Do you want to experience the rugged beauty of the Maine coast without the crowds? Then head north to what is known as the “Bold Coast” of Maine!
The Bold Coast is the northern region of DownEast Maine, extending to the border of Canada.
The Bold Coast Scenic Byway starts in Milbridge and ends in Eastport, but I’m including the Schoodic Peninsula as well, just south of Milbridge, because that area is also beautiful.
Before I get into all of the great things to see and do on the bold coast, I feel like I should level set your expectations…
This area is quite rural, and while there are many beautiful sights to see on the bold coast, you won’t see much of the coast from the road, so the drive could feel long and boring if you don’t get off the main road. I just don’t want you to expect amazing scenery around every corner! You have to EXPLORE! 🙂
There aren’t a lot of places to stay or places to eat either, relative to other parts of DownEast Maine or especially Southern Maine.
While some of the coastal sights rival Acadia National Park, don’t expect anything like bustling Bar Harbor, and many people appreciate that!
OK, let’s proceed!
I created this map of places to see and things to do in the bold coast region when I was planning a long weekend for when my sister and nephew were visiting us from CT. (We live in the Bangor region)
As usual, I found way more than we could possibly do in one weekend, but over time I’ve experienced a lot of these hidden gems and I look forward to exploring the region more for years to come!
I hope you find this guide useful for planning your trip!
When To Visit The Bold Coast
Any time from Memorial Day weekend when things begin to warm up through mid-October when the region is usually in peak fall foliage.
In mid to late June, there will be the most wildflowers, particularly lupine, and it’s quite a sight to see.
Beware that in early June there are the most bugs, particularly biting black flies. Throughout the summer there are mosquitoes, like everywhere else in Maine, so bring bug spray.
In August, when Machias hosts its annual Blueberry Festival, the wild blueberries will be everywhere.
In September and October the blueberry bushes turn a beautiful red color. This is my favorite time of the year in Maine.
How To Get There
If you’re coming from out of state, the closest major airport is Bangor, which is about an hour from Winter Harbor on the southern end of the Bold Coast.
You can pick up a rental car at Bangor’s airport and begin your bold coast adventure.
You can easily combine Acadia National Park on Mount Desert Island with a trip up to the bold coast if you’re taking a longer trip.
If you want to combine your trip to the Bold Coast with a trip up Maine’s Mid-Coast, you could fly into Portland and have yourself an epic Maine road trip on Route 1, stopping at coastal towns like Freeport, Bath, Wiscasset, Boothbay, Rockland, Camden and Belfast, but wow that’s a lot of driving!
Places To Stay
Machias is a good base for exploring the region. It’s a small town, with not a ton of things to do, but its centrally located along Maine’s bold coast.
From Machias, it’s just over 30 minutes to Lubec, the most north-eastern end of the Bold Coast (and America for that matter!), and about an hour to Acadia National Park at Schoodic Peninsula (Winter Harbor) to the south.
There are a few hotels in Machias as well as Airbnb rentals, and there are a few very good restaurants in Machias.
If you prefer to on the coast, Winter Harbor, Jonesport, Cutler or Lubec are all nice options, although there aren’t many places to stay.
I’ve stayed at The Inn on the Wharf in Lubec and it was beautiful. Right on the water, nice view, big rooms, and affordable!
There are also many campgrounds throughout the bold coast region.
Places To See & Things To Do
Starting from the south and driving north to Lubec & Eastport …
Acadia National Park at Schoodic Peninsula
Acadia National Park’s Schoodic Peninsula is about an hour drive from the much more popular section of Acadia on Mount Desert Island (Bar Harbor).
Schoodic Peninsula has similar scenery as Mount Desert Island, as in huge granite boulders on the coast, with a few nice hikes and bike trails, and it is much less crowded.
My favorite spot here is the dramatic cliffs at Raven’s Nest, pictured above, which is somewhat of a secret because it’s not on the park map, due to the dangerous vertical cliffs. (Not safe for young children!)
After getting onto the one-way Schoodic Loop Road and passing Frazer Point, parking for Raven’s Nest is at the third unmarked pull-off on the left side of the road. Take the short trail across the street to the cliffs.
Next, you’ll absolutely want to stop at Schoodic Point at the tip of the peninsula. There’s a large parking lot here, and you can wander on the volcanic rocks and watch the crashing waves. The mountains on Mount Desert Island can be seen in the distance.
After Schoodic Point, back on the one way loop road, there are a few trail heads for nice easy to moderate hikes to Schoodic Head Overlook. You could take the Adler Trail, Anvil Trail, and/or East Trail. There are also several biking trails, as well as camping at Acadia’s Schoodic Woods Campground.
Corea – Lunch on the Wharf
Not far from Winter Harbor is the beautiful little town of Corea. Enjoy a fresh lobster roll at Lunch on the Wharf and soak up the sun at nearby Sand Cove Beach, a small but beautiful sandy beach.
Donnell Public Reserved Lands
This area isn’t on the coast, but it’s not far from our driving route and it’s a hidden gem!
On route 1, after Ellsworth, rather than continuing to the Schoodic Peninsula, you can take a left onto the Blackwoods Scenic Byway to Donnell Public Reserved Lands, where there are excellent hikes and camping.
One of my favorite hikes is Schoodic Mountain. It’s a moderate hike with awesome 360 views at the top, and the trail takes you past a gorgeous beach on Donnell Pond where you can camp overnight.
There are also several remote camp sites on Donnell Pond and Tunk Lake that you can only get to if you have a boat. All camp sites are first-come, first-serve.
Other great hiking trails include Tunk Mountain, Black Mountain and the Caribou Mountain Loop.
Pigeon Hill
Take a right off Route 1 onto Pigeon Hill Road for a couple nice hikes with coastal views.
Four miles down the road is the trail head for Pigeon Hill, an easy 1 mile loop hike, with excellent views from the summit of the islands in the bay, as well as the mountains at Donnell Pond and Mt Desert Island.
While the elevation is only 317 feet, Pigeon Hill is the highest coastal property in Washington County.
Petit Manan Wildlife Refuge
Just over a mile south of Pigeon Hill are the hiking trails at Petit Manan National Wildlife Refuge. At the kiosk is the Birch Point Trail, which leads to salt marshes along Petit Manan Point, and a farther down the road is the trail head for the more popular Hollingsworth Trail, which takes you through blueberry bushes to a rocky beach and small ponds.
Both trails at Petit Manan Wildlife Refuge take you to rich habitat for migrating seabirds.
McClellan Park
Just 10 minutes off Route 1 in Milbridge is McClellan Park, a small gorgeous campground with picnic tables on the rocks, right on the water.
The scenery here is spectacular, similar to Acadia’s Schoodic Peninsula. The 12 campsites are first-come first-served and are just $10 per night. If you’re just visiting, turn right at the sign for the picnic area and you’ll find a small parking lot with a short path to the rocks on the water.
Milbridge Whale Watching Tour
Robertson’s Sea Tours offers several trips leaving their dock in Milbridge. Highlights of their 2 hour scenic island cruise include lobster fishing, viewing seals, whales, eagles, and scenic islands.
They also offer a seabird cruise around Petit Manan Island, a whale watch cruise, a lighthouse tour, and a 6 hour tour that combines everything in one cruise.
Wild Blueberry Land
You can’t miss this unique place on Route 1 in Columbia Falls! This cute shop that’s shaped like a giant blueberry has delcicious blueberry pies, blueberry syrup, blueberry coffee, blueberry everything!
Great Wass Island
I love the hike around Great Wass Island in Jonesport!
The hike will take you through an interesting boggy forest on your way to the dramatic rocky shoreline where you’ll climb over large boulders and walk along ledges as you make your way around the point.
From the rocks at the point you’ll see plenty of seabirds and you’re likely to see seals swimming in the water or sun bathing on the small islands.
After navigating around the point, you’ll walk across a sandy beach, then climb over more rocks and walk along the ledges again before re-emerging into the forest for the hike back to the trail head.
The loop hike is 4.5 miles and took me 3 hours to complete. Make sure that you go at low tide, otherwise the part of the trail that traverses over the rocks will be underwater!
Sandy River Beach
Did you know that there’s a big sandy beach in Jonesport, Maine?!
We went to Sandy River Beach at sunset as the tide was quickly coming in. I can’t speak for the swimming, because I didn’t try (too cold!), but this is a gorgeous place nonetheless.
I noticed that some of the beach houses were for rent so this could be an amazing place to stay!
Roque Bluffs State Park
Across the bay from Jonesport is another sandy beach at Roque Bluffs State Park. In addition to this big sandy beach, there’s a pond, picnic areas, a children’s play area and hiking trails along the rocky shore.
Helen’s Restaurant
When you’re in Machias, you have to eat at Helen’s Restaurant, at least for dessert! It’s famous! Also in Machias, The Bluebird Ranch Family Restaurant is another good option for fresh seafood and homemade pies.
Sea Kayaking from Machias or Jonesport
If you want to get out on the water, Sunrise Canoe & Kayak offers rentals and guided tours, including a half day sea-kayaking trip in Machias Bay, sea-kayaking from Jonesport to Great Wass Island and several other islands, and a canoeing trip on the Machias River.
Jasper Beach
A very unique beach in Machiasport, consisting of tons of large smooth rocks. When the conditions are right, the waves will “sing” as they roll over the rocks.
Cutler Coast Trail
Cutler Coast Public Reserved Land, also known as “the bold coast trail”, is the bold coast’s main attraction. The views are stunning.
There are remote rocky beaches. You can even camp overnight there, though camp sites are hard to come by as this hike is becoming increasingly popular.
The entire bold coast trail loop is about 10 miles, but most just walk along the coastal route until they’ve hit epic view fatigue and turn back the way they came, as we did.
That iconic view pictured above from Pulpit Rock of the Bold Coast is just under a mile from the trail head, but I strongly suggest you keep going and see at least one of the beautiful rocky beaches!
I’ve read that the in-land trail is very rugged, with some bush whacking required. They’ve had to do a trail reroute on this section as well because of beavers and flooding, and that added even more distance to the loop hike.
Bring plenty of water. This is not an easy hike, but it’s one of the best in Maine.
MCHT Bold Coast Hiking Trails
Maine Coast Heritage Trust (MCHT) owns and operates many excellent trails on the bold coast’s dramatic shoreline, like the one pictured above, the beautiful trail on their Boot Head Preserve.
In addition to Boot Head Preserve, I loved the scenery at Western Head and Eastern Knubble on the other side of the Little River in Cutler, pictured below:
Thank you MCHT for preserving the few coastal properties left in Maine for all to enjoy! Visit the MCHT website for trail maps of each of their properities.
Cobscook Shores Parks
Cobscook Shores is a series of fifteen extraordinary new parklands nestled along the vibrant, eco-rich shores of Cobscook Bay near Lubec, Maine.
The Parklands offer free public access for walking, picnicking, hiking, biking, camping and paddling in Cobscook Bay.
In 2022, The New York Times named Cobscook Shores to its “52 places for a changed world” list. Cobscook Shores offers visitors “undeveloped beaches, coves and bluffs that can be reached by hiking trails and biking paths, as well as channels to be explored by paddlers,” wrote The New York Times.
To learn more and plan your trip, visit the Cobscook Shores website . Also, read this great article by The Maine Mag about a trip to the park.
Bold Coast Puffin Tour
This one is for the serious photographers. Bold Coast Charter Company offers trips from Cutler to Machias Seal Island in the summer, where you can photograph thousands of puffins and other seabirds nesting on the rocks.
Bold Coast Charter Company is the only company in the US that has permission to take people onto the island. The only other authorized tour company is in Canada. For that reason, Bold Coast Charters is usually completely booked for the summer in the first day of accepting summer reservations, which they usually do in January. Reservations are $180/person.
As photography enthusiasts, my wife and I loved this experience. The boat trip to the island takes about 45 minutes, then you’re escorted to the blinds, which are tiny structures with small windows that you can open and photograph through for about an hour or two.
With every other puffins tour in Maine, you can only photograph the puffins on the water, so if you’re serious about getting close-up puffins pictures, this is the tour for you.
Quoddy Head State Park
At the easternmost point in the United States is this unique looking lighthouse at Quoddy Head State Park.
When you’re done taking pictures, walk a short distance on the Coast Guard Trail trail for some epic bold coast views, like the one above.
Downtown Lubec
There are a few hotels, shops and restaurants in downtown Lubec. The Inn on the Wharf is a great place to stay, with some large 2-bedroom suites available. All rooms have great ocean views, and there’s a nice seafood restaurant attached to the hotel.
Frank’s Dockside Restaurant offers huge portions of great Italian cuisine. Lubec Brewing Company offers unfiltered beers and a lunch & dinner menu.
Also nearby is sandy Mowry Beach, which has a mile long hiking trail and is a great place to look for sea glass and rocks.
Downtown Eastport
Eastport has a cute downtown with a few good restaurants and small shops that depend on the little tourism that it gets every summer.
While only a few miles away from Lubec, it actually takes 45 minutes to drive to Eastport from Lubec, unless you take a water taxi.
Eastport has the deepest harbor in the nation, and in the past had a booming economy from fishing and sardine factories, but sadly those industries have declined and so has the population.
When visiting Eastport, you can’t miss the large 12 foot tall fisherman statue pictured above at the city wharf. This was made as a prop for the shooting of a miniseries, Murder In Small Town X in 2000.
Eastport Whale Watching Cruise
Eastport Windjammers offers a 3 hour cruise with opportunities to see whales, seals, eagles and porpoise. The cruise goes past Old Sow, the largest whirlpool in the Western Hemisphere, and West Quoddy Lighthouse in Lubec.
On the way back, the captain will haul lobster traps. They also offer a sunset cruise and deep sea fishing trip. A great way to experience the bold coast!
From Lubec, you can book a similar cruise with Downeast Charter Boat Tours.
Shackford Head State Park
Not far from Easport is Shackford Head State Park, where there are hiking trails and a nice overlook of Cobscook Bay.
Read more about Shackford Head State Park on Act Out With Aislinn | Bangor Daily News
Roosevelt Campobello Island
Last on the list is Campobello Island, which is actually in Canada, so you’ll need your passport, but it’s just over the bridge from Lubec. I love this place!
You’ll want to visit Head Harbour (East Quoddy) Lighthouse at the northern tip of the island. At high tide, you can view the lighthouse from a distance. At low tide, you can walk right up to it!
Herring Cove Provincial Park is a great place for a walk on the beach or even a brisk swim in the ocean. There is also a nice campground here.
Of course you won’t want to miss visiting the historic summer home of FDR. A beautiful spot on the water!
There are many more view points, scenic drives, and hiking/biking trails on the island. Both times we’ve visited we’ve seen and heard whales from the shore. There are also a few good restaurants on the island offering fresh seafood.
Don’t forget your passport because Campobello Island is a must-see when visiting the bold coast of Maine!
Maine Bold Coast Travel Resources
- Discover Bold Coast – Official tourism website for Maine’s Bold Coast
- Visit Lubec, Maine – Restaurants, shopping, places to stay and things to do in Lubec
- Visit Maine: DownEast & Acadia – Official tourism website
- MaineTourism.com: DownEast & Acadia – Official tourism website
- Beyond Acadia: Exploring the Bold Coast of Maine – Book by Rich Bard
- AMC Best Day Hikes on Maine Coast – Book by Carey Kish
- Maine Scenic Byways – Info about all of Maine’s scenic byways
- TripAdvisor: Bold Coast Maine – Visitor reviews & photos
- Roosevelent Campobello Island – Official tourism website
Hi Eric! Thank you for including our DiscoverBoldCoast.com website in your blog guide! We’re trying hard to provide comprehensive, co-located information as best as we can to help people navigate this region. Our website is about to be updated with new information about services, attractions, travel info, and cultural/heritage info. Occasionally we hire travel writers to help infuse our social media with personal stories and imagery. We’ll keep you in mind, and I’ll explore more of your existing work. Thanks for loving us so much!
PS we like to think that the journey to get here is part of the experience of this place, and we try to share lots of little things to see and do along the way to make the “long” journey here rather interesting, not boring in the least:-).
I just loved this! Thank you so much ! I’ve been born and raised in Maine and never have been to any of these places. Thank you for sharing this!
Hey Eric! Great piece of information you’ve put together!
Next time you’re in Lubec you might want to extend your lodging horizons. There are plenty of other fine places to stay in the village. We recommend Peacock House Bed and Breakfast on Summer Street. Lovely innkeepers, attractive guest rooms with plenty of space downstairs for guests to spread out. (You don’t need to feel like you’re relegated to just your guest room in this fantastic place!). Oh, and the breakfasts are to die for, and are included in the room rate.
Great Rundown of the Bold Coast! Thank you so much for sharing!
Thank you so much for this great information. Very informative!