Cobble Beach is a beach in Hancock County, Maine. It lies in or next to Acadia National Park, so park hours, fees and rules apply. It sits roughly 6.6 km (4.1 mi) SSE of Bar Harbor.
From the National Park Service
How does this cobble beach compare to Sand Beach, where this hike started? An easy difference to spot is in the names of the beaches: one beach is made of sand , and one beach is made of cobbles . In geology, these words are used to describe the size of pieces of rocks, also known as “grain size.” Grain size, in addition to grain roundness, help tell geologists about what kind of journeys rocks have been on.
At this cobble beach, we can observe the size and roundness of these cobbles to learn more about the beach. The cobbles are large, meaning that they haven’t moved very far. Because their size makes them heavy, it is difficult for waves to pick them up and take them somewhere else. The cobbles are also round, which tells us that they are being smoothed as waves carry them up and down the beach, rolling the cobbles against each other and knocking off any sharp or broken edges.
If we took a dump truck of sand from Sand Beach and poured it onto this cobble beach, it would wash away very quickly! This beach is not protected by any landforms and gets hammered with waves all day. Only the cobbles remain because their larger size makes them resistant to these strong waves. Because most of Acadia’s shoreline is exposed to direct waves, there are many other cobble beaches in the park – when you encounter cobble beaches, it’s important to leave the cobbles where you find them. It helps preserve the beach for future visitors to enjoy, lets cobbles stabilize the shoreline, and protects tiny ecosystems that live in the crevices of the rocks.
Text: National Park Service (public domain) — nps.gov.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Cobble Beach the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 55° (NE) at the June solstice and 123° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 305° (NW) in June to 237° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 69° in summer but only 22° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:37 AM | 90° E | 6:45 PM | 271° W | 46° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 4:49 AM | 55° NE | 8:21 PM | 305° NW | 69° | 15h 32m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:20 AM | 89° E | 6:32 PM | 271° W | 46° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:06 AM | 123° ESE | 3:57 PM | 237° WSW | 22° | 8h 51m |
Azimuth is measured clockwise from true north (90° = east, 270° = west). Computed for 2026; values change by less than a degree from year to year.
Golden hour & blue hour by month
Beaches facing east suit sunrise and west-facing beaches suit sunset; wet sand mirrors the sky color during golden hour.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:34 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:52 AM | 3:34 PM | 4:19 PM | 4:52 PM | 9h 13m |
| February | 6:04 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:14 AM | 4:21 PM | 5:02 PM | 5:32 PM | 10h 28m |
| March | 6:17 AM | 6:46 AM | 7:25 AM | 6:00 PM | 6:39 PM | 7:08 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 5:20 AM | 5:50 AM | 6:29 AM | 6:38 PM | 7:17 PM | 7:47 PM | 13h 27m |
| May | 4:33 AM | 5:07 AM | 5:49 AM | 7:11 PM | 7:53 PM | 8:27 PM | 14h 47m |
| June | 4:12 AM | 4:49 AM | 5:33 AM | 7:35 PM | 8:19 PM | 8:56 PM | 15h 30m |
| July | 4:28 AM | 5:03 AM | 5:47 AM | 7:32 PM | 8:15 PM | 8:51 PM | 15h 12m |
| August | 5:05 AM | 5:37 AM | 6:17 AM | 7:00 PM | 7:40 PM | 8:11 PM | 14h 03m |
| September | 5:43 AM | 6:12 AM | 6:51 AM | 6:07 PM | 6:45 PM | 7:15 PM | 12h 33m |
| October | 6:19 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:28 AM | 5:11 PM | 5:50 PM | 6:19 PM | 11h 02m |
| November | 5:58 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:13 AM | 3:23 PM | 4:07 PM | 4:38 PM | 9h 38m |
| December | 6:29 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:50 AM | 3:07 PM | 3:55 PM | 4:28 PM | 8h 52m |
Local time (America/New York), including daylight saving time. Golden hour runs from about −4° to +6° solar altitude, so the morning golden hour begins during blue hour, before sunrise.
Milky Way & night sky
From Cobble Beach, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 3.5 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 17° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 3 (rural sky), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -3° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 8° | — |
| March | 4:26 AM – 5:06 AM | 0.7 | 13° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 2:23 AM – 3:53 AM | 1.5 | 16° | SSE → S |
| May | 12:29 AM – 2:59 AM | 2.5 | 17° | SSE → S |
| June | 10:46 PM – 2:16 AM | 3.5 | 17° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:31 PM – 1:01 AM | 2.5 | 17° | S → SSW |
| August | 9:32 PM – 11:02 PM | 1.5 | 16° | S → SSW |
| September | 8:25 PM – 8:55 PM | 0.5 | 13° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 8° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -20° | — |
Window when the galactic core is at least 10° high during astronomical darkness on the 15th of each month. Pick nights within a few days of the new moon. Plan exact nights with the Milky Way planner.
Estimated sky darkness: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.68 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 4.5+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 53% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (72%). July is the warmest month and January the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.
Average cloud cover (%)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 53 | 51 | 72 | 73 | 81 | 88 | 89 | 93 | 94 | 79 | 64 | 60 |
| Low °F | -19 | -19 | -13 | 15 | 29 | 38 | 49 | 47 | 36 | 24 | 6 | -15 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.0 | 3.4 | 3.4 | 3.9 | 3.6 | 4.4 | 3.1 | 3.2 | 3.8 | 5.4 | 4.7 | 4.7 |
Monthly climatology for the surrounding 1° grid cell from NASA POWER (MERRA-2). Mountain sites can be colder and cloudier than the cell average.
Photography tips for this beach
- Salt spray coats lenses quickly; wipe often and rinse gear afterward.
- Fog and marine layers can make minimalist images; don't give up on grey days.
- Time visits around low tide to reveal tide pools, sea stacks and reflective sand — check the tide widget below.
- Slow shutter speeds (0.5–2 s) turn receding waves into streaks that lead toward the horizon.
- Watch for sneaker waves; never turn your back on the ocean on exposed coasts.
- Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.
Season: Winter storms bring dramatic surf on Pacific coasts; summer and autumn sunsets are popular on Atlantic and Gulf beaches.
Suggested gear: Tripod, ND filters, Rain cover, Lens cloths. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Permits, drones & access
National Park Service rules. Under federal law (54 U.S.C. 100905), still photography in National Park Service areas needs a permit only when it (1) takes place where members of the public are not allowed, (2) uses models, sets or props that are not part of the location's natural or cultural resources or administrative facilities, or (3) would cause the park to incur additional administrative costs to monitor the activity. Ordinary visitor and most landscape photography needs no permit. Commercial filming rules are separate and have changed in recent years — confirm current requirements with the park before a paid shoot.
Drones: Launching, landing or operating unmanned aircraft (drones) is prohibited in National Park Service units under a 2014 Superintendent's closure (36 CFR 1.5), except where a park has issued specific written approval. Flying from outside the boundary over park land can also violate park rules and disturb wildlife.
Tides
The nearest NOAA tide prediction station is BAR HARBOR, 7.1 km (4.4 mi) away. Low tide often reveals tide pools, wet-sand reflections and sea stacks.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Cobble Beach, closest first.
Scenic Viewpoint
Scenic Viewpoint
Lighthouse
Mountain Peak
Waterfall
Lighthouse
LighthouseScenic ViewpointWaterfallCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Blackwoods Campground3.5 km (2.2 mi) · reservable
- Schoodic Woods Campground10.3 km (6.4 mi) · reservable
- Seawall Campground14.4 km (8.9 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Cobble Beach?
What time is golden hour at Cobble Beach?
Where does the sun rise and set at Cobble Beach?
Can you see the Milky Way from Cobble Beach?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Cobble Beach?
How far is Cobble Beach from Bar Harbor?
Sources
Location data: National Park Service. Sun, moon and Milky Way times are computed by LWPhoto Atlas for 2026. Climate: NASA POWER. Sky darkness is a population-based estimate (Walker's law), not a measurement. See data sources & licenses.