https://www.maine.gov/dacf/parks/grants/land_water_conservation_fund.htmlLand and Water Conservation Fund http://iceagetrail.umaine.edu/Maine Ice Age Trail http://mainetrailfinder.comMaine Trail Finder


Boating (motorized)Boating (motorized) CanoeingCanoeing Cross-country skiingCross-country skiing FishingFishing Hiking (trails)Hiking (trails) Sea kayakingSea kayaking SnowshoeingSnowshoeing SwimmingSwimming Watchable wildlifeWatchable wildlife Picnic areaPicnic area PlaygroundPlayground Trailered boat launchTrailered boat launch

property guide photo

Description

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Location Latitude/Longitude: 44.611496, -67.483113

About six miles off US Route 1 in Roque Bluffs.

Hours / Season Open 9:00 a.m. to sunset daily from May 15 to October 1. Fee Charged. - cash or check only, no credit cards accepted. Visitors may continue to enjoy the park during the off season by parking outside the gate, without blocking it, and walking in during these same hours. Please place the admission fee in the self-service collection canister. Please be aware that facilities are closed during the off season.

Roque Bluffs State Park provides visitors with a great diversity of coastal landscapes to enjoy in 274 acres on Schoppee Point (south of Machias). A beautiful, half-mile crescent of sand and pebbles along Englishman Bay is backed by the shallow waters of 60-acre Simpson Pond - allowing for bracing saltwater swims and much warmer fresh water soaks; no lifeguards available. Between the beach and the pond are several picnic areas and a children's play area adjoining the parking area. A 6-mile trail network just inland from the shore leads through old orchards, fields and woods, with paths that follow the rocky shores of Great Cove and Pond Cove. The town's trailerable boat launch is adjacent to the park on Schoppee Point Road.

The diverse habitats at Roque Bluffs State Park support abundant wildlife, and bird watchers enjoy interesting sightings at all seasons. Bald eagles frequent the area year-round and many migrant species stopover during spring and fall. Birders occasionally spot less common waterfowl, such as Barrow's Goldeneye, Redhead and Gadwall ducks, and Hooded Mergansers. During summer months, pipers, plovers and interesting species of gull (like ring-billed) frequent the beach.

Both Englishman Bay and Simpson Pond can be explored by canoe or kayak (with rental kayaks available for use on Simpson Pond). The pond is stocked so anglers can fish for brook trout in the spring and brown trout through much of the summer. Bait fishermen use the pond in fall and winter.

Read the July 14, 2020 Rubys on the Road review of the park.

The Land and Water Conservation Fund contributed to this State Park.Learn more about LWCF.

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History

The sand/pebble beach at Roque Bluffs State Park is an unusual geologic feature along the Downeast coast, much of which is marked by bold cliffs and cobble shores. It resulted from an accumulation of sediment that eroded from a prominent glacial moraine lying to the east. There is a bedrock outcrop at the eastern end of the beach where visitors can see glacial striations (deep groves in the bedrock left by the glacier's movement toward the southeast). The evidence here of glacial history has made the Park stop #29 on Maine's Ice Age Trail (to learn more, visit http://iceagetrail.umaine.edu/).

This unusual beach has long been popular with area residents and visitors. The Maine State Park Commission used proceeds from a public bond to acquire and protect the land in 1969.

Offshore, visitors can see Libby Lighthouse (formerly known as Machias Lighthouse because it marks the entrance to Machias Bay). This historic structure, built in 1817, is still an active beacon.

If you are interested in learning about geology around the state, check out the Maine Geological Survey Searchable Database.

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Activities

  • Boating (motorized)
  • Canoeing
  • Cross-country skiing
  • Fishing
  • Hiking (trails)
  • Sea kayaking
  • Snowshoeing
  • Swimming
  • Watchable wildlife

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Rules

  • Carry out all trash.
  • Dogs are not permitted on the ocean beach. Elsewhere, keep pets on leash (less than 4 feet) at all times. Do not leave pets unattended and clean up after them (carrying out bags with waste).
  • Park rules prohibit use of intoxicating beverages.
  • Camping is not permitted.
  • Do not feed, touch or disturb wildlife.
  • Do not leave valuables unattended in your vehicle.
  • See Rules for State Parks and Historic Sites

Consider lending a hand. Contact us if you would like to help with stewardship or maintenance work.

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Trails

The trailhead parking lot is a quarter-mile east of the beach parking lots (up the hill toward Roque Bluffs village). Five hiking trails (with the longest loop approximately 4 miles) allow visitors to meander through fields and woodlands bordering Pond Cove and Great Cove.

Visit the Roque Bluffs State Park trail map at Maine Trail Finder.

Pond Cove Trail (2 miles, approximately 1 hour) leads through meadows and woods (over largely flat terrain) and offers scenic vistas over Pond Cove.

Houghton's Hill Trail (1.5 mile, approximately 45 minutes) provides a woods walk back to the trailhead from the western end of the Pond Cove Trail, passing over Houghton’s Hill (with moderate terrain suitable for fit walkers). A picnic table located halfway along the trail offers a place to rest or snack.

Blueberry Camp Trail (1 mile, approximately 30 minutes) cuts back from the coast to join Houghton's Hill Trail, ascending that hill on the way back to the trailhead.

Mihill Trail (2 miles, approximately 1 hour) is the longest loop back from the end of the Pond Cove Trail, passing along the shore of Great Cove before turning inland. At the fork (Larry's Loop), take the left trail for the most direct route back to the trailhead.

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Tours and Programs

View the Maine Parks and Lands EVENT CALENDAR

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Services and Facilities

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Special Considerations

Please enjoy Roque Bluffs State Park during daylight hours: the main area is gated at night.

Bring potable water with you as there is none on site. Visitors are welcome to swim in Englishman's Bay and Simpson Pond but no lifeguard protection is offered. Those who fish off the beach on Englishman Bay should be careful of nearby swimmers. For more on saltwater angling, consult the Maine Saltwater Angler's Guide.

Kayakers can launch their boats from the beach on Englishman's Bay, but the State does not own any nearby islands so public access is not guaranteed. Only experienced kayakers should paddle the open waters of Englishman's Bay, given the potential for fog and wind.

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