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Spectacle Island, Damariscotta Lake

98%
·
· Newcastle, Lincoln, Maine · 1 acre
Hosted by Midcoast C.
Tent site
· 8 guests max
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Nomadic camping
Best for self-contained campers. There are no toilets, showers, or potable water at this Hipcamp.
Midcoast is a Star Host
Star Hosts are highly rated, responsive, and committed to providing incredible experiences.
Boat-in
This Hipcamp is accessible by boat.
The sister islands, shaped like a pair of spectacles as their name suggests, offer opportunities for swimming, blueberry picking, camping, and general exploration. Although the islands make up a small portion of the 1000+ acres protected by Midcoast Conservancy in the Damariscotta Lake Watershed, they are among the most popular. The islands have long been a gathering spot for local families to swim. The islands were donated to Midcoast Conservancy in 2000 and are now forever protected. When you reserve your spot on Spectacle Island, know that it comes with a healthy dose of day use during peak summer weekends.On Damariscotta Lake, these sister islands, shaped like a pair of spectacles as their name suggests, offer opportunities for swimming, blueberry picking, camping, and general exploration. Although the islands make up a small portion of the 1000+ acres protected by Midcoast Conservancy in the Damariscotta Lake Watershed, they are among the most popular. The islands have long been a gathering spot for local families to swim. The islands were donated to Midcoast Conservancy in 2000 and are now forever protected. When you reserve your spot on Spectacle Island, know that it comes with a healthy dose of day use during peak summer weekends. The islands are open to daily public use, from dawn until dusk. The islands can be reached by kayak, canoe, paddleboard, or small motor boat. Campers are required to allow day use by other visitors during their stay and to respect the quiet nature of the island by keeping noise to a minimum after 9pm. Campers may spend a maximum of two consecutive nights. All waste must be packed out: human, pet and otherwise. Reservation includes both islands. Each island, North and South, provides one camping site. A maximum of 4 people per site are permitted, one tent per island site. We highly suggest campers arrive at the island no later than 5pm. Note: For the past several summers, Damariscotta Lake has experienced cyanobacteria outbreaks, which in high concentrations or with prolonged exposure can pose a health risk to humans and pets. For more information on cyanobacteria, visit the Damariscotta Lake Water Quality Alerts page on our website and follow Damariscotta Lake Watch on Instagram and/or Facebook for the latest water quality updates. Please note that there are inherent risks in open water recreation, and we recommend to follow best practices, including to avoid scummy or dense areas, avoid inadvertently swallowing lake water while swimming, keep pets from drinking the lake water, and avoid using lake water for drinking or household use.
What to expect
Tent site
You'll have this Hipcamp all to yourself.
8 guests max
Campfires allowed
Firepit
Pets allowed
No toilet; campers must bring camp toilets
No drinking water
Bring your own water, purify from lake or pond
No showers
Pack it out
Please pack out all waste, including human waste and pet waste. research your toilet system and have a plan before you go. Cat holes are not permitted.
Cooking equipment absent
Picnic table absent
No wifi
Laundry absent
Hot Tub absent
No playground

Things to know

Getting there
Check in: After 12:00 PM
Check out: Before 11:00 AM
On arrival: Head straight to site
Access: By boat
Cancellation policy: Flexible
Minimum nights: 1 night
Accepts bookings: 12 months out
No wheelchair access
Max 1 vehicle
2WD accessible
During your trip
Follow the
Leave it better
Inclusion policyWe have a zero-tolerance policy against discrimination at Hipcamp. We are committed to helping our Host and Hipcamper communities be inclusive.
98%
25 ratings · 15 reviews
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Alison E.
3 years on Hipcamp
Recommends
· October 2024
Can't wait to go again
Tent
Fantastic place for fairly easy camping. Short & easy (15 min?) paddle from Damariscotta Lake Boat Launch. No gradual place to beach kayaks or canoes, you have to get out in the water and clamber onto the island (not a huge deal but fyi). It was helpful to have a rope to tie off the kayaks while unloading, then we brought on land for the night. We brought (local) firewood, don't count on driftwood. When we visited someone had left a grill to use over the fire pit which worked out great.
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Steve C.
4 months on Hipcamp
Recommends
· September 2024
Nice island but boy has it changed
Tent · With pets
Really nice campsite...one of the best in the state. Camped here 20 or more years ago and WOW has it changed. People don't realise how much impact they have over the years. Stop cutting tree roots that might stub your toe on and stop trampling and/or cutting small trees and bushes. Both islands have half the vegetation that used to have...in another 20 years they'll be practically barren.
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Danielle M.
2 reviews
Recommends
· August 2024
Accessible Island Camp!
Tent · With pets
Amazing island campsite with easy access from shore via kayak/paddleboard/etc. We especially loved swimming between the two islands and using the rope swing on the one island. The cries of the loons and the peaceful sunsets were unforgettable.
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Anthony B.
2 reviews
Recommends
· August 2024
Tent · With kids
A pretty magical spot. The lake is fairly busy with motor boats but not too bad. The rope swing is a lot of fun. The islands ate really nice - the one closer to the boat launch with the rope swings has more open space. It’s about a 10 minute paddle from the boat launch. There was a decent grate for cooking over the campfire (we put our skillet on top of it) and there is a well maintained port o potty at the boat launch.
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Amy P.
2 reviews
Recommends
· September 2023
Tent
The site was easy to get to and very clean. Perfect for swimming and fishing !
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Trina S.
2 years on Hipcamp
Recommends
· August 2023
Camping alone
Tent · With pets
We love camping at Spectacle Island. Beautiful views, perfect campfire setup, and lovely swimming, easy in and out. The addition of the porta-potty at the boat ramp was welcome!
Location
Newcastle, Lincoln, Maine, United StatesTraditional, ancestral territory of Wabanaki (Dawnland Confederacy), N’dakina (Abenaki / Abénaquis), and Nanrantsouak First Nations according to To respect the Host's privacy, the precise address of this land will be provided after booking
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Hosted by Midcoast C.

Joined in May 2021
Hipcamp is created with ❤️ and hope for our future.