Hermit Island Campground

I’ve been to nearby Popham Beach SP a few times and wanted to check out camping in the area. I’d read good things about Hermit Island. If you camp here, you won't need to venture over to Popham Beach because the beaches are on site.

This large coastal campground has campsites nestled among trees or dunes. Where natural separation of trees and grasses are insufficient, they’ve provided visual separation between sites, adding small fences where necessary. Some are expansive with plenty of space while others you’ll be cozy with your single vehicle and tent; others are walk-in sites. Sites have picnic tables and fire rings. There are lots of narrow curvy roads to the sites; you’ll want the map and read the street signs! Pop-ups are permitted on some sites, but absolutely no hard-sided trailers, no, not even teardrops(I mention this because I’ve seen some teardroppers expect to be treated like a tent, but that’s not an option here). With all the water around, have a plan for dealing with insects.

It’s a bit of a haul to get here once you turn off the main road, so plan to do any last minute shopping in Bath or Brunswick(30 minutes to Bath without summer traffic). I could not get cell service at the campground, though I had spotty phone coverage on the road before the turnoff, but calls dropped randomly even when I was standing still.

Reservations are by snail mail or phone months in advance and the prices are steep compared to a no-frills campground elsewhere; you’re paying for the privilege of being on the beach. There’s a large open to the public beach near the entrance and a few smaller beaches along the island. Bring your bikes and/or wagons…you’ll want them to get to the beach, explore the trails, or ride up to the camp store/snack shop. There are places to launch a kayak.

Good primitive sites semi-adjacent to ocean beaches and rocky shores. Be advised heavy bug infested. Some smaller sites compacted close together, other sites very well spaced. Showers, wash areas and pit toilets old but workable.

One of my favorite places, the perfect coastal campground for checking out and roughing it. Tent & pop-up campers only, with limits on amplified noise and  number campers makes it a great place to relax. Little to no cellphone service so might as well turn the phones off and enjoy nature. There are site options along the dunes, in the woods and along the cliffs of Joe's Head and Osprey Point.

Some great hiking trails and isolated beaches on the North side of the island. There is a pavilion near Sailboat Beach up to the left just before the end of Island Road which is a cool spot for a group to hang for the day. The all dirt roads are fun and easy for mountain biking. There's a few spots for cliff jumping, one in the Bathtub and another at Osprey Point. No motors, but there is boat access if you have and enjoy kayaking or canoeing (be sure to say hi to the seals!)

Be sure to load up at the Shaws in Bath, ME before heading down 209 towards Phippsburg. The campground store by the main entrance has the basics for camping in case you forget anything and will steam fresh lobster or clams to order. The Kelp Shed across from the store is a great place to hang if the weather turns or just to grab a snack (you need to try the Maine Blueberry Ice Cream!)

Hermit island came on high recommendations from long time friends. Like stepping back in time a bit with the general store selling lobsters and the Kelp Shack. You are really out there. I had no cell reception ( okay with me). My site was a tent only and on the bay side. HG2. Note- I could not drive into my campsite but had to park parallel at the entrance. The beaches were beautiful but the biting flies were TERRIBLE. Not sure if that is normal in August or Anton of sea weed had come ashore from the storm. Port a potties and bathrooms could use more attention as well as garbage pick up. Ice cream at the kelp shack was great as were the hikes around the island. I would go again.

I loved this campground growing up! Now that I live in TX all I wish for is to be able to go back to Hermit Island to camp again. I loved jumping off the rocks in the bathtub at high tide, climbing the rocks to find mussels for dinner. Digging for clams or mountain biking to a beach site.

The campsite is nice and quiet which we enjoyed however there’s not a lot to do besides visit the beaches. The mosquitoes really put a damper on the camping experience. As soon as you exit your vehicle they swarm you. The roadways are very narrow which makes it hard at times to get past another vehicle coming the opposite direction without landing in a ditch or rolling downhill. Everyone there seems very nice and personable. The store on site is helpful, they sell a variety of everyday items as well as firewood and ice. The sites are nice and bathrooms are all within reasonable walking distance. We enjoyed the peace and quiet of the Island.

I have been camping at Hermit Island for my entire life. Every year we have an annual camping trip there with friends and family. I believe this is the best primitive camping experience you can have.

Some info that may be helpful. Campsites do not have any electricity, there is no water at the sites, but most water faucets are a short walk. No radios or music allowed in the campground. No cell service (you may be able to get a little at the office).

We love the quiet the campground offers due to the no excessive noise. I have noticed campground security drive around somewhat regularly at night, even stopping and shutting their lights off periodically to see if anyone is making a ruckus. 

Most campsites have a lot of privacy. You're neighbors are not right on top of you like most campgrounds I've been to. The sites are a good size, at times being able to fit 3 maybe 4 tents in a pinch, though they do say 2 adults and 2 children. 1 vehicle per site with additional paid parking off site from 3rd parties.

I've been to other campgrounds with beaches, but I love Hermit's beaches, they are very long with plenty of room for everyone. There is one beach open to the public and the others for campers only.

The store has basic necessities as well as selling live lobsters and clams that they will even cook up for you and give you a time to come back to pick them up. Across from the store is the Kelp Shed which has some tables, arcade games, pool tables, and a small snack shack for stuff like burgers, pizza, sandwiches, ice cream, etc.

As someone who drives 3+ hours to camp here, I love the feeling of "being in the middle of nowhere with no cell service" it really brings back the good old days of camping, you have to find your own fun.

The hiking trails are fantastic,  they range from short to long. All relatively easy. They all have great sights, especially the one along the rocky coast. You can even hike to a private beach!

If I lived closer, I would camp at Hermit's Island all the time. It is by far my favorite campground.

We love Hermit Island. Very primitive, but thats part of the fun. Private oceanfront getaway. No dogs except one weekend a year. This was nice before I had a dog. No barking. No radios. Just peace and quiet. It has become a little cliquey with "regulars" and "third generation visitors" some feel entitled to leave their belongings at the beach to claim their spot. Reservations are very old school - mail a letter and wait. Mosquitos are a problem. Last time we were there I was packing up for bed, making sure everything was closed and put away, and my cat rubbed against my leg... Only it wasnt my black and white housecat, yup, big fluffy skunk with no fear. Lots of wildlife - deer, skunks, porcupines. The island is beautiful. The views are breathtaking. One of our favorite places, but with our Doggo and reservation issues we make other choices.

I went to Hermit Island Campground for the 1st time this year in our Pop Up Camper. The staff were Awesome and the site was outstanding. We met friends the unexpectedly and enjoyed their company at the beach. We went to the beach and swam and went on a bicycle ride to explore the island and visit the different beaches and the Small Point Harbor Marina. Thios Place is So Awesome I came back for a few days Solo camping in Swptember. Going back this year too if I get a reservation.

This is my favorite place to camp. You get the woods to camp in and beaches to explore. The beach sites look amazing but I’ve never been lucky enough to nab one. They have all kinds of things for kids to do. They have live music on the weekends, a nice little shop with various camping needs and a snack shack.

My family and friends have been going for years. Such a fun, laid back, rustic camping experience. Stay for a week and unplug on the beaches. Swimming, biking, hiking and boating...and so much fun for kids.

Great place to take the family! Many beaches to choose from for a scenery change when you need it! Bike and hiking trails when you e had enough of the sand. No power or running water except for the bathrooms and showers. Only tents or pop up campers, wish they still took 5th wheels.

No matter what I say here, you won't fully get it until you've enjoyed it for yourself! Technically it's not an island, since you drive right to your campsite. It's close enough to the rest of New England to make it accessible, yet far enough to offer peace and quiet. Hermit is dotted with fabulous beaches, open only to campers on the island. If you love wildlife, bird watching is great here, as well as crab and hermit crab catching. You can get good food at the Kelp Shed and freshly cooked lobsters, beer ice, toys, and replacement camp gear at the camp store. It's near other great things to see, but this place is so great, you won't want to leave the campground.

One warning! Be prepared to deal with mosquitos! Many people use screen tents. We've always had good results using thermacell units. Oh, and if ouhouses make you squeemish, you'd better get a site near the flush toilets. This place isn't for everyone, but if you're happy roughing it, you'll never want to go home!

We do an annual camping trip for multple families camping together and decided to give this location a try based on a recommendation. That said, unfortunately, we won’t be going back.

Starting from from the beginning.....

This campground does not have an online reservation system. You have to mail in your request or call. When calling during the ‘winter’ months (anytime from September through Mid-June), staff can only be reached from 9:00-2:00.

Because we needed multiple sites together, the availability was low so we ended up staying on Harbor Grove. Upon entering the road, all of our vehicles were swarmed by mosquitoes- SWARMED. We rolled up the car windows and covered ourselves immediately in loads of bug spray and set up camp.

Absolutely NO CELL SERVICE. Sounds like a good thing, right? Nope. Not for us because in case of emergency, couldn’t call anyone for help. Had to drive about a mile out to get reception. And yes, we brought a hotspot, but out there, it was useless.

We then left to get groceries. Closest grocery store was shaw’s, about 25-30 minutes away. However, we needed more - bug spray, thermocells, et al - so we went Brunswick to get everything, 30-35 minutes away. The camp store was very reasonably priced, accepts credit/debit cards and has a lot of the basics. We just needed more, so we had to leave the grounds.

Staff is excellent - we’d rate them 5 stars for friendliness and helpfulness. This place has pretty beaches and is secluded enough to allow easy water access for kayaking, hiking and swimming... but for the bugs. Even as seasoned campers, they were too much and due to bugs, we ended up leaving a day early.

We visited this campground on a beautiful Labor Day weekend. We were not able to select a site close to the water since those sites all get reserved in the early spring! However, we had a large site, not too far from the shower house, on a dirt road in the woods. This campground is unique because it is surrounded on 3 sides by ocean. There are numerous coves and larger beaches to swim at. One can easily bike to all the rocky coasts or sandy beaches. You can see the sunrise from one side, and the sunset from another. There are great hiking trails. There is an outdoor volleyball pit, a game room, and snack shop/camp store near the entrance. We never needed to use them since the weather was good. The camp store was super handy though, since the nearest grocery store/quick mart is at least 15 min. away.

The camp sites are well maintained, and most guests are quite mannerly. No one is allowed into the campground who isn't registered to camp, which can be frustrating, but it keeps the spot private and quiet.

The main detractors is the need to book it so far in advance, unless you want to do it last minute, based on what they have available.

This campground has sites on cliffs right above the water, in sandy coves, in the woods, within walking distance...the options are many. We biked everywhere--since there isn't much parking at the swimming spot. Overall, is a beautiful, relaxing, natural place that we highly recommend.