Pond Island, Frenchboro

Pond Island is great for:

• Hiking – Venture along the island’s shoreline ledges and cobble beaches, which afford easy walking, or follow the short path that leads from the southern shore to an open meadow and old homestead site with beautiful views.
• Camping – Choose from either of two designated campsites to enjoy a quiet evening in Blue Hill Bay.
• Picnicking – Find the perfect picnic spot from the many options that exist, along the shore or within the island’s interior.

How to get there

Pond Island is accessed by private boat only. Nearest mainland boat launch sites are Bass Harbor and Seal Cove on the eastern side of Blue Hill Bay, Blue Hill Harbor, and East Blue Hill Falls on the north of Blue Hill Bay, and Naskeag Point in western Blue Hill Bay. There are numerous sites that provide good anchoring. Look for spots in the lee.

Help protect Lamp Island

Due to its fragile nature, please stay off Lamp Island and enjoy it from a distance.

Many have walked here before

Pond Island has been a popular destination for centuries and was once home to year-round residents. Today, the only remnants of earlier human habitation that still exist are the foundations of an old barn and house on the south end of the island.

Notes on topography, flora & fauna

The 241-acre Pond Island Preserve, which includes the diminutive Lamp Island, encompasses the most northern island of an archipelago in the southwest corner of Blue Hill Bay. The archipelago consists of Black, Opechee, Sheep, Eagle and Johns Islands, all on Casco Passage, as well as Eagle and Sheep Islands. Most of Pond Island is covered by a spruce-fir forest, with open meadows on the south end and marshes on the north end. However, Pond’s expansive beaches are its most alluring feature.

How this place became open to the public

Pond Island was generously donated to MCHT in 2014.

This place belongs to all of us. Help us take care of it!

Preserve information/guidelines:

• Camp At Established Campsite (see map)
  • Limit Stay to 2 Nights
  • Commercial Users by Permission Only. Please call 207-729-7366.
• Fires By Permit Only – Maine State Law
  • Contact Maine Forest Service at 1-800-750-9777 for permit
  • Keep All Fires Below High Tide Line – Do Not Build Fire Rings
  • Do Not Cut or Break Tree Limbs, Dead or Alive
  • Leave No Fire Unattended
  • Completely Extinguish All Fires
• Carry Out All Trash
  • Including Human and Pet Waste and Toilet Paper
• Keep Pets Under Strict Voice or Leash Control
• Do Not Remove Archaeological Artifacts