Nearing the north end of the long, sandy crescent of Herring Cove Beach. The beach is located in the 1,048-acre Herring Cove Provincial Park, which abuts Roosevelt Campobello International Park. Carey Kish photo
Spanning the roiling tidal waters of Lubec Narrows, the long, green arch of the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial Bridge connects not only the town of Lubec and the parish of Campobello Island, but Maine and New Brunswick, and the United States and Canada. It’s an enduring symbol of friendship and cooperation, as is the beautiful park at the foot of the bridge.
Roosevelt Campobello International Park encompasses 2,800 acres on the southwestern end of Campobello Island. From Friar’s Head and Cranberry Point to Liberty Point and Con Robinson’s Point, the expansive park is home to rocky headlands, secluded coves, sand and pebble beaches, maritime spruce and fir forests, grassy meadows and sphagnum bogs.
Pack your rucksack, hiking shoes and camera, because there’s plenty to see and do, beginning with the Edmund S. Muskie Visitor Center, named for the former Maine governor, U.S. senator and secretary of state. Exhibits and a short documentary provide an overview of Campobello’s colorful history, which features the 32nd president of the United States.
Next door is the Roosevelt Cottage, where Franklin Roosevelt, his wife, Eleanor, and their children summered from 1909 to 1921. Guided tours of the beautiful 34-room brick-red home – chock full of family memorabilia – are fascinating, free and a must-do. You might also wish to have “Tea with Eleanor” at the nearby Wells-Shober Cottage to hear the famous first lady’s story.
Franklin Delano Roosevelt, his wife, Eleanor, and their children summered at Roosevelt Cottage from 1909 to 1921. A guided tour is a must-do if you visit Campobello Island. Carey Kish photo
While on Campobello in 1921, FDR was stricken with polio. Undeterred by his paralysis, he was elected New York’s governor in 1929, and four years later, became president. Roosevelt served 12 years and led the nation through the Great Depression and World War II, responsibilities that allowed only three more visits to the island before his death in 1945.
Roosevelt Campobello International Park was established as a memorial to Roosevelt in 1964 by President Lyndon Johnson and Canadian Prime Minister Lester Pearson. The United States has always been close to Canada, both geographically and culturally, and this park on FDR’s “beloved island” is a tangible demonstration of the strong ties that bind us.
The park’s premier hike is the 5-mile circuit from the trailhead at Raccoon Beach on Campobello’s southeastern shore. You’ll meander down to Lower Duck Pond, then strike off along the coastline out to Liberty Point, all the while enjoying expansive views south across the mouth of Quoddy Narrows to West Quoddy Head and its iconic candy-striped lighthouse.
On Ragged Point, you’ll find the Sunsweep Sculpture, a gracefully curved polished black granite pillar crafted by David Barr in 1985. Carey Kish photo
The trail turns north to Ragged Point and Owen Head for grand vistas of Grand Manan Island and its 300-foot cliffs of columnar basalt nearly 7 miles across the Grand Manan Channel. Out on the grassy, windswept promenade of Ragged Point, you’ll also find the Sunsweep Sculpture, a gracefully curved pillar of polished black granite crafted by David Barr in 1985.
Herring Cove Provincial Park abuts Roosevelt Campobello International Park and offers an additional 1,048 acres of outdoor recreation, including camping on 88 sites and a nice system of color-coded hiking trails. A fine 3-mile loop leads along Herring Cove Beach between the Bay of Fundy and Lake Glensevern and visits the enormous glacial erratic of Gibraltar Rock.
Trails also lead to Friar’s Head, Fox Farm, Deep Cove, Cranberry Point, Mink Point and Upper Duck Pond, while the byways of Cranberry Point Drive, Fox Hill Drive and Liberty Point Drive are great for both walking and biking. You’ll likely run out of time and energy before you exhaust all the possible trail miles. Plan accordingly and save a few for next time.
Overlooking Lubec Narrows, Mulholland Point Lighthouse is one of two on Campobello Island. Carey Kish photo
If lighthouses are your thing, there are two beauties: at Mulholland Point on the island’s southern end overlooking Lubec Narrows, and at Head Harbor at the far northern tip. Between them are the settlements of Welshpool and Wilson’s Beach and a variety of visitor amenities, from shops and restaurants to lodging and tour operators.
“I was thinking … as I came through the Narrows and saw the fishing boats and the people on the wharfs … that the reception here is probably the finest example of friendship between nations – permanent friendship between nations – that we can possibly have,” remarked FDR aboard the schooner Amberjack II during a 1933 visit.
Experience a chapter of this historic international relationship on your own Campobello Island adventure this summer or fall. And don’t forget your passport!
Carey Kish of Mount Desert Island is the author of “Beer Hiking New England,” “AMC’s Best Day Hikes Along the Maine Coast” and the “Maine Mountain Guide.” Follow more of Carey’s adventures on Facebook and on Instagram @careykish
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