Can You Go to Cedar Beach?
Only if you qualify. Cedar Beach is open to Harpswell residents, nonresident Harpswell taxpayers, and their guests, and guests include people renting a house, staying at a bed and breakfast, or staying at a motel in town. Everyone else should pick a public beach instead; Mackerel Cove, a few minutes away on Bailey Island, has free public parking.
If you do qualify, the rules are short:
- Walk in. Cedar Beach Road is private and open to foot traffic only, and you must stay on the road.
- Come between half an hour before dawn and half an hour after sunset.
- Leave the dog at home. Pets are not allowed on the road or the beach.
- No fires, fireworks, camping, or large groups, and carry out all of your trash.
- Stay within the part of the beach the town’s easement covers, as posted, and do not leave boats, gear, or anything else on the beach.
Cedar Beach is not an open public beach. Use of the private road and the beach is limited to Harpswell residents, nonresident taxpayers, and their guests or renters. The town funds seasonal monitors who check the road and beach in summer and can ask people who are not eligible to leave.
Why Access Is Limited
Cedar Beach Road, the lane that leads to the beach, is privately owned, and whether the public could use it was argued in court for years. In 2014 a Superior Court justice ruled that the public had a prescriptive easement over the road, but in July 2016 the Maine Supreme Judicial Court vacated that judgment (Cedar Beach/Cedar Island Supporters v. Gables Real Estate, 2016 ME 114), finding that no public easement had been established.
Access today rests on two agreements. A 2014 easement from the landowners gives the Town of Harpswell rights over the footpath to the beach and a set portion of the sand. A license that Harpswell voters approved at the March 2017 town meeting allows foot access over the private road from the end of Robinhood Road. Those agreements are why eligibility is limited to residents, taxpayers, and their guests, and why the town keeps the beach low-key. Voters funded the beach monitors and signs again at the March 2026 town meeting.
The Beach
Cedar Beach is a small, sheltered stretch of sand on the east side of Bailey Island, less than half a mile past the Cribstone Bridge, facing a small island known locally as Cedar Island. It is one of the few sandy spots on this part of the Harpswell shore, which is otherwise mostly granite ledge and spruce. The water in the shallows warms on a sunny afternoon but stays cold by any standard outside Maine, so most swimming happens on warm July and August days.
At lower tides you can walk out toward the island. Keep an eye on the incoming tide, which cuts off the way back, and stay within the easement area rather than exploring the neighboring private shore.
There is no lifeguard, restroom, or trash service. Harpswell has no lifeguards at any of its public beaches, so swim with a partner and supervise children closely. In 2025 and 2026 the town has flown shark-advisory flags and posted signs at its town-run beaches, Cedar Beach among them, during the summer season; read the posted notices before you swim.
The beach is roomiest around low tide, when more sand is exposed and the walk toward the island opens up. Near high tide the sand narrows. Check a Casco Bay tide chart before you go.
Rocky beaches & streams
Parking & Getting There
There is no lot, and parking on Cedar Beach Road is not allowed. The only designated parking is along Robinhood Road, and only on its south side, in the signed stretches. The north side of Robinhood Road is no parking for its whole length. Tickets under the town’s Robinhood Road parking ordinance are $50, and cars can be towed. Park only in the signed spaces, leave driveways clear, and walk the rest of the way down Cedar Beach Road and the footpath to the sand.
From Brunswick, take Route 24 south through Cooks Corner, across Great Island and Orr’s Island, and over the Cribstone Bridge onto Bailey Island, then turn onto Robinhood Road shortly after the bridge. The drive from Brunswick takes about 30 minutes, and from Portland it is about an hour via I-295 and Route 24.
If you are renting on Bailey Island or Orr’s Island, you count as a guest. Keep your rental details handy in case a monitor asks, and ask your host where to park if the signed spaces on Robinhood Road are full. If you are not staying in Harpswell, Mackerel Cove or the tide pools and ledges near Giant’s Stairs make an easy Bailey Island outing without the access question.
When to Visit
Spring
Quiet and cool. Water is too cold for swimming. A pleasant walk if you have access, during daylight hours.
Summer
Warmest water and best swimming. Monitors check the road and beach, so know the eligibility rules and park only in signed spaces.
Fall
September water can still be swimmable on warm days, and it is quiet after Labor Day.
Winter
A bracing, empty walk for those with access. No swimming.
Packing List
Cedar Beach Day
- Beach towel
- Sunscreen and hat
- Water shoes for the rocky edges
- Swimsuit
- Water and snacks (no concessions)
- A trash bag (carry in, carry out)
- Your rental or host details, to show you qualify as a guest
FAQ
Is Cedar Beach in Harpswell open to the public?
No. Use of the private road and the beach is limited to Harpswell residents, nonresident taxpayers, and their guests, and guests include renters, bed and breakfast guests, and motel guests. Visitors who are not staying in Harpswell or hosted by a qualifying resident should use a public beach such as Mackerel Cove.
Where do you park for Cedar Beach?
Only in the signed spaces on the south side of Robinhood Road. The north side is no parking for its whole length, and parking on private Cedar Beach Road is not allowed. Violations carry a $50 fine and towing. From the signed spaces, walk down Cedar Beach Road and the footpath to the beach.
What are the hours at Cedar Beach?
Access runs from half an hour before dawn to half an hour after sunset.
Are dogs allowed at Cedar Beach?
No. Pets are not allowed on Cedar Beach Road or the beach, along with vehicles on the road, fires, fireworks, camping, and large groups.
Why can't everyone use Cedar Beach?
The road to the beach is private. The Maine Supreme Judicial Court ruled in 2016 that no public easement over it had been established, so access now depends on a 2014 easement to the town and a road license Harpswell voters approved in 2017, both limited to residents, taxpayers, and their guests.
Is there a lifeguard at Cedar Beach?
No. Harpswell has no lifeguards at any of its public beaches, and there are no restrooms or trash service at Cedar Beach.
Access terms on this page were checked on September 30, 2026 against the Maine Supreme Judicial Court’s 2016 decision, the Town of Harpswell’s Robinhood Road parking ordinance, its 2017 and 2026 town meeting warrants and results, the 2026 Harpswell Guide, and reporting on the 2014 easement and 2017 road license. Rules can change; posted signs at the beach take precedence.
