Eastern Head

About a mile southwest of Baileys Mistake and framed by Moose Cove and Haycock Harbor is the Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands property known simply as Eastern Head. This densely forested parcel is light on trails and has no infrastructure, but it is open to the public for low-impact recreation.

The primary attraction here is the remote and stunningly beautiful sand beach at Sandy Cove. The beach is popular with locals and is reachable by a roughly 1-mile walking trail from Rt 191. Those arriving at Sandy Cove by boat are asked to respect the local day use at the beach while visiting.

To enable safer exploration of the Bold Coast by water, a sanctioned camping area has been established in the southwest corner of Sandy Cove above a small section of shore that is adjacent to the main beach. This campsite is partly screened from the larger beach and intended for boat access only. Campers are asked to keep a low profile as much as possible. Land boats to the south of the tree-topped ledge that juts into the cove and follow a short path to the designated site overlooking the beach. Please use campstoves for cooking as fires are not permitted.

Landing in Sandy Cove is possible at all tides and in most conditions given its shape and orientation. Eastern Head is also dotted with several small cobble beaches that may be accessible by boat under the right conditions. Day use is allowed anywhere along the shore of the property, but please be sure that you are on the Eastern Head parcel and not on neighboring private land. Restrict all overnight use to the designated campsite in Sandy Cove.