Monhegan Island

Monhegan is small - under three kilometres long and just over one wide - and sits well out in the Gulf of Maine, with a village of shingled cottages on the sheltered side and cliffs on the seaward one, reaching about fifty metres at Blackhead. Artists have worked here since the mid-1800s: Robert Henri, George Bellows, Rockwell Kent, Edward Hopper, Jamie Wyeth, and a working colony that continues. Much of the island is uninhabited and crossed by some twenty-seven kilometres of rough trails. Visitors' cars are not allowed. Lobstering runs on its own island calendar, from October to June, in the only lobster conservation area in Maine.

What's there

• Cliffs of about fifty metres - at Blackhead on the north side.
• A working artists' colony - here since the mid-1800s.
• Mostly uninhabited - about 27 km of rough trails across the headlands.
• No visitors' cars - the island runs on foot.

When to go

June to September; boats and services thin sharply after. A full day or overnight.

What to expect

The crossing takes an hour and cancels in weather. Accommodation is very limited and books months ahead. Trails are rough and cliff edges are unfenced. Day trips leave only a few hours ashore.

Nearby

Port Clyde is the usual mainland pier; Pemaquid Point is up the coast.

Key facts