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KCT Island Camping

The Kennebunkport Conservation Trust offers primitive camping and day picnicking on our harbor islands. Experience the wonders of nature, beauty of the sea and magic of island life by coming for a visit.  You can reach the harbor islands by boat, being mindful of the tides and Mother Nature.  Small skiffs and non-motorized crafts (kayaks, canoes) are the preferred way to travel.

Island Camping

No fee camping is allowed at established sites on Cape, Trotts and Vaughn’s Islands.  Each campsite has a designated maximum capacity. 

Please visit each island's webpage or use the buttons below to reserve your campsite. Campsites may be reserved one week ahead of arrival for up to two consecutive nights. Advanced reservation are not accepted. Reservations are only required for overnight stays.

While camping is free, you can help us with care for the islands!  Please considering becoming a Trust Member by making any sized contribution so we can forever maintain these special properties for all to enjoy for generations to come!  Together, we can make a difference.  Together, we can do great things!

Cape Island           Trott Island           Vaughn Island

Fire Restrictions

You will be camping on land owned and maintained by the Kennebunkport Conservation Trust.  As part of your camping reservation, the Trust is permitting you to burn a campfire in, and only in, Trust maintained firepits.  Building and/or using rouge firepits is strictly prohibited.

Within 48 hours of your reservation date, each camper is required to visit the Maine Forest Service’s Wildfire Danger Report at:

https://www.maine.gov/dacf/mfs/wildfire_danger_report/index.html

Note, our islands are located in zone 10 on the digital map.  If the color of zone 10 is Yellow, Orange, or Red the fire risk is too high and you are not allowed to have any open fires – i.e. campfires are not permitted.

When leaving your campsite, please be sure your campfire is completely extinguished.  The best practice is to douse with water, stir down to the lowest coals, and douse a second time.

Thank you for following this important safety precaution, and have a wonderful, and safe, camping experience.

Don’t let poison ivy spoil your camping trip!

Most islands off the Maine coast commonly include a host of flora and fauna, including some not so pleasant to humans, such as mosquitos, marauding raccoons, and poison ivy. You can forestall the raccoons by keeping all food inside a cooler (very firmly latched) or your tent, and the mosquitos can be repelled with plenty of bug spray. The poison ivy is more of a challenge, so we recommend you familiarize yourself with what it looks like and avoid it. Should you come in contact with the plant, washing with liberal amounts of soap (dish soap – i.e. detergent is better) and salt water is a good immediate solution.