Sears Island, Searsport

If you have the time, you should walk all the way out to the end of this two-mile-long island on the dirt cell tower road. It is peaceful sitting on a sea-worn log, listening to the water lap the stony shore. I saw other people walking along the beaches, presumably heading out to walk along the five-mile island perimeter. The beaches are mostly rocky and pebbly, and sometimes they disappear in high tide, but this is also a nice way to explore the island. Close to the parking area and trailhead gate, there are benches, picnic tables, and two sets of stairs down to the beaches.

Several blazed footpaths and two old roads cross the island. While I found the footpaths delightful, through woods, past old homestead ruins, and to beautiful spots along the coast, the roads — which are straight and long — are not that fun to walk along. If you can, you might want to bicycle or ski down them. Jetty Road is mostly paved while Cell Tower Road is gravel.

I think the highlight of the island is the very quiet beach at the end of the Southern Shore Trail, roughly 2.2 miles from the parking lot. Another nice spot nearby is the cliffside view at the end of the Scenic Lookout Trail, which is accessible via a short spur off just a bit farther along Cell Tower Road.

The conserved island is cared for by Friends of Sears Island. Their map includes good descriptions of all the trails, as well as an interesting history.

Directions: After passing through downtown Searsport (if you’re coming from the south, continue on Route 1 for two miles until you turn right onto Sears Island Road. Drive all the way to the end, where you can park by the gate.