Hermit Island

Maine’s Best-Kept Coastal Campground

Hermit Island is a 255-acre peninsula at the tip of Small Point in Phippsburg, surrounded by Casco Bay on three sides. The campground has 271 sites spread across rocky headlands, wooded bluffs, and grassy clearings near six sandy beaches. No RVs. No hard-topped campers. Tents and pop-up trailers under 25 feet only. That restriction alone sets Hermit Island apart from every other campground in Maine.

The place feels more like a private island than a campground. You drive over a narrow causeway to reach it, and once you are in, the outside world fades. There is no WiFi. Cell service is nonexistent. Loud music is banned. The whole setup is designed to make you put your phone down and stare at the ocean instead.

The Four Site Tiers

Hermit Island divides its 271 sites into four pricing tiers based on location and views. Picking the right tier matters more here than at most campgrounds because the difference between an ocean bluff and an interior clearing is dramatic.

Ocean Prime ($75-79/night) sits right on the water with direct ocean views. These are the sites people wait all winter to reserve. You fall asleep listening to waves hitting the rocks below. They book first and fastest.

Prime ($67-71/night) sites are a short walk from the water with partial views or easy beach access. Still excellent, and a bit easier to get than Ocean Prime.

Choice ($54-58/night) is set back in the wooded interior. You lose the ocean views but gain shade and more privacy between sites. Good for families who want the beach during the day but a cooler, shaded site at night.

Value ($50-54/night) sites are the most basic. Farther from the water, less scenic, but still on a 255-acre ocean peninsula. Even the cheapest site at Hermit Island beats a mid-tier site at most Maine campgrounds.

Reservations: The Hardest Part

This is where Hermit Island is different from anywhere else you have camped. There is no online booking. None. You reserve by phone or by mail.

For stays of seven nights or more, mail-in reservations open in January. You send a letter with your preferred dates and site tier, along with a $125 deposit (check or money order). Phone reservations for shorter stays open after the mail requests are processed, typically in February or March.

The campground fills fast. Returning families book the same week year after year, so prime summer weeks are spoken for quickly. If you want a specific week in July or August, get your letter in the mail the first week of January.

The $125 deposit is required for all reservations. Balance is due on arrival. They accept personal checks and cash. Credit cards are not accepted everywhere on the island, so bring cash or a checkbook.

Beaches and Water Access

Six sandy beaches wrap around the peninsula, each with a different character.

The main beach near the Kelp Shed is the most popular and the easiest to reach from most sites. It faces south into the bay with calm, gradual water that is good for families with young kids.

The outer beaches on the eastern and northern sides of the island are rockier and more exposed. Stronger surf, tidal pools in the ledges, and fewer people. These are the ones worth exploring on foot.

The campground has a marina dock, boat launches, and canoe/rowboat/kayak rentals. You can paddle around the island, fish for mackerel off the rocks, or take a boat out into the bay. Striped bass fishing is solid in the channels between the island and the mainland.

The Kelp Shed and Camp Store

The Kelp Shed is the central hub of Hermit Island. It has a snack bar, small general store, and gathering area. You can get Gifford’s ice cream (Maine’s best), basic groceries, firewood, and camping supplies.

The real draw is the fresh seafood. The store sells lobster, clams, and corn for campfire cookouts. Lobster bakes on the beach are a Hermit Island tradition. Buy your lobster at the store in the morning, pick up some corn and butter, and cook it all over a fire pit that evening.

For full grocery runs, the town of Bath is about 20 minutes north on Route 209. Bath has supermarkets, hardware stores, and restaurants. Stock up before you arrive because the camp store is convenient but limited.

Nearby Attractions

Hermit Island is at the very end of the Phippsburg peninsula, so everything requires driving back up Route 209. That said, several spots are worth the trip.

Popham Beach State Park is about 10 minutes north. One of the best sand beaches in Maine with a long, wide stretch of sand, tidal flats that go out hundreds of yards at low tide, and views of Fox Island. Parking fills early on summer weekends.

Fort Popham sits at the mouth of the Kennebec River right near Popham Beach. A semicircular granite fort built during the Civil War that you can walk through for free. The views of the river meeting the ocean are excellent.

Bath is a 20-minute drive and has the Maine Maritime Museum, good restaurants, and the kind of small downtown that feels like Maine is supposed to feel. If you need a rainy-day activity, the maritime museum is genuinely interesting.

When to Go

July and August are peak season. The water is warmest, all facilities are running, and the beaches are at their best. The tradeoff is crowds and higher prices. Early June and September offer the same peninsula with dramatically fewer people and lower rates.

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