Buckle

Buckle Island is a favorite destination for cruisers in Jericho Bay. Located off the northwest corner of Swans Island, about midway between Merchant Row and Acadia, the island is surrounded by breathtaking scenery. Buckle, Swans and Duck Island together form a natural anchorage with ample room and good holding ground that is sheltered from the prevailing winds. During the summer months, it is common to find several boats in Buckle Harbor resting at anchor.

With ledges and shallows guarding the southern entrance to the harbor, it is best to approach Buckle Island from the north via Casco Passage or York Narrows. There is a nice, sandy landing beach on the southeast point, just north of Duck Island. Above this southeastern beach, visitors will find a lovely picnic spot with improvised benches looking out over Buckle Harbor and Seal Cove. Additional landing options can be found midway up the eastern shore and at the northeast point of the island.

Buckle is crisscrossed by a well-worn trail network, which weaves through spruce forests, past mossy glades and along stretches of scenic shoreline. Sections of the island feel almost primeval, with notched trees draped in beard lichen and dense woods penetrated by faint sunlight. Along the trails, hikers will encounter many natural works of art inspired by the charm and beauty of the island, including elaborate fairy houses and rock sculptures. A standalone door set in the middle of the trail is perhaps the most whimsical island attraction. Stepping through the door gives hikers the sense of passing into another dimension.

[Acadia National Park](https://www.nps.gov/acad/index.htm) holds a conservation easement on Buckle, and visitors are welcome ashore at any time for day use and hiking. There are no campsites on the island. There is a mailbox with a guest book where visitors are encouraged to sign in and leave comments. The mailbox is typically stocked with garbage bags and the owners are grateful to anyone who is willing to pitch in by grabbing a bag and picking up any shoreline debris as they're able so that the island may remain clean and safe for all to enjoy.