A Wooden Light on the Kennebec
Doubling Point Light is a small, photogenic lighthouse on Arrowsic Island, tucked into the wooded bank where the Kennebec River makes a sharp double bend on its way up to Bath. Unlike the granite and brick towers out on the open coast, this is a wood-frame light, octagonal and shingled, sitting low at the river’s edge and connected to the shore by a short footbridge. It has the feel of a place that has been quietly doing its job since the nineteenth century, which it has.
The light was built in 1898 as part of a coordinated set of navigational aids that Congress authorized in the mid-1890s to guide ships up the busy Kennebec to the Bath shipyards. Squirrel Point Light, just downriver, dates from the same effort. Doubling Point was automated in 1988 and remains an active aid to navigation owned by the Coast Guard. The grounds and keeper’s house are cared for by the Friends of the Doubling Point Light, a volunteer nonprofit that took on stewardship in 1998 under the Maine Lights Program.
Visiting and Viewing
This is one of the easier midcoast lights to walk up to. A one-lane private road leads in to a small designated visitor parking area, and from there a short three-span wooden footbridge carries you out over the water to the tower itself. The grounds are open to the public during daytime hours, generally 9 AM to 5 PM, though winter access is limited. The keeper’s house is a private residence, so the visit is about the tower, the footbridge, and the river view.
A few ground rules keep this small site working. Park only in the marked visitor area, not at the keeper’s house. Stay on the path and the footbridge. There are no restrooms. The access road has no turn-around space and cannot handle buses, RVs, or campers, so come in a regular vehicle and be ready to back out carefully if you meet another car.
Wildlife & bird watching
From the footbridge and the little point of land you get a clean view up and down the Kennebec, which is a working river with a steady parade of boats and, in season, the occasional naval vessel from Bath Iron Works heading to sea. Bring binoculars for the river traffic and for the bird life along the wooded banks.
Doubling Point and its neighbor Squirrel Point are often done as a pair on a half-day from Bath. Doubling Point is the easy one, a short bridge walk from the car. Squirrel Point is a two-thirds-mile trail through Bald Head Preserve. Do them in that order and you get the quick photogenic light first and the woods walk second.
Getting There
Doubling Point is on Arrowsic Island, just across the Kennebec from Bath. From Bath, take US Route 1 across the river and turn onto Route 127 south toward Arrowsic and Georgetown. Watch for the marked turnoff onto the lighthouse access road. From Portland the drive is under an hour; from Bangor, plan on a little over two hours.
The final approach is a narrow one-lane private road that ends at the small visitor lot. Drive it slowly, respect the residents, and remember there is no room to turn a large vehicle around.
When to Visit
Spring
Grounds reopen with the season. The river is high and lively with spring runoff. Mud on the access road early on, and bugs by late May.
Summer
Full daytime access, warm weather, and the most river traffic to watch. The easiest time to pair with Squirrel Point and a day in Bath.
Fall
Foliage along the Kennebec banks, cool clear air, and lighter crowds. The wooden tower photographs beautifully against fall color.
Winter
Access is limited in winter and the narrow road can be snowed in. Check conditions before driving out the peninsula.
Summer and fall are the prime windows, both for guaranteed daytime access and for pairing the light with the nearby Squirrel Point walk and the town of Bath.
Packing List
Doubling Point Light Visit
- Binoculars for river traffic and birds
- Camera
- A light rain shell for river-edge weather
- Comfortable shoes
- Water and a snack (no facilities on site)
- Patience for the narrow one-lane access road
FAQ
Can you visit Doubling Point Light?
Yes. The grounds are open to the public during daytime hours, generally 9 AM to 5 PM, and a short wooden footbridge leads out to the tower. The keeper's house is a private residence and not open.
When was Doubling Point Light built?
It was built in 1898 as part of a set of navigational lights guiding ships up the Kennebec to Bath. It was automated in 1988 and is still an active aid to navigation.
How do you get to Doubling Point Light?
From Bath, cross the Kennebec on US Route 1 and take Route 127 south onto Arrowsic Island, then follow the marked one-lane access road to the small visitor lot. It is a short footbridge walk from there.
Is there parking at Doubling Point Light?
There is a small designated visitor parking area. Do not park at the keeper's house, and note that the narrow access road cannot handle buses, RVs, or campers.
Can you climb the Doubling Point tower?
No. The visit is to the grounds and the footbridge. The tower is an active aid to navigation and is not open for climbing.
Pair this stop with Squirrel Point Light just downriver, or look out to sea toward the great tower of Seguin Island Lighthouse off the river mouth.
