Located on the southeastern tip of Schoodic Peninsula, 54-acre Little Moose Island is a part of Acadia National Park, though you won’t encounter the droves of tourists here that descend on nearby Mount Desert Island. Instead, you’ll find droves of wildlife and an adventurous island hike that kids of all ages will enjoy.

The biggest challenge (and greatest attraction) about this hike is that it can be completed only during low tide when the land bridge connecting Little Moose Island and the mainland is accessible. Be sure to consult a tidal map when planning this hike to ensure that you won’t be stranded on the island, waiting for the next low tide. Tidal knowledge is important when traveling the coast of Maine, so this hike offers a great opportunity to talk with your children about tides and what creates them. Because of the earth’s rotation and the moon’s rotation, high tide lasts approximately 6 hours and low tide lasts approximately 6 hours. Given that information and a little advance planning,
you will have plenty of time to explore Little Moose Island on foot.

The first part of your journey to Little Moose involves crossing the intertidal zone between the mainland and island. Watch your footing on the slippery rocks, which are covered with dense bundles of Irish moss and seaweed known as rockweed or bladderwrack (easily recognized by its air-filled “bladders” that keep the plant afloat). Take it slow here, pausing to see how many of the 40 species of the intertidal zone’s invertebrates you can find, including crabs and seastars.

Cross the beach on the western side of the island and make your way toward the trailhead, which begins on the island’s northwest corner, marked with a small interpretive sign describing the fragile inland vegetation and requesting that hikers stay on-trail. The trail crosses weather-battered rock that will delight budding geologists: notice the striking feature of black, basalt dikes that cut through pale pink granite. Continue on the fairly level trail, through shrubby land dotted with wild blueberries (in season), beach roses, laurel, yarrow, cow parsnip, and sea lavender. The vibrant pink and purple flowers contrast with the greens of the inland forest and blues of the ocean and sky to make for a dazzling array of color. This is coastal Maine at its finest. The trail eventually leads to the southern tip of the island where you’ll be compelled
to break for a while and take in the astounding scenery and plentiful seabirds before turning back and retracing your steps toward the trailhead.

The 6.0-mile Schoodic Loop Road (one-way traffic) offers views of lighthouses, seabirds, and forest-draped islands. Turnouts provide opportunites to pull over and enjoy the views. An unpaved road leads to the top of 400-foot-high Schoodic Head and its spectacular views of Frechman Bay and Mount Desert Island, including Cadillac Mountain.

When visiting the Schoodic Peninsula, be sure to check out the unique, unspoiled fishing villages in the area, such as Corea, Prospect Harbor, and Winter Harbor. During the summer months, a ferry service provides transportation from Winter Harbor to Bar Harbor. Contact 207-288-2984 for additional ferry information.