West Quoddy Head Light
Travel to the easternmost point of the United States.
Gerald Levesque
Visit West Quoddy Head Light, Lubec
People have a fascination with extremes: tallest mountain, deepest ocean, largest lake. For this reason alone it’s worth heading Down East, way Down East, to West Quoddy Head, the easternmost point of land in the United States. Here you’ll find one of the coolest parks in the state, with five hiking trails that wander along the shoreline, through a bog, and up to one of the most photographed lighthouses in Maine. This candy-striped sentinel has been warning mariners from the outcroppings of Passamaquoddy Bay for the past two centuries, and within the former keeper’s home you’ll find a small museum and art gallery that celebrate its history. The lighthouse will be throwing itself a birthday party July 17 – 26, with former lighthouse keepers regaling people with tales of foggy nights and nor’easters past, concerts by the SummerKeys classical music program in Lubec, as well as an art auction, theatrical performances, and a lobster bake. Most exciting for lighthouse junkies will be the tours of the tower offered on July 19 and 26 (this forty-nine-foot-tall tower is normally closed to the public). Be advised, though, that West Quoddy Head also makes another extreme claim in Maine lore: it is one of the foggiest spots in the state, recording up to two months of reduced visibility annually — mostly during the summer months.
The park is open daily 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. 207-733-2180. www.westquoddy.com
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