Nine Unforgettable Coastal Sunset Hikes in Maine
Above photo by @stormborn.photography
Where to Watch the Sun Dip into the Ocean in the Pine Tree State
Sunsets over the ocean in Maine? Yes, they exist — but you have to know where to look. While Maine’s rugged coastline famously faces east, a few spectacular trails defy the compass, offering rare west-facing coastal views where the sun sets over the sea. Whether you’re seeking quiet reflection or a golden-hour photo op, these sunset hikes combine salty air, granite ledges, and unforgettable views.
Lace up your boots and pack your headlamp — here are our favorite trails for the best coastal sunset views in Maine!
1. Lobster Cove Trail, Monhegan Island
📍 Monhegan Island | Distance: < 1 mile | Difficulty: Easy
Monhegan Island is known for its raw, wind-swept cliffs and artist-inspiring beauty — but it’s the Back Beach Trail, along the island’s western edge, that delivers a front-row seat to the sunset. Hike through a tunnel of spruce and emerge onto flat ledges facing the Atlantic. As the sun lowers, the light turns everything — rocks, water, sky — into molten gold.
🌅 Sunset Tip: Bring a blanket and a thermos; the granite slabs here make for perfect sunset lounging. Be sure to check the ferry schedule if you’re not staying overnight.
🌿 Biodiversity Bonus: Watch for seabirds like black guillemots diving offshore and native wildflowers like seaside goldenrod.
2. Ship Harbor Trail, Acadia National Park
📍 Southwest Harbor (Mount Desert Island) | Distance: 1.4 mile loop | Difficulty: Easy
While most of Acadia’s coastline faces the rising sun, the Ship Harbor Trail tucks into a southwesterly corner of Mount Desert Island. A gentle forest path leads to wave-washed granite outcrops where you can watch the sun dip behind the Cranberry Isles — a rare westward seascape in the park. This is fantastic hidden gem in Acadia.
🌅 Sunset Tip: Arrive 30–45 minutes before sunset to walk the loop counterclockwise and arrive at the outer ledges just in time.
🌿 Biodiversity Bonus: Spot carnivorous pitcher plants in the boggy areas, and listen for the late-day calls of hermit thrushes in the woods.
3. Blue Hill Mountain – Osgood Trail to Summit
📍 Blue Hill | Distance: 1.9 mile loop | Difficulty: Moderate
While not technically a coastal trail, the summit of Blue Hill Mountain offers sweeping west-facing views over Blue Hill Bay, with glimmering water, scattered islands, and the Camden Hills on the horizon. The Osgood Trail is short and sweet, and the reward is an expansive granite summit perfect for catching alpenglow over the ocean.
🌅 Sunset Tip: Bring a flashlight for the descent, and check tide charts if you’re planning to explore nearby beaches afterward.
🌲 Biodiversity Bonus: This trail cuts through mixed forest rich with ferns, mushrooms, and warblers — especially vibrant in late spring and fall.
BRING A HEADlamp!
Make sure you get a headlamp with red light for your hike back to the trailhead post-sunset. The red light allows you to see, while allowing your eyes to still soak up the night sky views. It’s even better if you want to get into astrophotography! Grab a super affordable, rechargeable, two-pack, so you’re always equipped. If you use our link below, you’ll help us create more articles like this one. 😁
Here’s our favorite!
*There’s a flash deal right now!*
4. Timber Point Trail – Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge
📍 Biddeford | Distance: 2.4 miles loop | Difficulty: Easy
Timber Point is a hidden gem at the southern tip of Biddeford’s coast, where the Little River meets the Atlantic. The trail meanders through salt marsh, coastal forest, and rocky shoreline before reaching a west-facing viewpoint over the mouth of the river and Saco Bay. The low light over the tidal waters makes this one of the most underrated sunset spots in Southern Maine.
🌅 Sunset Tip: Walk the loop clockwise and time it so you reach the shoreline 30 minutes before sunset. If the tide is low, you can walk out to Timber Island for a bonus adventure.
🌿 Biodiversity Bonus: Keep an eye out for great egrets, nesting ospreys, and the vibrant red berries of winterberry shrubs in late summer and fall.
5. Squirrel Point Light Trail
📍 Arrowsic | Distance: 1.4 miles out and back | Difficulty: Easy
This trail through forest and ferny undergrowth leads to Squirrel Point Lighthouse, perched at a bend in the Kennebec River where it opens to the sea. The lighthouse faces west-southwest — making it an incredibly photogenic sunset location with the sun glowing directly down the river toward the ocean.
🌅 Sunset Tip: Bring a tripod if you’re into photography — the light on the lighthouse, river, and pines at golden hour is spectacular.
📸 Biodiversity Bonus: The area is part of a migratory corridor — look for bald eagles, loons, and seals cruising upriver in the evening calm.
6. Cliff Trail, ISle Au Haut - Acadia
📍 Isle au Haut, Acadia National Park | Distance: 4.4 miles loop | Difficulty: Moderate
If you’re up for an adventure on the wild, crowdless side of Acadia National Park, the Cliff Trail on Isle au Haut might be the most dramatic coastal sunset hike in Maine. Perched high above pounding surf, with jagged cliffs and wind-stunted spruce, the trail’s western outlooks look directly over open ocean. The trail loops through forest and past bogs before revealing massive granite overlooks, perfect for watching the sun sink into the Gulf of Maine.
🌅 Sunset Tip: This is a remote one — you’ll need to stay overnight or time your hike carefully with the ferry. But it’s worth it.
🌊 Biodiversity Bonus: This island trail showcases coastal jack pine forest, arctic-alpine plants, and rare seabird sightings.
7. Harriman Point Preserve, Brooklin
📍 Brooklin | Distance: 2.8 mile loop | Difficulty: Easy
Harriman Point feels like a secret — a quiet trail through coastal woods that ends at a wide gravel beach with panoramic views west across Blue Hill Bay. It’s one of the few places in Downeast Maine where you can stroll along the shoreline as the sun melts into the sea.
🌅 Sunset Tip: Bring water shoes or sandals if you want to wade out during low tide — the tidepools here catch and reflect the last of the daylight.
🌊 Biodiversity Bonus: Look for moon snails, barnacles, and shorebirds feeding in the intertidal zone, and listen for hermit thrushes singing their evening flute song in the woods.
8. Ocean Point Walk, Boothbay
📍 Boothbay | Distance: < 1 mile | Difficulty: Easy (roadside path)
Much more of a short wander than an official hike, Ocean Point offers a sunset experience with classic Maine charm — waves crashing on granite, summer cottages framed in golden light, and wide views west across Linekin Bay. While it’s more of a walking route than a traditional hike, the public access path offers unobstructed views and ample ledges for sitting.
🌅 Sunset Tip: Arrive early to snag a spot on one of the flat rocks, or enjoy the sunset from the nearby Ocean Point Inn’s porch with a drink in hand.
🌾 Biodiversity Bonus: You may spot harbor porpoises offshore or snowy egrets fishing in the shallows at low tide.
9. Long Point Preserve, Machiasport
📍 Machiasport | Distance: 2.3 mile loop | Difficulty: Easy to moderate
Tucked away in the bold Downeast region, Long Point juts out into Machias Bay, providing an incredibly serene, west-facing panorama of sea, sky, and spruce-fringed islands. The trail passes through mossy forest and open coastal meadow before arriving at the rocky point — a perfect place to watch the sun sink into the horizon, with nothing but ocean before you.
🌅 Sunset Tip: Bring a camp chair and stay awhile — the stillness and solitude make this one of the best-kept sunset secrets on the Maine coast.
🧬 Biodiversity Bonus: This area is full of coastal blueberries, nesting eiders, and — if you’re lucky — passing whales offshore during migration season.
🌅 Final Thoughts
West-facing ocean views in Maine are like rare pearls — hard to find, but unforgettable. These trails offer the unique chance to witness the sun set into the sea, framed by bold cliffs, quiet coves, and timeless pines. See you out there - and be sure to tag @mainehikes on your sunset Instagram post 😁
