The Light at the Mouth of Camden Harbor
Curtis Island Light sits on a small wooded island at the entrance to Camden Harbor, where Penobscot Bay opens up beyond the breakwater of moored schooners and lobster boats. The little white tower has marked the harbor approach for generations, and it is one of the most photographed scenes in the midcoast. If you have stood on the Camden waterfront looking out toward the bay, the island with the lighthouse is the one closing off the far side of the harbor.
The light was first established in 1835 during Andrew Jackson’s presidency. The structure you see today, a 25-foot cylindrical brick tower, was built in 1896, and the keeper’s house dates to 1889. The Coast Guard automated the light in 1972 and the town of Camden took ownership of the station, which it runs as a municipal park with a hired caretaker living on the island in season. The light itself remains an active aid to navigation.
Visiting and Viewing
Here is the part that trips up visitors: the island is a town park, but it is only reachable by private boat, and the lighthouse tower and keeper’s house are not open to the public. There is no public ferry or dock service to land you there. So for almost everyone, Curtis Island Light is a place you view rather than a place you walk up to.
The easiest land view is from Bayview Street in downtown Camden, where the road runs along the harbor and you get a clear sightline out to the island. From the public landing and the waterfront park benches you can see the tower across the harbor water. For a more distant but dramatic perspective, drive or hike to the summit of Mount Battie in nearby Camden Hills State Park, where the whole harbor, the island, and the bay spread out below you.
Wildlife & bird watching
The best close-up views come from the water. Several windjammer day sails and harbor tour boats leave the Camden public landing through the warm months and pass right by the island, giving you the postcard angle of the tower against the spruce trees. If you have your own kayak or small boat, you can paddle out around the island, though you should respect the no-landing-for-tours reality and the working harbor traffic.
Bayview Street parking in downtown Camden is metered and fills fast on summer days. Come early, or park up the hill and walk down. For the photographer’s golden hour, late afternoon light hits the tower face from the harbor side, and the windjammers often raise sail as they head out past the island around then.
Getting There
Camden is on US Route 1 in the midcoast, about an hour and three quarters from Portland and around an hour and 15 minutes from Bangor. Once in town, the harbor and public landing are right off Route 1 in the village center. Bayview Street branches off the harbor and gives the standard shore view of the light.
For the water view, book a harbor tour or windjammer day sail at the public landing, or launch your own kayak from the landing area. For the overhead view, the Mount Battie auto road in Camden Hills State Park climbs to a summit overlook with the harbor and Curtis Island laid out below; there is a day-use fee for the park.
When to Visit
Spring
Shore views are open year-round, but most boat tours do not start running until late May. The harbor is quiet and uncrowded.
Summer
Boat tours and windjammer sails run daily. Warm weather and long evenings make the waterfront and Mount Battie overlook ideal.
Fall
Crisp air, foliage on the Camden Hills behind the harbor, and lighter crowds. Boat tours wind down through October.
Winter
The shore view from Bayview Street stays open, but boat tours stop and the waterfront is cold and bare.
Summer and early fall are the prime times if you want to get out on the water for the close view. The shore view from town is available in any season for anyone willing to brave the weather.
Packing List
Curtis Island Light Visit
- Binoculars for the cross-harbor view
- Camera with a zoom lens
- Layers and a windbreaker (the harbor is breezy)
- Coins or a card for metered downtown parking
- Comfortable shoes for the Mount Battie overlook
- Reservation for a harbor tour or windjammer sail if you want the water view
FAQ
Can you visit Curtis Island and the lighthouse?
The island is a town park but is reachable only by private boat, and the lighthouse tower and keeper's house are not open to the public. Most visitors view the light from shore or from a harbor boat tour.
Where is the best place to see Curtis Island Light from land?
From Bayview Street and the public landing in downtown Camden, which look directly across the harbor to the island. For a distant overhead view, the summit of Mount Battie in Camden Hills State Park takes in the whole scene.
Who owns Curtis Island Light?
The town of Camden owns the island and station and operates it as a municipal park with a seasonal caretaker. The light is still an active aid to navigation.
When was Curtis Island Light built?
The station was first established in 1835. The present 25-foot brick tower was built in 1896 and the keeper's house in 1889. It was automated in 1972.
Can you take a boat tour past the lighthouse?
Yes. Harbor tour boats and windjammer day sails leave the Camden public landing through the warm season and pass close to the island, giving the best views of the tower.
For more midcoast lights, see the Rockland Breakwater Lighthouse or Owls Head Lighthouse a short drive south.
