An Island Light on the Bold Coast
Little River Light sits on a small island at the mouth of Cutler Harbor, far Downeast in Washington County, where the rugged Bold Coast meets the open Gulf of Maine. This is one of the most remote and atmospheric lighthouses in the state, on a quiet working-harbor village near the eastern end of the Maine coast. The light marks the harbor entrance for the lobster boats that still work out of Cutler, and getting to it is part of the experience, since you reach the island by boat and then walk a wooded plank path to the tower.
The first lighthouse here was built in 1847, and the present tower was rebuilt in 1876. After the Coast Guard replaced the light with a skeleton tower in 1975, the station fell into disrepair, until the American Lighthouse Foundation took over restoration around 2000 with the Coast Guard’s help and brought the station back to life. The keeper Neil Corbet, who tended the light with his family for 17 years in the early 1900s and was known locally as a fiddler, is one of the human threads in its long history.
Visiting and Overnight Stays
You cannot simply drive up to Little River Light, and the island is otherwise closed to the public, but the American Lighthouse Foundation runs scheduled summer open houses and a summer overnight keeper program that let you actually stay out there. For an open house, you reach the island by boat from the Cutler town boat ramp on Wharf Road, then follow a quarter-mile plank walkway, tree-lined and with some elevation, to the lighthouse overlooking the Gulf of Maine. There is no admission fee for open houses, though donations are welcomed and keep the place going.
The overnight stays are the standout. You book the keeper’s house for a night or more in summer and have this remote island light largely to yourself, which is a rare thing on the Maine coast. Both the open houses and the overnight program depend on the weather, and tours can be cancelled for high winds, dense fog, heavy rain, or rough seas.
Wildlife & bird watching
If you cannot get out to the island, you can still glimpse the light from around Cutler Harbor, and the Bold Coast charter boats that run out of Cutler toward Machias Seal Island pass it on their way to sea.
Getting to the island means climbing in and out of a small boat and walking a quarter-mile of uneven plank path with elevation changes. Children need their own life jackets, and you should be steady enough to board a boat safely. Trips are cancelled in high winds, fog, heavy rain, or rough seas, so always confirm before driving the long way Downeast.
Cutler is a long way from anywhere, so build the lighthouse into a Bold Coast trip rather than a single errand. The Cutler Coast Public Reserved Land trails, the cliffs near Quoddy Head, and the village of Lubec are all out this way. Book open-house or overnight dates well ahead through the American Lighthouse Foundation, and have a backup plan for weather cancellations.
Getting There
Cutler is on Route 191, the Bold Coast road, off Route 1 between Machias and Lubec in far eastern Maine. From Bangor the drive is well over two hours; from Portland, plan on four and a half hours or more. It is one of the most remote stretches of the Maine coast, so fuel up and stock up before you head out the peninsula.
The launch point for island trips is the Cutler town boat ramp on Wharf Road in the village. Parking near the harbor is limited. Cell service Downeast is spotty, so download directions and the lighthouse program details before you go.
When to Visit
Spring
The island programs have not started, but the harbor view is open and the Bold Coast is quiet. Cold, raw weather is common this far east.
Summer
Open houses and the overnight keeper program run in summer, weather permitting. Warm days and the only reliable window to actually reach the island.
Fall
Programs wind down and seas grow rougher, but the harbor and Bold Coast are beautiful and uncrowded in clear early-fall weather.
Winter
No island access and harsh Downeast conditions. A view-from-shore-only season for the truly hardy.
Summer is effectively the only season for getting out to the island, and even then trips ride on the weather. Plan ahead and stay flexible.
Packing List
Little River Light Visit
- Confirmed open-house or overnight booking through the American Lighthouse Foundation
- A personal life jacket, including one sized for each child
- Sturdy shoes for the plank walkway
- Layers and a waterproof shell (Downeast weather turns fast)
- Binoculars for the harbor and the Gulf of Maine
- Food, water, and a full tank for the remote drive
FAQ
Can you visit Little River Light?
Yes, during scheduled summer open houses and overnight keeper stays run by the American Lighthouse Foundation. You reach the island by boat from the Cutler town ramp and walk a quarter-mile plank path. Otherwise the island is closed to the public.
Can you stay overnight at Little River Light?
Yes. The American Lighthouse Foundation offers a summer overnight keeper program where you book the keeper's house and stay on the remote island. Dates depend on the weather and book up, so reserve well ahead.
How do you get to Little River Light?
By boat from the Cutler town boat ramp on Wharf Road, then a quarter-mile plank walkway to the lighthouse. There is no road or bridge to the island. Trips are cancelled in high winds, fog, heavy rain, or rough seas.
When was Little River Light built?
The first lighthouse was built in 1847 and the present tower was rebuilt in 1876. The American Lighthouse Foundation took over restoration around 2000 and reopened the station for visits.
Is there a fee to visit Little River Light?
There is no admission fee for the open houses, though donations are welcomed. The overnight keeper stays are booked and priced separately through the American Lighthouse Foundation.
Make a Bold Coast trip of it with the cliff trails at Cutler Coast nearby, or the easternmost light at West Quoddy Head Lighthouse in Lubec.
