fir forests. Due to this fog and the cool ocean air, it can be chilly there even at the height of summer, so bring an extra jacket.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dogs are permitted but must be leashed. For more information, visit maine.gov\/quoddyhead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Directions:<\/strong> The park is located at the end of South Lubec Road in Lubec. You\u2019ll reach a fork in the road and a brown sign for Quoddy Head State Park. If you veer left, you\u2019ll find a parking area atop a hill near the West Quoddy Head Lighthouse. If you veer right, you\u2019ll find another parking lot at a picnic area by the water.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The sound of waves crashing on the shore, mixed with the cry of gulls, serves as a siren song, drawing people 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