Best Dog-Friendly Camping near Deer Isle, ME

One of the MITA (Maine Island Trail Association) camping areas in the Deer Isle Archipelago, this island has 2 sites – one larger area up in the woods, the other quite small near the granite shore, but both accessible from the east side of the island. We stayed at the site by the shore and had a gorgeous view of the sun setting. 

This is a perfect island for those new to sea kayak camping as the sandy shore, which is exposed for a good portion of the day, is easy to land on and a short walk to a trail into the woods. 

Come prepared with fresh water(there is no fresh water for filtering) and wag bags (no toilets). Sites are first come, first served and completely free for MITA members.

One of the MITA (Maine Island Trail Association) camping areas in the Deer Isle Archipelago, this island has 2 sites– one very small one on the northeast side, the other perfect for larger groups on the southwest side. We stayed at the larger site and had a gorgeous view of the sun setting and full moon rising. 

Perfect island for exploring the close-by Isle au Haut, a remote section of Acadia National Park, but very hard to get reservations at Duck Harbor Campground. This can be a tricky island to land on at high tide, so plan accordingly. 

Be prepared for mosquitoes. We thought we were passed mosquito season in early September, but alas, they were pretty bad at sunset. Come prepared with fresh water (there is no fresh water for filtering) and wag bags (no toilets). 

Sites are first come, first served and completely free for MITA members.

The Maine Island Trail offers 200 islands in which to sea kayak camp and Saddleback Island is one of the many gorgeous options in the Deer Isle Archipelago. The free camping spots and beaches are maintained by the Maine Island Trail Association (MITA), which is a non-profit membership organization. This island is perfect for a few small tents or you can rent the island’s cabin through MITA.

The camping spot is simple and similar to most backcountry sites: a flat space to pitch your small tent, no toilet, no drinking water, no picnic table, and no reservations possible.  But, what this island lacks in “amenities” is made up for in beauty all around! With a deep, rocky shore, it’s the perfect place to make dinner and watch the sunrise or set, all with beautiful views of Mount Desert Island, the home of Acadia National Park.

The closest town is Stonington, which has all the things you will need for an island camping adventure. You can even rent kayaks and nearly all the gear you need at Old Quarry Ocean Adventures.

Things to consider when sea kayak camping in this area:  1) the fog can roll in at any minute so come prepared with a chart, compass, bearings between islands/markers and a marine radio, 2) you are required to use Wag Bags instead of digging a cat hole to dispose of human waste, 3) since all of the islands are first-come, first-served, have a back-up plan for camping on another island, 4) there are no docks, so the islands are not accessible to large boats, 5) you may get awakened by the sound of lobster boats motors, as they start their day pretty darn early; bring ear plugs if you are light sleeper, 6) the tide in this area is significant (9-14 vertical feet), and landing at high tide is nearly impossible on Saddleback (and many other islands), and 7) file a float plan before you go out (Old Quarry Ocean Adventures is the perfect spot to do this, as well as launch and park for a small fee).

One of the MITA (Maine Island Trail Association) camping areas in the Deer Isle Archipelago, this island is small with barely a tent space, but a good stop for us on our 9 day journey and a perfect launching spot for crossing Jericho Bay (4.5 miles) to Marshall Island the next day.   Gorgeous shell covered beach and a beautiful view of Isle au Haut, just next door.

This can be a tricky island to land on at high tide, so plan accordingly. Be prepared for mosquitoes. We thought we were passed mosquito season in early September, but alas, they were pretty bad all day long. 

Come prepared with fresh water (there is no fresh water for filtering) and wag bags (no toilets). Site is first come, first served and completely free for MITA members.

One of the MITA (Maine Island Trail Association) camping areas in the Deer Isle Archipelago, this island has 2 sites– one on the southeast side near Sand Cove and the other on the northeast side of the island. We stayed at one of the 2 sites near Sand Cove which is a truly gorgeous wooded area with a tent platform and a picnic table at each site. Sand Cove is perfect for a beach fire and stargazing on a clear night– some of the best stargazing spots we’ve ever seen! 

Despite the fact that the other islands had pesky mosquitoes, this site had none. Come prepared with fresh water (there is no fresh water for filtering) and wag bags (no toilets). If you happen to need a food or water resupply, Swan’s Island is a short paddle away and has a very small grocery store and town office with fresh water. Sites are first come, first served and completely free for MITA members. And, if you do a beach clean-up during your stay and send in a picture, you will receive a Maine Coast Heritage Trust hat!

We loved our stay at the blueberry fields!   This is private land that the owner rents to campers.  We stayed in campsite 2, where the land is open and flat, and there was plenty of room for our rv.  There are 4 total campsites, and each  offers a slightly different view and sense of privacy.  The owner met us when we arrived.  Dogs are allowed.  It is dry camping, with no hookups, and generators are not allowed.   The owner had a picnic table set up with flower boxes in it, and there was a nice fire ring. They will sell you wood if you need it.  There was one other camper at site 1, and we could also see the owners house, but both were far enough away that we had a great sense of privacy. There was a shared porta potty available for use for all of the campsites.  The land was quiet and peaceful - it is acres of blueberry fields, which create a special sense of being in nature. The site we were at had a nice tree, which framed the site. The owner was very responsive to questions we had, and responded quickly.   The area was very quiet - at night we only heard the crickets and the wind.

You are close to Castine, Ellsworth, Blue Hill, Deer Isle and Stonington.  There are numerous hiking trails in the area that can be found on All Trails, as well as easy places to kayak from, the closest of which are the Brooksville Town Landing, or Bucks Harbor public boat launch.

Gear Review:

As a Ranger for The Dyrt, I occasionally get gear to review and this time it’s something that I always start my day with, wherever I am. Nature’s Coffee Kettle is a lightweight and reusable coffee brewing system suitable for a variety of situations.

What I like about this product:

• The coffee is tasty and NCK offers a variety of blends. I prefer the Columbian and French Roast – the darker blends have a richer flavor.
• The kettle takes up almost no space, is extremely lightweight and reusable.
• The kettle replaces a French Press or other dedicated coffee pot.
• The coffee filter pack means no messy grounds to dispose which always seems to be a problem when making coffee in the backcountry.

What could be improved:

• To make a stronger tasting brew the coffee needs to be poured through more than 1 time, for my taste. This means transferring the brewed coffee into another vessel and then back into the kettle which really cools the coffee, especially on a chilly morning. In summer though, 2 times through left us with a nice drinkable coffee temperature.
• Each coffee filter bag is individually wrapped, keeping it fresh, but leaving you with more trash.
• The kettle seems a little redundant when you think about it. You must heat the water up in another pot already, so why not just chuck in the coffee filter bag directly into the pot? Save a step.

Product Link: https://nckstore.myshopify.com/collections/frontpage/products/100-colombian-nature-s-coffee-kettle-with-1-colombian-refills

Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g3rrqZJIsbE&t=3s

Campground Review:

The Maine Island Trail offers 200 islands in which to sea kayak camp and Shivers Island is one of the many gorgeous options in the Deer Isle Archipelago. The free camping spots and beaches are maintained by the Maine Island Trail Association (MITA), a non-profit membership organization. This island is perfect for just 2 people, known locally as Honeymoon Island.

The camping spot is simple and similar to most backcountry sites: a flat space to pitch your small tent, no toilet, no drinking water, no picnic table, and no reservations possible. But, what this island lacks in “amenities” is made up for in beauty all around! With a deep, rocky shore, it’s the perfect place to make dinner, watch the sunrise or set, and star gaze with no city lights or trees to obstruct your view.

The nearby village of Stonington has all the things you need for an island camping trip. You can even rent kayaks and nearly all the gear you need from Old Quarry Ocean Adventures.

Things to consider when sea kayak camping in this area: 1) the fog can roll in at any minute so come prepared with a chart, compass, bearings between islands/markers and a marine radio, 2) you are required to use Wag Bags instead of digging a cat hole to dispose of human waste, 3) since all of the islands are first-come, first-served, have a back-up plan for camping on another island, 4) there are no docks, so the islands are not accessible to large boats, 5) you may get awakened by the sound of lobster boats motors, as they start their day pretty darn early; bring ear plugs if you are light sleeper, 6) the tide in this area is significant (9-12 vertical feet), and landing at high tide is nearly impossible on Shivers (and many other islands), and 7) leave a float plan before you go out (Old Quarry Ocean Adventures is the perfect spot to do this, as well as launch and park for a small fee).