Though it’s only a mile and a half long, Monhegan [1] has 17 miles of trails and footpaths crisscrossing its forested landscape. One of the most popular is the hike through Cathedral Woods, where the island’s children have built tiny “fairy houses” out of bark, moss, and dead wood. (There is some controversy about visitors building their own houses—if you make one, be sure you only use materials that are on the forest floor.)
Other trails, which can be found with the aid of trail maps distributed by any of the lodging houses, lead to the lighthouse and the dramatic 150-foot-high cliffs, the highest on the eastern seaboard.
The only sandy beach on the island is the optimistically named Swim Beach, where only the hardiest of swimmers brave the Gulf of Maine’s frigid waters. Most guests are content to sunbathe, play in the sand, or tide pool instead.
Links:
[1] http://www.moon.com/destinations/new-england/maine/midcoast/midcoast-islands/monhegan