Beaches Birdwatching Cross-country skiing Fishing Hiking (trails) Swimming Watchable wildlife Group picnic shelter Picnic area

Description

Open all year; 9:00 a.m. to sunset daily unless otherwise posted at the gate. Fee Charged.

May 2015 - Reid State Park beach rated #1 in New England for surfing by Boston Globe Magazine

Reid State Park bears the distinct honor as being Maine's first State-owned Saltwater Beach. In 1946, prosperous businessman and Georgetown resident Walter E. Reid donated land to the State of Maine to be preserved forever, and a few years later Reid State Park became a reality.

Today, thousands of visitors enjoy the park's long, wide sand beaches like Mile and Half Mile, which are rare in Maine. Enjoyed as a recreational resource, the beaches are also essential nesting areas for endangered least terns and piping plovers and resting and feeding areas for other shorebirds. Rarer than beaches along Maine's coast are large sand dunes, like those at Reid. For a geologic tour of the beaches visit The Geology of Mile and Half Mile Beaches. Learn about the geology of the area on the interactive Maine Geologic Facts and Localities map.

From the top of Griffith Head, a rocky headland overlooking the park, visitors can view sweeping seascapes and spot the lighthouses on Seguin Island, The Cuckolds, and Hendricks Head. Visitors can also see several islands, including: Damariscove, a thriving fishing community in Colonial times; Outer Head, protected as a tern sanctuary; and Southport, where noted naturalist Rachel Carson wrote Silent Spring.

View all Natural Heritage Hikes.

Activity Pages

Seashore Journal Page (PDF 305 KB)

Seashore Crossword (PDF 114KB)

Seashore Bingo (PDF 367KB)

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

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Activities

• Beaches
• Birdwatching
• Cross-country skiing
• Fishing
• Hiking (trails)
• Swimming
• Watchable wildlife

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Rules

• 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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Tours and Programs

View the Maine Parks and Lands EVENT CALENDAR

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Services and Facilities

• Group picnic shelter
• Picnic area
• See Visitor Accessibility

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