Reid State Park — Attraction in Georgetown

April 23, 2021 - All your senses awaken at Reid State Park, regardless when you visit this ocean gem! “Thanks” to the Reid family for their generous donation of land to Maine in 1946! Driving through Georgetown, take a right onto Seguinland Rd. ( big USA flag painted on a rock) then another mile to the park entrance. Some say Popham Beach ( sand) is better, but you can’t beat the iconic Maine coastal scenes at Reid!

There’s two big parking areas, to the left at Griffin’s Head ( rock formations & trees) behind the bath house, and to the right at Todd’s Point about 2/3 mile to another bath house . In all the years my family visited Reid Park not once was it closed in summer for over-crowding like Popham Beach Park.

What a surprise to visit Reid Park in April, on a gorgeous spring day. No waiting on parking. Fantastic smells of ocean, seaweed, salt air! Watching white and grey seagulls swooping down into frothy blue waves at the rocky inlet. Sounds of the ocean’s rolling waves lapping sand, wishing you had a bedroom window cracked to play those sounds as you fall asleep. No fly swatter needed for those pesky green headed horse flies in April ( but be prepared in the summer)!

Features at Reid State Park

*Fee required *Two large parking areas *Restrooms available at both *Picnic tables, and a few grilles available *Life guard on duty at kid swimming area *Snack bars at times open ??? (Past) *Loads of rocks to explore *Inlet & Bridge to explore *Loads of drift wood to explore *Long beach to stroll & build sand castles *Bring fly swatter in summer (horseflies) *Ski Trail is a 2 mile loop *Little River Trail is 1 mile, at Todd’s Point

Notes of Significance

1946 - Investment mogul Walter Reid gifted hundreds of acres for a park

1949 - Maine opened Reid State Park

From Reid Park, one can see . . .

A. Seguin Lighthouse to the southeast B. Hendricks Head Lighthouse to the NW C. Old Coast Guard station on Damariscove Island to the north

Mooring B & B ( before park entrance) was the original home of Walter Reid.

Suggestion:

New Trail head sign plexiglass is “fogged over” difficult to read, at Todd’s Point?

Parks should be free to those who can’t afford to pay fees . . . Just saying

** Park Ranger “Sam” started in 1985, was very helpful & informative! ...

This is probably one of my favorite ocean spots to go. You have crashing waves non stop, it's your normal beach. When you come in through the gates you have to pay a fee, six dollars for adult maine residents. They do close the gates at night so it's not really a beach you can sneak into at night unless you walk in and its a pretty far walk and even then you would have nowhere to park your car. My suggestion just save the hassle and go during the day when they are open. There's two sides you can go, right side is more for adults/couples, left side is mostly for kids/families. However, the family side has the rocks you can climb on and is the best side, in my opinion. From the beach the bathrooms are kinda a hike and an inconvenience, so go to the bathroom first. They have showers but sometimes they are not open. The area is absolutely beautiful, you can pop up a beach tent and just lay the day away, just becareful on the right side (the couples/adult side), if you open up a tent if the tide is out beware you may need to move it a couple times when the tides coming in, unless you plan it correctly. They keep the beach area very clean and no trash laying around. I have other ocean spots I enjoy as well, but this is one of my favorites. It's definitely worth checking...

This is a primier state park combining woodland trails, sand beach, and desolate rocky coast. Parking is limited, as at all state parks but the walk in is worth it. Grest views are punctuated with plenty of picnic tables, benches, and cookout grills. There are outhouses near the entrance and much of the park is wheelchair/handicap accessible. Rocky areas will challenge even most agile visitors and are managed with wheelchair friendly scenic overlooks. Kids will love the many tide pools. Everyone loves the beach. If you only visit one park this year. Reid would be a great choice. EDIT 5/14/22: park is open in off-season mode but parking lots fill fast. Rest rooms near beach are closed though potties are available at far side of parking lot with long lines outside. Water remains dangerously cold and swimming not suggested (fresh water ice out was less than a month ago ). NO LIFE GUARDS ON DUTY. That said we had a great day here today and look forward to official start of summer park season after Memorial Day with return of full services. Kudos to hard working park staff for keeping this great beach open and safe during the off season so use locals can beat the record setting heat...