MAKE THE MOST OF MONHEGAN
Maine claims approximately 4,600 islands, including a few located inland on lakes. While Mount Desert is technically an island, most visitors think of it only as Acadia and don’t much consider it as an island. Monhegan on the other hand retains its indelible island ness in our hearts and minds.
Maine USA Map Distances Photo Gallery
First visited by Europeans in 1614, Monhegan was already known to Native Americans as prime fishing ground. Today, a few island residents earn their living lob stering. but tourism forms the backbone of the economy. Rugged, remote, impec cably beautiful, Monhegan has drawn artists and other visitors for more than a hundred years. With its slower pace you can only get there by boat and there are no cars or paved roads and stunning natural environment, Monhegan provides a heady respite from everyday life.
Only about a square mile in area. Mon began has some 12 miles of hiking trails passing through forests, over clifts. and along beaches. Islanders and visitors alike work lo preserve the wild nature of the island and there’s an island lighthouse, a museum of art and history, and a library to preserve the cultural history of the island.
There are a number of inns and cot tages, including the legendary Monhegan House and The Island Inn. For efficiency and water use concerns, some places only have communal bathrooms. Iliree boats can get you there, leaving from Port Clyde.
They usually make daily runs in the summer, but fewer In winter.
Monhegan retains its strong attrac tion to artists and it’s not uncommon to spot an easel with a painter re-creating some iconic scene. Manv resident artists have galleries or open studios where you can see and purchase their work. Of course you don’t have to be an artist to enjoy Mon hegan. You just need a sense of adventure.
