Beach Day, Anyone?
Jasper Beach in Machiasport, Maine
Whisky the Vizsla at Jasper Beach, Machiasport, Maine.
We spent the 4th of July this year at Jasper Beach in Machiasport, a sleepy little town in Downeast Maine that gets much less traffic than it deserves. Not only is Machiasport (and neighboring Machias) super cute and scenic, but Jasper Beach in particular remains a hidden gem, despite boasting that rare, special phenomenon known as “singing rocks.”
Misnamed for the pebbles that make up its shores, Jasper Beach isn’t *actually* full of Jasper, but red rhyolite, a type of volcanic rock. Ceaselessly polished by the waves, with time the rhyolite has come to resemble smooth jasper—and what’s more, to “sing” when the wake makes the stones rub together.
The day we went was partly cloudy and breezy, and maybe the wind noise was too loud, obscuring the singing, because I couldn’t hear it. It was no less pretty to look at, however, as the beach itself is crescent-shaped, wrapping the cove in a kind of warm, burgundy hug. (And I mean warm: The pebbles absorb the heat of the sun and radiate it back out, making the smooth stones especially pleasant to lie down on.) Because the tidal variation is so high here, the beach is also steeply sloped, almost like it offers built-in back support!
If you do lie down, just beware the spiders. They are mostly harmless little things, more skittish even than arachnophobes, but there are a lot. They live under the stones and pop up as often as crabs to skitter across the rocky surface. Let your eyes go soft as you gaze at the water, and you’ll soon notice teeming activity in your periphery. Those are the spiders—kind of cool, if you ask me!
Even on a holiday, mile-long Jasper Beach had maybe twenty visitors, so it feels nice and remote, like an insider secret. The water was cold and only the dogs were swimming; but beach combing for cool rocks and shells is a popular (albeit frowned upon) human activity.
Red rhyolite volcanic rocks, polished to look like jasper at Jasper Beach.
Jasper Beach, Machiasport, Maine.
Lamoine Beach in Lamoine, Maine
Closer to the Lincoln School by half (Machiasport is 1.5 hours away; Lamoine is 45 minutes) is Lamoine Beach in Lamoine, Maine. While this site definitely screams “traditional beach day” more than Jasper, Lamoine, too, is a pebble beach (rather than sand), but is flatter with a larger parking lot, playground area, and picnic tables catering to families. Closer to amenities like restaurants and grocery stores, Lamoine Beach naturally attracts more visitors—but even on the hot, sunny Sunday we went, it didn’t feel crowded. Not the way, say, Bar Harbor does every day of the peak season.
There were even more dogs at Lamoine Beach, and all of them were frolicking off-leash, so feel free to bring your canine companion for stick-throwing and splashing fun. At least one family I saw set up their own BBQ grill in the park area, meaning with a little advance planning, you can definitely make a whole day of it.
Note: As this beach is just up the road from Lamoine State Park, which has a beautiful campground, as well as some nearby AirBNBs, there are plenty of local accommodation options!
Lamoine Beach, Lamoine, Maine.
Twofer: Jasper Beach and Lamoine Beach
Curious to compare Jasper Beach and Lamoine Beach for yourself? It’s completely possible to make a day trip of both of them. Start your morning at Jasper, for a cool, private sunrise experience; get an early lunch in Machias; then wind your way toward Lamoine for a relaxing afternoon on the beach there. Plan to grill out, or head into Ellsworth (just 15 minutes away) for dinner at any number of great restaurants. (My favorites are linked here.)
Alternatively, try this route in reverse on a Thursday, Friday, or Saturday, and on your way home to the Lincoln School from Jasper, swing by Airline Brewing on Route 9 in Amherst for a great brew and fresh haddock sandwich or hearty BLT salad.
Have fun!
