John Sterling

Harbor House

Monhegan Island,

Maine, USA

Information

 

What to do on the Island

Dramatic cliffs and cathedral-like woods, miles of trails, with charming village, artists studios and galleries, gift shops and restaurants. No cars on the island and only accessible by ferry.

If you plan to hike around the Island...

Get a trail map at an Island shop before setting out. Most of the Island is wildland, with woods and undergrowth so thick you can't cut across from one trail to another without becoming lost. The hiking map published by the Monhegan Associates, showing trails, their names, their numbers, and their difficulty, is reliable, cheap, and easily available.

There are few guide posts. Most trails are marked by small numbers on trees and sometimes rocks at the beginnings and intersections of trails.

Trail directions over rock ledges are indicated by cairns - piles of stones along the trail which mark the way. For the safety of those who follow you, do not disturb the cairns or build new ones.

Thanks to : http://www.briegull.com/Monhegan/mibooklet.html#Heading1

What to Bring

Attire everywhere on the Island is casual. Bring a warm sweater, a wind-breaker (you may need it on the boat), and possibly foul weather gear. Wear sturdy shoes fit for walking on rocky surfaces - no island roads are paved - over ledges, through wooded areas and into mud.

Health and safety: There is no resident physician and facilities for medical care are extremely limited. A professional Emergency Medical Dispatcher from the state-licensed Monhegan Emergency Rescue Service (call 911) is standing by in the event of an emergency. If you are on medication make sure you have enough on hand for your stay as there is no Island pharmacy.

As elsewhere in New England forests, there are mosquitoes and poison ivy along trails. Ticks have been found carrying Lyme disease and an occasional hiker has been infected. Avoid such nuisances by wearing long pants with your socks pulled up over their bottoms, and use insect repellents.

Reservations: To avoid disappointment, make advance reservations for boat passage, inns, and rooms. Space is limited. Shop and inn openings as well as boat schedules vary from year to year and from season to season. Check with proprietors, especially when planning a trip to the Island before mid-June or after mid-September. (No street lights here; remember a flashlight if you’re overnighting!)

Money: There is no bank on the Island, although there’s an ATM at the Barnacle Cafe on the dock. Personal checks are accepted at the discretion of proprietors. Travelers checks are honored, and some places accept credit cards. Public telephones are coinless and require phone credit cards even for local calls.

A few guest boat moorings are available for short term and overnight mooring. The Harbormaster can help you find one or suggest suitable anchorages. Private boats should not be tied up at the dock when mainland boats arrive and depart, nor be left unattended there. Lines must be long enough to accommodate changes in the tide which may be as much as 11 feet.

Parking is available at all mainland ports. No visitors' cars are allowed on the Island. All three excursion boats allow about four hours on the Island for a one-day visitor.

Label baggage with your name, address, Island destination, and the boat on which you are travelling, to prevent luggage from getting on the wrong boat or being taken back to the mainland prematurely. Trucks to deliver your luggage are on the dock at boat time.

Toilet facilities are limited for the casual visitor. Two public pay toilets are behind the Monhegan House, but you are strongly advised to make use of the facilities of your boat. Litter in the woods is unsightly and unsanitary; if there's an emergency, pack out used tissues.

Food: Sit-down meals are available at the Island Inn and the Monhegan House. North End Market has takeout pizza and other foods, and picnic supplies are also available at the Carina. If you bring along your lunch, "brown-bag" it and carry the remains back to the mainland for disposal; a large hamper will hamper you!

A few cautions:

Bicycles, especially including trail bikes, are not permitted on the trails of the Island.

Camping is forbidden by town ordinance and state regulation, both of which are enforced.

Dogs must be leashed and controlled at all times to protect themselves, other dogs, and people. Leave yours at home if possible. Expect to pay boat fare for your dog and to dispose of its waste as in a city.

On the roads, trucks have the right-of-way. Please step out of the road to let them pass, and see that your children and pets do the same.

Monhegan is a village, not a theme park. Walking on private property is trespassing and no more acceptable on Monhegan than in your own hometown. Please stay on the paths and do not picnic on private lawns..

Thanks to : http://www.briegull.com/Monhegan/mibooklet.html

Directions

From the South:

Rte 95 North to exit 22 onto Coastal Rte 1

From the North:

Coastal Rte 1

See directions from Coastal Rte 1 below.

FERRIES

Passengers only

Parking Available

Details must be verified with the Companies


Boothbay Harbor - The Balmy Days III

1 (207) 633-2284

1 (800) 298-2284

Coastal Rte 1 to Rte 27 South

Departs Boothbay 9:30 am

Departs Monhegan 2:45 pm

85 minutes journey time

New Harbor - The Hardy Boat

1 (207) 677-2026

1 (800) 2-PUFFIN

Coastal Rte 1 to Business Rte 1 (Damariscotta) to Rte 130

Departs New Harbor 9:00 am and 2:00 pm*

Departs Monhegan 10:15 am* and 3:15 pm

*May 28-31, June 25 - Sept. 26, then Fri.-Sun. until and including Columbus Day

60 minute journey time

Port Clyde - Laura B. & Elizabeth Anne

1 (207) 372-8848

Coastal Rte 1 to Rte 131 South

Departs Port Clyde 7:00 am*

Departs Monhegan 9:00 am*

Departs Port Clyde 10:30 am

Departs Monhegan 12:30 pm

Departs Port Clyde 3 pm

Departs Monhegan 4:30 pm

* Except Sundays in May/June, September/October

60 minutes journey time

Directions From : http://www.islandinnmonhegan.com/