Swans Island: Lighthouse, Island History and Nature Trails
Accommodation in Swans Island
Swans Island combines maritime history with quiet forest trails, geological features, and a variety of beach destinations. The Swan’s Island Ferry runs between Bass Harbor and Swan’s Island; the crossing is 6 miles long and takes 40 minutes. This specific connection is a useful point of reference when planning your trip. Once on the island, you can decide whether you’d mainly like to learn more about fishing, explore trails through the landscape, or spend time at a beach.
Fishing History and Lighthouse
The Swan’s Island Lobster and Marine Museum is dedicated to the history of fishing on Swan’s Island. It has a unique collection of local artifacts, giving the island’s fishing history a tangible place in your visit. If you enjoy combining culture and scenery on a trip, you can add other island explorations to your museum visit.
The Burnt Coat Lighthouse offers a different perspective. Tours of its tower are available up to the lantern room. Visiting the buildings of Burnt Coat Harbor Light Station, exploring its trails, and spending time at the park beaches are free of charge. You can consider the lighthouse station, its trails, and the park beaches as distinct highlights of a visit.
Forest Trails and Traces of the Ice Age
At the Back Cove preserve, a one-mile-long trail leads through a peaceful woodland landscape. Noah’s Ballast offers a different setting. The 10-acre preserve lies at the southeastern tip of Swan’s Island and includes an extensive boulder field deposited during the last glaciation. The forest trail and the boulder landscape thus differ markedly in their described surroundings.
A 1.5-mile-long hiking trail also runs through Noah’s Ballast. It leads to scenic Goose Pond, offers ocean views, and reaches an old cobble beach at its highest point. This beach formed after the last glaciation. If you enjoy paying attention to landforms on your outings, this trail offers several specific features to look for: the boulder field, the view of the ocean, and the beach at the highest point.
Two Types of Beach at Hockamock Head
The trails around Hockamock Head offer scenic views and access to two beaches. Long Point Beach Trail is on the seaward side of Hockamock Head and includes a pebble beach. Burying Point Trail is on the harbor side and leads to a sandy beach. When planning your outing, you can therefore choose between two different types of beach rather than simply planning a beach visit in general.
When looking for a vacation rental or vacation home on Swans Island, the experiences that matter to you can help you choose a starting point.
More location pages: Surry, Castine, Southwest Harbor, East Holden, Mount Desert, Bar Harbor, Dedham, Brooklin.
Return to the main travel overview: Hancock.
