Maine Island Trail
The Maine Island Trail system is a 350-mile-long waterway that consists of islands and mainland sites that are available for day visits or overnight camping. Through partnerships with the State of Maine, as well as land trusts and generous private property owners, MITA ensures access to these sites for visitors in kayaks, sailboats, motorboats, and other watercraft.
The Trail extends from Cape Porpoise Harbor on the west, to Machias Bay on the east. The Trail winds its way along the coast, around magnificent and exposed capes, through protected saltwater rivers and quiet bays, and among islands large and small. It includes over 150 islands (both state-owned and privately owned) and mainland sites along the route, available for day visits or overnight camping. The state-owned islands are open to all, but the private islands are open only to MITA members or to other guests of the owner. Some of the islands have walking trails on them, but the Trail itself is a water route between the islands--not a hiking path. With a few exceptions, there is no charge for individual visits to the islands. However, the use of privately owned islands included in the Trail system is open only to MITA members or other guests of the owners. Both Shannon and I joined the MITA prior to the trip. Clicking on the map above will open a new window on the MITA site with an interactive trail map.
If you're planning a kayak/camping trip to Maine I highly recommend joining the Maine Island Trail Association. This will give you access to all the islands within the trail system. And the handbook and guidebook that comes with membership contains valuable information about trip planning, tides, and launch spots.
With only a week to visit Maine Shannon and I didn't have time to travel the entire MITA so we decided to focus our trip on two areas: The Mt. Desert Island Area and The Deer Isles Archipelago.