Hammocks Beach Bear Island Campsites — Hammocks Beach State Park

We stayed at site 14, which is on the other side of the island and is only accessible on a boat. We kayaked from the park office and boat launch. The route was difficult for me, the tide was coming in plus a strong wind, it took us about an hour to get to the island. The site itself was perfect, much better than the rest as much as we could see as we looked around. It's located in the woods with a nice shady clearing, its own very private little beach. We kayaked to the beach and walked around to see the ferry dock.

Make sure you know the tide schedule. The water levels are changing pretty dramatically during the day. 

We also experienced a  lot of mosquitoes during the night on the island, but it probably depends on the weather.

The fires are not allowed on the island, which requires some thoughts around cooking and reheating food. 

Overall I would say it was a very unique experience.

Love this park. Bear Island is only accessible by boat. So you have to pay a small fee for the ferry ride that takes you to Bear Island. Or you can canoe or kayak. You have to hike with all your camping gear less than a mile to the beach. There is not much shade on the hike there but it wasn't bad on a hot summer day. 

The beach camping spots are right in front of the dunes. We went on Labor Day weekend and there was no one there! So peaceful and serene. Lots of shells to find! And what a beautiful beach. There are nice bathrooms, water, and a snack bar that is open during the summer (cash only). Lots of picnic tables here as well.

Planning on coming back here next summer and staying longer! Such a unique camping experience!

You must plan for this trip. You can ferry to sites or paddle there. Currently paddle is the only way as the ferry is down due to last years storms. Great sites on the island . Fantastic views quite the experience.

If you're looking for beautiful beach camping that isn't super crowded, then Bear Island is the place to be! The sites are reasonably priced and include one ferry round trip per day as part of your camping fee. The sites are well spaced and you won't feel on top of one another. It is also possible to canoe/kayak out to Bear Island from the main land if you have the time, experience and the conditions are right. Be advised, there are no campfires allowed on the island (not even below the high tide line) so plan appropriately.

The beach her is beautiful and teeming with life so be sure to spend some time walking up and down the beach as the tide is going out. There are a fair number of snakes out and about so if you've got a pooch with you, exercise caution.

There are showers and potable water on the island, however, shade is hard to come by so you might want to bring a shade tent/tarp for some reprieve.

Loved camping here. Our campsite was tucked behind the first dunes, which we thought would keep us out of the wind... until the wind changed direction. Lots of blowing sand, a gritty dinner, but I still loved camping here. Note that although it is dog-friendly, you can't bring dogs on the ferry. So, only dog-friendly if you are taking your own boat out.

site: private. beach. not crowded. walk-in. in dunes. amenities: basic. attractions: ferry to access. water activities. I would go camping here again.

Sand in your pants and tent, but worth it! Ferry out, and hike down the a mile or so, and sleep on the beach. A truly unique experience!