Ferry Beach State Park: Maine's Quiet Beach Near Saco

Ferry Beach State Park is two miles from Saco Bay Hotel, tucked between Old Orchard Beach and Camp Ellis on the same continuous sandy shore. It is a 117-acre Maine State Park with a wide Atlantic beach, 1.7 miles of nature trails, and something you do not find at most Maine state parks: a stand of tupelo trees growing at the very northern edge of their species' range. Botanists come specifically to see them. Most beach visitors have no idea they exist.

The practical point: it is a beautiful beach with a fraction of the Old Orchard crowd.

The Beach

Same white sand, same Saco Bay, same gentle surf as Old Orchard Beach, which is just up the shore. The difference is the access. Ferry Beach has a parking lot, a fee booth, and visitors who are mostly there for the nature. You get space on the sand.

Swimming is allowed. Lifeguards are on duty from mid-June through mid-August. Outside that window, you swim at your own judgment. Conditions are usually calm.

No pets on the beach or boardwalk from April 1 through September 30. The nature trails inside the park are open year-round to leashed dogs.

The Tupelo Trees

Tupelo (black gum) trees are native to the American South and mid-Atlantic. They are not supposed to grow this far north. The stand at Ferry Beach exists at the extreme northern limit of where the species can survive in the wild, which is why naturalists and botanists make the trip specifically to see them.

The Tupelo Trail is a 0.4-mile path on a raised boardwalk through the freshwater swamp behind the dunes. You walk through the swamp without getting your feet wet. The boardwalk is largely barrier-free, accessible for strollers and wheelchairs. In fall, the black gum trees turn brilliant crimson red. It is one of the most striking fall foliage spots in any small park in Maine.

The Trails

Total trail network: 1.7 miles, mostly flat and barrier-free.

• Tupelo Trail (0.4 mi): The raised boardwalk swamp walk. Do this one first.
• White Oak Trail: Through a tall deciduous hardwood forest.
• Red Oak Trail: A forested loop under an oak canopy.

You can combine all three for about an hour to an hour and a half of walking through ocean beach, coastal dunes, freshwater swamp, and hardwood forest, all inside a 117-acre park.

Birdwatching

Ferry Beach is a listed birding hotspot on eBird (hotspot ID: L1590215) because of the variety packed into a small area. Warblers pass through in numbers during spring and fall migration. The swamp is productive. Other wildlife: white-tailed deer, amphibians in the swamp, shorebirds on the beach. May is the peak month for warblers. Serious birders drive from Portland specifically for spring migration here.

Fees

Maine State Parks day-use fees (verify at maine.gov/dacf/parks):

• Maine residents (age 12 and up): $3.00 per person per day
• Non-residents (age 12 and up): $4.50 per person per day
• Children ages 5 to 11: $1.00
• Children under 5: free
• Maine residents age 65 and up: free at all state parks
• Annual Vehicle Pass: $105 | Individual Annual Pass: $55

Hours and Facilities

Open daily 9:00 AM to sunset, Memorial Day through September 30.

Changing rooms and restrooms next to the parking lot. Picnic area and group shelter. No food concessions on site. Bring your own.

Best Times

Summer (late June through August): Lifeguards on the beach, nature center programs running. Good for families who want a beach day without the OOB energy.

Fall (September and October): Black gum trees go crimson. Crowds drop hard after Labor Day. September is particularly good: water still warm, park quiet, foliage starting.

Spring migration (May): Best birdwatching of the year as warblers pass through. The swamp is active, the oaks are leafing out, the park is nearly empty.

Getting There

95 Bay View Road, Saco, ME 04072. From the hotel, head south toward Old Orchard Beach and follow Bay View Road toward the waterfront. About a five-minute drive.