The beach, the largest in the midcoast region, changes every year due to the slowly migrating path of the Morse River. The Popham Colony was one of the first colonial settlements established in the New World, and what remains is now preserved in PhippsburgвЂ™s Popham Beach State Park. Timber Island, situated just offshore, is reachable at low tide. Often overlooked for more popular or easier- to-access beaches nearby, Goose Rocks remains quieter in the summer than many of its neighbors.

Shimmering, dark-gray sand at low tide and soft, powder-white sand above the intertidal zone make Goose Rocks one of the most picturesque sandy beaches in the region. Despite consistently having some of the coldest water temperatures of any seashore in the state, Sand Beach is one of the most popular destinations on Mount Desert Island throughout the summer months. Under the watchful brow of the Beehive lies a short crescent of sand, shouldered on either side by the iconic pink granite coastline of Acadia National Park. The circa-1897 shipwrecked schooner hull located near the Spurwink River on the east end of the beach is a nifty piece of history. The incoming waves, while crowded with surfers on summer weekends, are friendly to new surfers and reward intrepid paddlers. Known as a surferвЂ™s beach for its consistent break and close proximity to downtown Portland, Higgins is also a striper- fishing destination.

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