Frazer Point and its picnic area are the second stop of interest that you come to upon entering the Schoodic Peninsula unit of Acadia National Park, the first being the Schoodic Woods Campground. The Point is located down a short spur road and has a loop parking area at the end that can hold around two dozen vehicles. Half of the parking spots are on the south end of the loop and half are on the north end. There are a couple of tables on the grounds inside the loop, but most are located at the north end of the Point on a large field that overlooks the waters of Mosquito Harbor and the Mount Desert Narrows. The picnic area is open year-round.
At the south-end parking lot is a modern restroom facility, and in the wooded area nearby are four picnic tables and two grills / fire rings. The problem I ran into at Frazer Point during my late August visit was mosquitoes—must be coming from Mosquito Harbor—and I found them to be more prevalent in the wooded areas than the open field. Thus, while these tables are shaded and have nice views, the tables in the open field may make a better picnicking spot during bug season.
Picnic tables at Frazer Point near the south parking lot, Schoodic Peninsula unit of Acadia National Park
Picnic table with a grill / fire ring at Frazer Point, Schoodic Peninsula unit of Acadia National Park
The main section of the Frazer Point Picnic Area is the large field. Here you will find 14 tables and 4 grills / fire rings, plus one table and a stand-up grill for disabled visitors.
Picnic table for disabled visitors at Frazer Point on the Schoodic Peninsula in Acadia National Park
On the east side of the field is another wooded area. There are two tables and a grill right at the border of the field and forest, and if you follow the grass path that leads into the woods, you’ll come to three secluded tables in little cubbyholes, each with their own grill. If you want to have a private picnic, this is the place to come, but you’ll have to deal with the mosquitoes due to the vegetation.
Secluded picnic table on the east side of Frazer Point, Schoodic Peninsula unit of Acadia National Park
There is also a dock at Frazer Point that is open to the public. However, if you do arrive in your own boat, you still need an Acadia National Park entrance pass (these are sold at the campground). Visitors can also fish from the dock.
The shoreline is rocky, which makes tide pooling—searching for sea creatures—possible in the small pools left behind by the retreating water at low tide. In fact, there is quite a bit of shoreline exposed during this time. The only thing to be aware of is that the algae and seaweed that covers the rocks are as slippery as ice. I saw two people sustain serious injuries due to falls caused by seaweed while I was at Acadia National Park, though not at Frazer Point.
There are six picnic areas within Acadia National Park, five on Mount Desert Island and the one at Frazer Point. None are really designed to host group events, mainly because all tables are taken on a first come, first served basis. However, if I were to host an event, Frazer Point would be a good choice because there are many tables and they can be rearranged with a little effort. Keep in mind that groups of 30 or more need a permit ($50 at the time of this writing), but this is to authorize a large gathering only, not to reserve tables. You must still show up early and hope to get enough tables for your event. For more information and a permit form, visit the National Park Service’s Special Use Permits web page for Acadia National Park.
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Last updated on August 17, 2023