On a recent trip to northern coastal Maine, known as downeast to locals, I made a day trip further up the coast to visit one of the most iconic lighthouses in New England.
West Quoddy Head Light in Lubec, ME sits above the coast at the easternmost point of the United States. Its iconic red and white striped lighthouse tower stands out dramatically against the blue, gray, and green backdrop, offering a fantastic opportunity for photos and hiking.
Read more below about my visit, including an unexpected cameo, and learn more about what a visit to West Quoddy Head Light might look like for you.
Getting to West Quoddy Head Light
For most, visiting the area by car will be the most realistic option. There is a local airstrip in nearby Lubec, so recreational pilots might be able to reduce travel time. However, for most, expect to spend a decent amount of your day in the car.
Lubec, Maine is located as far north along the coast one can travel before reaching Canada. From Boston, expect a six hour drive up Route 95. For context, once you hit Portland, you’ve got another four hours ahead of you.
While long, the drive is absolutely beautiful. You may be familiar with the beauty of southern Maine beaches or lush farmlands north of Freeport. Along your drive north, you’ll pass exits for Acadia National Park (home to other lighthouses worth checking out!) as you move through Bangor.
At this point, you’ll enter a slightly different environment, one with lush evergreen trees, pristine coastal marshes, and moss-covered rock features. Our drive north was a bit foggy, so be sure to be attentive to the road. However, if the sun is out, I imagine the drive one worth rolling the windows down for.
Lubec, Maine & Quoddy Head State Park
We chose to take the more scenic, coast-adjacent route along Route 1. After reaching Bangor, we turned southeast towards the coast and drove through Ellsworth, Cherryfield, and Jonesboro. Doing so added around half an hour to the drive, but allowed for more coastal sightseeing.
While the actual coast is hidden from view for most of the drive, I enjoyed driving through large Maine blueberry fields in Cherryfield owned and operated by Wyman’s blueberries. I stopped outside of Jonesboro for a lobster roll and was able to grab a coffee at West Branch Cafe in Machias.
The remainder of the drive was my favorite. As you reach the small village of Whiting, you turn onto County Road which brings you northeast towards West Lubec, an area which is effectively a wide peninsula surrounded to the north by Whiting Bay and to the east and south by the Atlantic Ocean.
At this point, Maine’s real natural beauty starts to show. Lubec is home to a few hundred residents, mainly living around the center of Lubec proper, a small peninsula at the northern end of the US mainland.
Instead, I turned right onto a small country road which brought me east through wildflower meadows and coastal evergreen forest. I turned onto South Lubec Road which brought me along the coast and right into the State Park.
This stretch of road, maybe the 2 miles before entering the State Park, felt out of a travel brochure. I stopped to take photos of the bay at low tide, but could never capture the organic beauty of the region.
Eventually, the road brings you right into Quoddy Head State Park. The parking lot is large and paved, and included a few portapotties for visitors. While I had no problem finding a parking spot, rumors tell of full lots and turned-away visitors.
There was a notice board with some helpful information, as well as a visitor fee collection box. Fees were reasonable, $4 for an out-of-state visitor. It is cash only, so be sure to have some on hand.
Once I parked, I was hit with my first view of the lighthouse. It’s set back a bit from the parking lot, located along the cliffs down a small hill. To get closer, I walked about a minute down the gravel road, but if you need accessible parking, you’re allowed to drive down the road.
Visiting West Quoddy Head Light
The beauty of the lighthouse and surrounding areas really starts to set in as you approach the light. The historic keeper’s house, now a museum funded and operated by the Lighthouse Keeper’s Association, was closed when I arrived. Their website notes that they’re closed this summer for renovations and maintenance.
I was able to enjoy the visit regardless, taking a brief walk around the lighthouses, peering into the windows on the tower, and enjoying the sounds one would expect at the gray Maine coast.
The house and tower are beautifully painted, if a little dirty, and stand out sharply against the backdrop. The tower is around 49 feet tall, and about 16 feet in diameter at the base. The current tower was built in 1858, and is the only “candy-striped” lighthouse in the United States. Each stripe is just over 2 feet tall.
The top of the tower boasts a 5-foot-tall Fresnel lens built in France and installed with the tower. It’s lit with an LED, flashing 2 seconds on, 2 off, 2 on, and then 9 off. You can read more about the history and design of the lighthouse here.
Perhaps my favorite part of my visit was the unexpected appearance of a bald eagle. Other visitors pointed him out as he glided on air currents just off the edge of the cliff where I was standing.
In addition to exploring the lighthouse and grounds immediately surrounding the structure, Quoddy Head State Park offers a number of hiking trails that bring you into the evergreen forests and along the coast.
I didn’t get the chance to explore any trails, but they were clearly marked on a map on the notice board in the parking lot, and the State Park brochure includes a helpful map you might consider bringing along.
Pro Tips for Visiting West Quoddy Head
Parking lots fill up, so be mindful of your arrival time and plan ahead.
There is a small entrance fee for the State Park, bring cash in small bills.
Portable toilets are available on site.
Check the West Quoddy Head Lighthouse website for museum hours and details.
