The First Stop on the Schoodic Loop
Frazer Point is the first place most people stop on the Schoodic Loop Road, the six-mile, one-way drive around the Schoodic Peninsula. This is the quiet side of Acadia. Schoodic is the only part of the national park on the mainland, an hour’s drive around Frenchman Bay from the crowds of Mount Desert Island, and Frazer Point sets the tone: an easygoing picnic area on a wooded point with the water on three sides and Winter Harbor village across the cove.
The picnic area has fourteen tables and several grills and fire rings tucked under spruce and fir, plus drinking water and seasonal restrooms. From the point you look out over coves, small islands, and rocky beaches, with lobster boats working the harbor. Because the loop road becomes one-way just past here, Frazer Point is the last spot you can reach in either direction before committing to the full counterclockwise drive.
A public pier with a floating dock reaches off the point, which makes Frazer Point the easiest place on Schoodic to put in a kayak or small boat. Paddlers launch here to explore the protected waters of Winter Harbor and the nearby shore.
Tide Pools and the Rocky Shore
At low tide the shoreline at Frazer Point opens up. The water pulls back to expose a wide band of rock and gravel, and the pools left behind fill with crabs, snails, periwinkles, and small fish. It is a good, gentle spot to poke around with kids. Bring shoes you do not mind getting wet, because the rockweed is slick.
Check the tide chart before you come if tide pooling or launching a boat is the goal. The shore and the best pools are exposed for a couple of hours around low tide, and the dock is far easier to use when the water is up. A falling tide gives you the widest shoreline to explore.
Paddling from the Point
The dock and the sheltered water make Frazer Point a natural launch for sea kayaking. From here you can paddle the calmer reaches of Winter Harbor and along the western shore of the peninsula. The open Atlantic side of Schoodic is exposed and committing, so unless you are an experienced paddler with the right boat and skills, keep to the protected inner waters near the point.
The water around Schoodic is cold year-round and the open coast can have strong currents, swell, and sudden weather. Stay in the sheltered waters near Frazer Point unless you are an experienced sea kayaker, wear a life jacket, and check the marine forecast before you launch.
Getting There
From US Route 1 at Gouldsboro, follow Route 186 down the peninsula toward Winter Harbor, then follow signs into the Acadia Schoodic entrance past the Schoodic Woods Campground and gatehouse. Frazer Point is the first developed stop after the gatehouse, on the right, just before the road narrows to one-way. From Bangor the drive is about an hour and a half; from Portland, around four hours.
You need an Acadia National Park entrance pass to be in the Schoodic section, and that includes arriving by your own boat at the dock. Passes are sold at the Schoodic Woods gatehouse and online, and a single pass covers all of Acadia.
Lake paddling
When to Visit
Spring
The peninsula is quiet and green. Cool and sometimes foggy. The picnic area is open, though restrooms may not be yet.
Summer
Warmest weather, full facilities, and the best paddling and tide-pooling conditions. Still far less crowded than Mount Desert Island.
Fall
Crisp air, foliage on the peninsula, and very few people. Restrooms typically close by mid-October.
Winter
The picnic area stays open and the views are stark and beautiful, but facilities are shut and the loop road may be affected by snow.
Packing List
Frazer Point Stop
- Acadia entrance pass
- Picnic food and water
- Layers and a windbreaker for the point
- Water shoes for tide pooling
- Bug spray for the wooded picnic area
- Life jacket and gear if you are paddling
- A tide chart for the day
- Binoculars for harbor birds and lobster boats
FAQ
Do you need a pass to visit Frazer Point?
Yes. Frazer Point is inside Acadia National Park's Schoodic section, so an Acadia entrance pass is required, including if you arrive by your own boat. Passes are sold at the Schoodic Woods gatehouse and online, and one pass covers all of Acadia.
Can you launch a kayak at Frazer Point?
Yes. There is a public pier with a floating dock at the point, and it is the easiest kayak and small-boat launch on Schoodic. Stay in the sheltered waters near the point unless you are an experienced sea kayaker.
Is Frazer Point good for tide pooling?
Yes. At low tide the rocky shoreline is exposed and the pools fill with crabs, snails, and small fish. Wear shoes that can get wet, because the seaweed-covered rocks are slippery.
Where is Frazer Point on the Schoodic Loop Road?
It is the first developed stop after the gatehouse, reached before the loop road becomes one-way. From here the road runs counterclockwise around the peninsula past Schoodic Point.
Is Schoodic part of Acadia National Park?
Yes. The Schoodic Peninsula is the only part of Acadia on the mainland, about an hour's drive around Frenchman Bay from the main park on Mount Desert Island. It is far quieter than the island side.
For more of the quiet side of Acadia, continue the drive to Schoodic Point or hike Schoodic Head.
