Shackford Head State Park
Name: Shackford Head State Park
Location: Eastport, Maine
Activities: Hiking trails, rocky beach, scenic overlooks.
Dog-friendly: Yes, on-leash.
Hours: 9:00a.m.-sunset daily
Season: May 15th-October 15th
Camping: No
Fees: Yes, self-service collection station
Located near the easternmost point of the U.S., Shackford Head is not your traditional Maine State Park. At first glance, the park appears deserted and quiet—when, in reality, the hiking trails and dramatic oceanfront cliffs are bustling with life. I dare you to venture off the beaten path and experience this quaint local gem for yourself!
Disclaimer: When we visited in the Summer of 2022, there was a severe Red Ant overpopulation. It was so bad that we couldn’t walk our dog on the trails. Just beware of this before you visit and wear closed-toed shoes just in case.
Getting there
Take Route 190 towards Eastport, Maine. Turn onto Deep Cove Road and then continue for 0.8 miles and you will see the entrance to the park. Be careful not to turn onto the road that goes to the Maine State Marine Technology School.
History
Shackford Head is named after one of Eastpost’s earliest habitants— John Shackford who arrived in 1783 and owned the land that makes up the park. During the early 1900s, five Civil War ships were burned for salvage in the cove near Cony Beach in the park. The property that makes up the park came for sale in 1988 and the Eastport Land Trust asked for help from the State of Maine’s Land for Maine’s Future Program to purchase and preserve the land.
Park Activities
Shackford Head State Park is the quietest Maine State Park i’ve ever visited. It’s remoteness and scenic views provided me with a serene, one-of-a-kind experience. I hiked all around the park for over an hour and only encountered two other people.
There are several hiking trails to explore. They range in difficulty from easy to moderate.
Shackford Head Trail (0.3 miles) This mostly flat trail begins at the kiosk in the parking lot and meets up with Broad Cove Trail, Deep Cove Trail, and Overlook Trail.
Broad Cove Trail (0.1 mile) Provides access to Broad Cove, which provides great views of Cobscook Bay.
Overlook Trail (0.3 miles) This easy/moderate trail gradually ascends to a scenic lookout at the top of Shackford Head. Provides views of Cobscook Bay, Lubec, Eastport, and Campobello Island.
Ship Point Trail (0.3 miles) This trail has challenging terrain, but rewards you with scenic ocean views from Ship Point.
Schooner Trail (1.1 miles) This overgrown trail provides some of the best views of Cobscook Bay as well as the Atlantic Salmon aquaculture pens, but has challenging terrain.
Deep Cove Trail (200ft) This tiny trail connects the Schooner Trail to the Shackford Head Trail.
Our Experience
We decided to make a loop trail by starting on the Shackford Head Trail, taking the Overlook Trail, the Schooner Trail, followed by the Deep Cove Trail, and then taking the Shackford Head Trail back to the parking lot. The loop took us about 1 hour and was 1.7 miles in length. My favorite parts of the trail were the Shackford Head Overloook and the Schooner Overlook. Both were extremely beautiful spots, home to rocky cliffs, bald eagles and several other bird species. The only thing that could have made our experience better was if the latter half of the Schooner Trail was better maintained. There were some points where the terrain was pretty uneven and rocky. But all in all, we enjoyed our visit!
There is so much to experience at Shackford Head State Park! Whether you’re looking to spend time hiking, exploring coastline, enjoying scenic views of Cobscook Bay, or searching for shoreline birds, there’s something for everyone at Shackford State Park!
Happy exploring, friends!
