Matt Steindl is freelance photographer based out of Pennsylvania. Follow Matt on Instagram and visit his website for more.
Monhegan Island sits roughly 10 miles off the coast of Maine and is home to just under 70 full-time residents, a number that hasn't grown in years. With no roads or bridges connecting the Island to the mainland, the only access is by boat. The car-free island is only one square mile in size with no established roads, but there's a small community with some places to eat and stay, and it's packed with 12 miles of rocky coastal hiking trails.
The island's impressive trails meander throughout the island and encompass the beauty of the landscape, which has long drawn artists and nature lovers from around the world. Artists like Edward Hopper, Rockwell Kent, and Andrew Wyeth have all stepped foot on the island and been inspired by its scenery—and are alone worth a visit.
Read on for further look into our recent late summer trip to Monhegan Island, or scroll on further down to dive into our well earned guide for visiting Monhegan Island—including how to get there, where to stay, and what to do—to make sure you make the most of your own trip.
Monhegan Island Trip Report
This was only my second visit to Maine, the first being to the mountainous western part of the state. This time around, we opted for a more traditional coastal getaway to ease the soul. Our journey started on the mainland in a small town located in the Mid-Coast Maine region called Edgecomb, where we rented a cabin that sits along the Sheepscot River. The cabin offered easy access to any of the three ferries that go to Monhegan Island.On the second morning of the trip, with our provisions packed and film cameras loaded, we set out for the day, starting with the hour-long ferry to the island.
Calm waters allowed for a smooth ride, and after about 50 minutes had gone by, I spotted the jagged pine-covered coastline of Monhegan in the distance. As we arrived on the island, some were greeted by residents, likely family members of island dwellers visiting for a relaxing getaway. Unlike them, our voyage to the island was not a retreat to unwind and relax—we were on a mission to log as many trail miles as possible on our short five-hour stint.
Our first stop off the ferry was a tattered wood-clad general store perched along the harbor called The Barnacle. The inside seemed unchanged but well-cared for. Going inside felt like stepping into an old bar, a row of stools lines the interior and faces out over the Gulf of Maine. A pair of binoculars sat on the table for gazing out at the sea while sipping coffee. Unfortunately, our time on the island was short, so we ordered a couple of scones and sandwiches, packed them away in our bags, and made our way up the dirt road to the trailhead to begin our coastal trek around the island.
Our hike started at Lobster Cove trailhead on the island's west end. The trail begins as a moderate hike before turning into a scramble over the rocky shore. We continued past an old shipwreck and began a climb up towards an area known as Christmas Cove. At this point, we started to lose sight of any fellow day trippers as the hike along this section, simply labeled "Cliff #1" on the trail map, is known to be a bit ill-marked, steep, and dangerous in some spots (just what we were looking for). After an intense climb and some bushwhacking through spruce trees, we arrived at our route's halfway point, an area known as Norton’s Ledge.
After a brief pause to catch our breath, we continued onward to Gull Rock. About midway between Gull Rock and our end point, we spotted a few hikers up ahead of us pointing at something. As we passed, they informed us there were seals surfacing on the rocky shoreline just below us. A few yards farther out at sea, we saw a fin appear, likely a great white shark looking for an afternoon snack, and a reminder of the harsh, unpredictable environment of the ocean surrounding us. After the seals disappeared, we continued onward along Cliff #1 trail. After another mile or so, our hike concluded at the rocky outcrop known as Burnthead. We sat on the lichen-stained rocks and watched the waves crash below us before heading back into town.
