Things to do nearBear Island

Bear Island sits at the northern edge of the Cranberry Isles archipelago, a cluster of small islands scattered across the mouth of Somes Sound in Penobscot Bay's outer reaches. The island's lighthouse dates to 1839, rebuilt in its current form in 1889, and for generations its keeper maintained the light through brutal nor'easters and dense Atlantic fog. That maritime heritage gives the island a tangible sense of history that no interpretive panel could manufacture.

Visitors who make the journey by water are treated to a shoreline of tumbled granite boulders, pocket beaches of coarse gravel, and dense stands of balsam fir that perfume the salt air. The views from the island's open edges take in the dramatic profile of Acadia National Park across the channel, with the ridge of Cadillac Mountain visible on clear days.

The waters surrounding Bear Island are popular with sea kayakers who paddle out from Mount Desert Island on day trips, threading between the islets and watching harbor seals haul out on exposed ledges at low tide. The crossing demands respect for open-water conditions, but experienced paddlers find the route deeply rewarding.

Bear Island offers no amenities, no crowds, and no distractions, just the rhythm of tides and the cry of gulls overhead. For anyone drawn to Maine's wild, unhurried coast, it is exactly the kind of place worth seeking out.