This a beautiful rocky beach in Machiasport, ME, and is definitely off the beaten path down a road…read morethat boasts some beautiful views, but almost seems never ending. I visited in Jan 2026 and no one but myself was there. Solitude, quiet, and beauty. Ahhhh. Some say the water crashing against the rocks sounds like singing. It is a very soothing and welcoming sound which I do not think I would ever tire of. It was difficult in some spots to walk as the rocks can be a foot or more deep, but with my snow boots on it was manageable. I am not sure how it would be barefoot or with sandals, but I would certainly give it a go. No restrooms or other amenities. A wonderful Maine spot with amazing scenery and beauty.

If you're looking for a secluded, expansive rocky beach off the beaten path, Jasper Beach is your…read morenew best friend! You can expect two tiers of smooth, beach rock adorned with seaweed/kelp. Outside of the traditional basalt, granite, etc. that New England beaches tend to provide, Jasper also offers sea snail and crab shells, drift wood, and the occasional beach glass/pottery. After the overcrowded Sandy Beach (south of Bar Harbor in Acadia N.P.), Jasper was a welcome calm and solitude. I would have stayed for more than two hours, however, the only drawback--for anyone, frankly--is the lack of facilities. No fresh water or bathroom within :15 to :20. If you or your family can handle that, Jasper Beach is definitely worth a visit!

This is not exactly a park-- a bridge and a viewing platform go over the falls. You park your car…read moreright at the falls and can wander around. There are a few benches, etc. It's very pretty! It's fun to watch the birds flying and perching over the falls.

If you manage to venture all the way up to northern Maine make sure to stop in Machias to see this…read moresmall park and the magnificent falls here. Machias means "Bad Little Falls" in the native Passamaquoddy language. While these falls aren't the biggest, they are still plenty strong and mighty. The Passamaquoddy may have thought they were "bad" because even a small waterfall can make for a dangerous situation. The Machias river and these falls provide sights and sounds not to be missed. You can find the park not far from the center of town and right off of Route 1. Pull into the small parking area and you will hear the roar of the falls immediately. These falls were once instrumental in helping generate electricity for the area. The original granite marker for the Machias Electric Company still stands in the park area. These falls are beautiful and powerful. The water looks to be a copper color which I'm guessing results from the minerals in the surrounding rocks. There are generally no crowds to speak of here although it is a wonderful place in which to spend some time. Bring a picnic lunch and sit at one of the tables provided nearby and revel in the incredible sound of the rushing water.

My wife somehow found out about this place when we were planning our anniversary trip up to Bar…read moreHarbor. It's strikingly beautiful. Not quite rainforest, but lush--we were there in early November, and it was still so green (particularly with mosses and lichens). While that's a beautiful time of year there I wouldn't recommend hiking then unless you're wearing a lot of bright orange. City-rubes that we were, although we could see that it was hunting season while driving up there, we thought a private nature preserve would be off limits. Nope. What a terrifying walk back to the car!

This was such an unexpected find. It is completely off the beaten path, off of a very long dirt…read moreroad with no signs to direct you where to go. Finally at the end of the road there was the parking lot with the Great Wass Island Preserve sign. Took the Little Pond Trail to the shore and then hiked the Mud Hole Trail back to parking lot. Entire hike roughly 2 hrs, 15ish minutes. It is truly the most breathtaking shoreline I have ever come upon, completely isolated. What a delight and really fun hike. Although the hike to the shore was very well marked, the hike back to car was a bit more challenging. Thankfully we had a hiking map app to help us figure it out. This was by far the highlight of our coastal Maine exploration!

Gorgeous hike along fairy head trail. It was so charming and one of my favorite hikes. Level of…read moredifficulty was low compared to other mire extreme hikes but you still need to be able to have balance with light climbing and walking along planks through the mossy forest.

Be very careful walking your dogs on this trail. Our male dog caught his leg between the two split…read morelog platform and broke his leg.

Awesome campground, clean facilities (but put toilets throughout except for the central confortable…read morestation) and nice you can buy ice and firewood on site.

After reading so many wonderful reviews, i had to check this place out. The park staff was very…read morefriendly, even offering us a waterfront site upon arrival. However, nothing could prepare us for our encounter with the true hosts of the park. The mosquitoes . No amount of deet would keep them off. To make matters worse, the park showers were very old, a bit creepy and open to mosquitoes flying in. You basically have to shower and fight mosquitoes at the same time. Brush up on your Kung foo skills before arrival. There are many beautiful locations in and around this park. However, in my honest opinion the setting is similar to a plethora of other coastal locations in Maine (not as far north and less mosquito infested). If visiting in July be sure to come prepared with a good repellent and try to avoid using the park showers if possible.

They had added to a playground, a childrens kitchen, life sized Lincoln logs building things, and…read moregong and vibrphone type musical instruments. The fact that it is oceanside the walking path is popular. and of course a massive community garden grown organically. My biggest complaint is people over-picking. One couple nearly took every ear of corn, even though the sign says" 4-per family. 45-50 ears. When told politely about the 4-per-family they dumped it on the ground and took off. Or how about the lady and her daughter, picking 3 bags of vegitables, just to sell them at her road-side stand. Donation box is ignored. It has been suggested to put more signs up, so the garden can be maintained. I am a volunteer with about 20 others for both community gardens.

I love this place! The attention to detail at this park is incredible. There's a big, well kept…read moreplayground, a sweet little mud kitchen, life sized Lincoln logs for getting creative, musical instruments (I particularly love these, haha), not to mention a little walking path, and a massive community garden. The garden is amazing, and I love the idea of providing the community with organic produce. This has been the place of many a play date, and will continue to be! Make sure to stop by the Crows Nest Cafe for your coffee treat before coming to the park!!

We visited West Quoddy in September 2026 and it was just as breathtaking as it was when it was cold…read moreand snow covered in January. For this visit we were able to walk along some of the trails and ventured down the steps to the water and looked for rocks. Beautiful park with lots of hiking and picnicking available. Honor system payment. Ample parking.

Came here for the 2026 eclipse…read more Parking is free but there is a per head entry fee. Cash only. Honor system. Dogs must be on a 4' leash The coast guard trail goes to a scenic overlook - I recommend starting at the lighthouse and going counter clockwise. The first half this direction is a little hillier, and there are lots of spur trails out to scenic overlooks. Once you get to the overlooking ok, there is a nice bench to sit on, and steps up to an observation platform. Then you continue on a flat, wheelchair accessible trail to the parking lot.

What a hidden treasure! This sanctuary has miles of trails to hike and explore and is a sanctuary…read morefor injured birds. The on-site museum of taxidermy, birds' eggs collected and detailed from hundreds of years ago and field notes from the 1800s is amazing!

This place is the former estate of a female ornithologist. You can walk on a wood boardwalk…read morethrough the forest and there are additional dirt trails. Use bug spray though as there are a ton of biting insects here! When you park you will notice a number of cages. These cages are housing injured raptors. You can really get to see them up close although it is a little sad that they are stuck in cages. There is a visitor center though I was there too early in the morning so I cannot comment about it.

I'm no stranger to parks and beautiful natural places, but Acadia is like a dreamscape. There's…read morestunning ocean views from crumbling gorgeous cliff sides. There are lakes, streams, ponds, scenic lighthouses, boats, bikes, trails, gardens, crazy hikes with vertical iron rungs, rolling forest hikes, lighthouses, and more! The main issue you'll run into is crowds.. lots of people want to come here, especially in July and August. Best thing to do, go in as early as possible, do some things, take a break, go back again after 3. If you're early, you can get a parking spot then work from there. If you are flexible on time, take advantage of the shuttles, but be warned, they may be full, and they don't run every 10-15 minutes, so plan accordingly. I would be in the park by 7, have plans maybe on a tour in Bar Harbor late morning or early afternoon, then head back after 4, and I got to all the must-do's, ie hiked the Beehive, the Bubbles, Cadillac Mountain sunrise and sunset (reserve this early as spots sell out, I booked mine 3 months in advance the minute they released and they were sold out shortly later, especially sunrise tickets), Jordan Pond and popovers, Bass Harbor Lighthouse, as well as some boat tours in the area, including very successful whale and puffin watching. For more hints and tips, I watched some YouTube videos, there's great info out there, especially the videos from Ash, a former park ranger, who has loads of helpful tips to get around and not spend your trip sitting in traffic or waiting in a parking spot.

Did we go in a wrong entrance or something?!…read more I was underwhelmed for sure. We walked a few trails and took some photos but ??? Im very glad we hit Cadillac Mountain - that's where it's at!!!

Folks, I don't really know what to say other than 'you just gotta come here!'…read moreI love this place! I came through on a hum last year, stayed for 2 nights and 3 days. Told Shirley (the owner) I would be back "next year" to help out, and here I am, Aug. 8th, 2019, sad to leave after spending 4 weeks in the grand teepee, helping out around the camp. Off route 1, into the woods, to grandmama's RV we go! But it is so much more... tent sites, group sites, great trails, and great vibe from the surrounding community. But what you really want to know is; this is a great base for exploring coastal Maine & Downeast. Now understand 2 things... Downeast is on the coast, but when the term 'downeast' is used, it is very much a reference to the culture of the folk who grew up and live here and have also known it through the generations of their family. Once you get here, you're in the thick of what "coastal Maine" really is without the crowds of Bar Harbor, Acadia National Park, etc.. from Cottonwood you will find within 20 mins. Never crowded beaches with all the beauty of those other places... and you can also make a day trip of getting to Easport or Calaise and just breath in New Brunswick! Oh yeah, bring your passport... One of the other things I love about camping here, are the various small sites that are suitable for bicyclers and bikers who travel with minimal gear and need to stop for short stays. Even though its right off the road, once in, you're cast into the woods! Oh yeah, and I can't think of another camp with such a great bath house along this route... Cottonwood Camping is truly a great experience and my pick as a base for exploring Downeast, Coastal Maine, the far north on the east side of the U.S. Shirley Cotton makes it happen! She is the BOMB!!

I can honestly say this place was easy to find and very photogenic. Easy to recommend.read more