In the Lee of Acadia: Welcome to Great Cranberry Island

Great Cranberry Island, a lovely oasis of sloping meadows, protected inlets, and rocky shores, is truly a place where you can escape the hustle and bustle of the outside world.

Sitting just two miles off Mount Desert Island, GCI, as the locals call it, is the largest of the Cranberry Isles. It can be reached via the Beal and Bunker Mail Boat, which runs daily out of Northeast Harbor. There are fantastic walking trails, a Maine Coast Heritage Trust Preserve, and acres upon acres of stunning shoreline to explore.

The Pool, a wide but well-protected inlet on the island’s eastern side, has long been a favorite of visiting yachtsmen who come here to escape the summer crowds of the mainland. Newman and Gray Boatyard, right off the town landing, is also a great spot to bring your vessel when repairs are needed. One of the best times to visit the island is in late September, when the temperature hovers in the low 60s, the sky is blue, and the colors of fall are just beginning to peak. You will swear you have entered another world all together.

Welcome to GCI.

An old boatyard at the northern end of the Pool, on Great Cranberry Island's eastern side.

Photos of In the Lee of Acadia: Welcome to Great Cranberry Island

An old boatyard at the northern end of the Pool, on Great Cranberry Island's eastern side.