Since the 80s, the land that makes up Holbrook Island Sanctuary has been fully preserved for low impact use. The trails, beaches, and picnic areas that constitute the park provide a haven for both visitors and wildlife. This is exactly what previous owner, Anita Harris, intended, requesting that the island remain “a piece of unspoiled Maine that I used to know”.

History

It is thought that Holbrook Island was first occupied by Captain Jesse Holbrook from Massachusetts shortly after the Revolutionary War. The next owner used the island to hide his mistress and their daughter. Then, the daughter sold the island to Edward Harris for $500 in 1891. Harris cleared land for a summer home and his daughter, Anita, lived on the island until she died in 1985. Anita donated the island to the State of Maine with the stipulation that the island remain “a wildlife and natural area devoted wholly to the preservation of nature”. Her will prohibits picnic tables, vehicles, road construction, hunting, fishing, and trapping from happening on the island.

Getting There

The park is located west of Brooksville and south of Castine and Penobscot, off Route 176 in Harborside, Maine. Some of the sanctuary is on the mainland and the rest sits on Holbrook Island, which is accessible only via boat. Which means visitors must either paddle, take a boat, or hire a local charter to take them to Holbrook Island. Parking inside the park is also very limited, so carpool if possible.

Holbrook Island

115 acres of the park is located on Holbrook Island, which is only accessible by boat. The island isn’t large, but what it lacks in size, it makes up for in history. Visitors can spend a few hours or even the better part of a day exploring the beaches, dock, marsh, and scenic walking trails. 

The Mainland

On the mainland, there are 1,230 gorgeous acres to explore. This includes a pebbly beach, hiking trails, picnic areas, several *eerie* cemeteries, Goose Falls, a small pond, and plenty of wildlife. My absolute favorite part of the park was exploring the estate ruins and cemeteries on the Backshore Trail. We visited on Halloween weekend and it definitely gave off spooky vibes. Those looking for something more challenging, take a nice hike up Backwood Mountain and enjoy the views from the summit.

Our Experience

We started our visit at the beach in Smith Cove. It was an absolutely beautiful 60-degree Fall day and, as if that wasn’t nice enough, we also had the whole beach/picnic area to ourselves. After exploring the beach, we decided to explore the Backshore Trail because the map of the park on the bulletin board showed estate ruins near the trail. I  did find it odd that the ruins weren’t listed on any of the maps they provided online. If we hadn’t looked at the map on the bulletin board, we would have never explored the best part of the park! So do yourself a solid favor and explore the cemeteries and ruins on the Backshore Trail!

The next time you find yourself driving through DownEast Maine, plan a stop at Holbrook Island Sanctuary! Do yourself a favor and visit either during Fall or Halloween weekend to make your trip extra spooky! Or visit during the summer when you can paddle out to Holbrook island and have a scenic picnic with a group of friends! Regardless of when you visit, you can’t go wrong!

Happy Exploring, friends!