Beaches:
Hermit Island has seven amazing white sand beaches that are located on picturesque Casco Bay. The best part is they are only available to campground guests so you normally find that you have the entire beach to yourself. The water is warm, making it a great place to relax and unwind. Be sure to note that only Sailboat Beach, Bounty Cove Beach, Sand Dollar Beach, and Head Beach have parking. All other beaches are walk-to only.
Sand Dune Beach- The main beach for the island; it is also the largest beach on the island. Set in the large rolling dunes that charge towards the sea, Sand Dune Beach gets its name from them. It may be the most crowded beach on the island, but there is never a lot of people due to the size. It is also the beach where Seaspray Kayaks rents out kayaks to campers. Also, campsites 57E, 57, 58, 59, 60, and 61 West Dune Way have a path out to the beach. Sand Dune Beach is located off of Dune Way, with main beach access at the end of Lee Side Way or a path to the right of 40 Dune Way.
West Dune Beach- A continuation of Sand Dune Beach, split from each other by a rocky outcropping. The only thing that is not continued from Sand Dune Beach is the crowds. West Dune Beach is great for relaxing, climbing on the rocks, or watching the sunset over Casco Bay. Sites 62, 64, 65, 66, and 66W West Dune Way all have paths to the beach. Main beach access is a small path between sites 64 and 65 on West Dune Way, but it can also be accessed from a path at the western end of Sand Dune Beach.
Lagoon Beach-A very small strip of beach in a small warm water cove called Sunset Lagoon. Like the name points out, it is a great sunset viewing spot, which is over the lagoon. Even so, use extreme caution when swimming in the lagoon, because there are many shallow water rocks just off shore. Still, it is one of the island’s undiscovered gem. Site 66N West Dune Way has a private path to the beach. Main beach access is located off a small continuation of West Dune Way (see map), right after site 66N.
Spring Beach-This is truly the island’s undiscovered gem. Hidden on the shore of a thick forest, this beautiful beach is only accessible on foot. There are no roads, just trails, to the beach. This makes it the island’s least crowded beach. Even so, this fame comes at a price, as the mosquitoes can be endless at Spring Beach, so bring plenty of bug spray. The easiest way to access it is by hiking the middle white trail (please consult the island map) from Island Road, but it can be accessed from all of the island’s hiking trails.
Please Note: All beaches have no lifeguards. Please swim at your own risk.
Sailboat Beach- Easily, one of the best beaches on the island. Sailboat Beach is also the best place for tide pooling on the island. Half of the beach is sandy, and the other half is a giant rock bottom, filled with tide pools. Sailboat beach is located at the end of the hiking trail system, but you can also get to it from driving the narrow road off of Island Road (see map). The beach also has portable toilet near the large parking lot, plus a large covered pavilion with a fire pit.
Sand Dollar Beach- This is the second-largest beach on the island, and also the most remarkable. The beach got its name for the thousands of live sand dollars that lie just off shore. Some even wash up the shore sometimes, and there are some from the beach on sale at the island gift shop. Sand Dollar beach is located at the northern tip of the island, and is only accessible by taking Island Road to its end. The beach also has a toilet next to the large parking lot. If you want to drive all the way out, then the trip is definitely worth it. The large rock next to it also makes for a great viewing point of the harbor. Also, a great beach for tide pooling.
Bounty Cove Beach-Bounty Cove beach is actually the only unmarked beach on the island. If you look at the island map, it is actually marked as Bounty Cove. Even so, there is definitely sand here. Bounty Cove beach is a great place to unwind, as not many people know about it. It is usually very quiet, making it a great place for sunbathing. Even so, do not swim out to far, as the edge of the cove has a dangerous rock shoal that prevents exiting. Bounty Cove beach can be a very tough place to get to. The easiest way is to park at the small parking area on Island Road right before Sand Dollar Beach (see map). You can also take the short walk along the coast from the right edge of Sailboat Beach, following the marked trail.
Head Beach- Head beach is a public beach but still accessible to campground guests. It is located on the small strip of land that connects the island to the mainland. There is a very large parking lot as well as restrooms which are located in the Kelp Shed (island service center nearby). The beach is enormously large but the water can be a little cold. Main beach access is a path behind the Kelp Shed but the beach can also be accessed from a parking lot on Lee Side Way as well as a path off of Joe’s Head Road (see map). Site 10 Joe’s Head Road is the only site with a private beach path to this remarkable beach.
