Downeast Maine holds a special place in my heart. This area of Maine is considered the eastern coastal region that covers Washington and Hancock Counties. Growing up we had close family friends that lived in Downeast Maine and we spent a lot of time in this area. A tradition we had was to rent a rustic cabin at Robinson Cottages along the Denny’s River in Edmunds for Thanksgiving. When I moved to New Hampshire we continued this tradition for a few years. It has since been several years since having Thanksgiving in Downeast Maine so we decided to relive some of those memories this past Thanksgiving. Our friends still live in the area and we do not get to see them very often so this was another reason for the visit.
From Southern New Hampshire it is about a seven hour drive to Robinson’s. There are a few different cottages to chose from. The cottages have become popular at Thanksgiving so they can book quickly. When we booked, only cottage 6 was available. This is a two bedroom cottage with a kitchen, dining area, living room, a bathroom, screened in porch, two wood burning stoves and a propane stove for heat located on the Denny’s River. These cottages are rustic as they have been around for many years. There is electricity. Wifi was spotty. No television. There is bedding, towels and all the kitchen items you would need. We heated the cottage with the open air fire place and wood burning stove. It could get a little chilly at times, but most of the time we were warm enough.
We arrived late Wednesday afternoon. After unpacking we took a walk around the property. There is a small pond with other cottages around it, access to the river, in the summer you can swim in the river. There is a small playground and a horseshoe pit.
We spent the evening visiting with our friends, which is always enjoyable.
Thursday, Thanksgiving Day, we always do a hike. We ventured off to Reversing Falls Hiking Trail in Pembroke. This is part of the Cobscook Shores, a system of 20 waterfront parks. Reversing Falls is where an under water ledge and changing tides create a falls in the bay. What we did not realize was that you need to be there at either high or low tide to be able to see the falls. We unfortunately missed it, but enjoyed hiking along the coast line.
The trail was easy to follow and provided beautiful ocean and bay views. We even got to see a couple seals playing in the water. The total hike was a mile out and back. It is a short hike, but we felt it was worth it and would love to come back to see the actual falls.
Can you find the seal?
We returned to the cabin, made and enjoyed our Thanksgiving meal, enjoyed some quiet time around the cabin and then visited with friends that evening.
On Friday we did some exploring. Our first stop was Jasper Beach in Machiasport. Jasper Beach is known for its beautiful smooth stones making up a beautiful beach. This is not your traditional sand beach as the whole beach is made up of these smooth stones. As the waves are washing in and out the stones make almost a singing sound.
Next stop was Roque Bluffs, a state park located south of Machias, featuring an ocean beach, a pond, a playground, picnic area and hiking trails. We walked some of the hiking trails, but it was wet from rain the day before and we did not have appropriate footwear on so we did not do the whole trail. We walked along the beach and enjoyed the views. Visiting this park as a child I remember the beach being lined with beautiful wild rose bushes and it looks like they are still there, just not in bloom in November.
We spent the rest of the day with our friends, which was the highlight of this trip. The side excursions were a bonus. We left for home Friday night.
Other hikes in Downeast Maine we have done on past trips were Boot Head Preserve and Quaddy Head State Park. Overall Downeast Maine, although rural, is worth the visit for its national beauty and stunning coastlines.
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