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Picnic with a Million Dollar View in Lubec Maine
Thanks to Cobscook Shores, you can picnic with a million dollar view in Lubec, Maine. Cobscook Shores is a series of 15 parklands along Cobscook Bay near Lubec, Maine. They are privately owned by Cobscook Shores Inc., a family funded Maine charitable foundation. The park areas offer free public access for walking, picnicking, hiking, biking, camping and paddling in Cobscook Bay.
A delightful aspect of this park system is that amenities including picnic tables, screened picnic cabins or pavilions, a restroom, shore paddle access, and walking, hiking, and biking trails. A least one park includes a “loner” stroller. But it’s all done carefully without commercialism, respecting the ecosystem.
The Butler Foundation, behind the founding of Cobscook Shores, created the network of parkland. In addition to conservation, the intent is that everyone can enjoy this wild beauty, not just those who have the where with all to buy waterfront property and build on it.
Don’t just take my word for it. The Boston Globe featured an article recommending that you visit Cobscook Shores, noting that The New York Times ranks it among the best 52 places to travel to in 2022.
Cobscook Shores provides Picnic Spots with a Million Dollar View
Cobscook Shores park system includes an area along South Bay Narrows that features Shoreline Trail and picnicking spots.
Cobscook Shores provides plenty of signage along Lubec roadways to guide you to the various parklands and hiking trails.
One of the first Cobscook Shores trails that we explored was by South Bay and isn’t far off Rt. 189. You take Crows Neck Road, take the first right, and follow the signs.
There’s a parking lot just off the access road. There’s one of the cleanest port-a-potties you may ever find by the gate. A kiosk provides a map and information about use of the trails and park.
Discovering a Place to Picnic with a Million Dollar View in Lubec Maine
When we first explored the Narrows Trail we noticed a small well-kept screened-in building with a table and four chairs. You can enjoy a comfortable and bug-free picnic and equipped with a dustpan and broom for users to sweep out any crumbs after their meal. It’s a great idea and addition to any hiking area.
It’s placed so that you can enjoy a great view east across South Bay with Red Point in the foreground and Scrub Island in the distance.
From the Narrows Trail by the Picnic Pavilion, as we learned is it’s name, we took the South Bay Loop Trail The trail which took us by the water access area and then inland through a maple-spruce forest and old apple orchards looping back to the Narrows Trail near the parking lot (0.4 miles). It’s an easy and beautiful walk/hike.
Note: The area is peaceful but do be aware that you are entering the domain of wildlife including bear, deer, moose, fox, porcupine, and insects. We visited in mid-July and weren’t particularly bothered by bugs. We wore long sleeves and pants. We saw a variety of birds, in and over the water, but no other wildlife.
Picnic in Lubec Maine Bug-Free with a Million Dollar View
A few weeks after the first anniversary of the opening of Cobscook Shores (which was Memorial Day 2021) my husband and I were discussing what we were going to do for dinner. There aren’t a lot of dining options in Lubec and we often have a simple dinner at our cabin, or have dinner at a friend’s house.
Sometimes we happen to be in Lubec when there’s a bean supper at the West Lubec Methodist Church or the Mason’s have their Thursday night BBQ. An alternative is a stop at the IGA, our go-to place for freshly made salads from their deli. We often make a meal of them, with or without a sandwich from McFadden’s, a gas, deli, and convenience store.
We do like to enjoy the fresh Maine air as much as possible. While we do have a deck and may eat outside, sometimes it gets a bit too buggy. Suddenly, I remembered the Picnic Pavilion and we had plenty of daylight left to be comfortable venturing into that wooded area, which isn’t all that far from the parking lot. So, we packed the cooler with salads bought earlier and some water and seltzer. I also gathered napkins, paper plates, utensils, sanitary wipes, and a flannel-backed tablecloth, and off we went.
Picnicking with a Million Dollar Ocean View without being a Millionaire
Up to now, I haven’t mentioned that Lubec is a neighbor to the Bay of Fundy. Its shoreline is part of the Bold Coast, and is the Easternmost town in the Easternmost part of the United States. It’s rural, it’s scenic, it’s unspoiled seacoast, and full of breathtakingly beautiful vantage points. The Picnic Pavilion sits on one of those points overlooking South Bay.
The Picnic Pavilion was clean and the furniture not very dusty. There is a local maintenance crew that we figure regularly checks it. It’s expected that before you leave, you clean up, sweep, and take all your trash with you.
We wiped the table, installed the tablecloth, and sat down to a memorable dinner with a great view and the sounds of birds and waves. We really were away from it all – no people, no insect pests, no manmade sounds, no traffic, no artificial lighting.
It was one of the most memorable experiences in our life. Simple and serene. While Cobscook Shores is still new, more people will find it as the word gets out. Still, we think that there’s enough area to explore that it will never get crowded. At least not anytime soon.
If you want to read more about Cobscook Shores, here’s an article in The Boston Globe.
To find out more about this particular picnic spot and trail, as well as other Cobscook Bay parklands, visit Cobscook Shores.
Have you visited any Cobscook Shores parklands? Your thoughts on them? Comment below.
Related: Lubec Pirate Invasion
To find out more about Lubec, the Easternmost town in the U.S. and town events and festivals, visit: https://www.visitlubecmaine.com/
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