Two Lights State Park is a 41 acre park that offers sweeping views of Maine’s rocky coast and the open Atlantic Ocean located in Cape Elizabeth. Prior to becoming a park, this land was once home to a coastal defense installation and you can see remnants of an observation tower and several bunkers within the park’s boundaries.
If you are looking for the perfect southern Maine picnic spot, this is it! With numerous picnic tables and grills in all the perfect places, this is one my favorite spots to bring the family and enjoy those quintessential views of the Maine coastline!
Read more below for details about the Park including what I think about the bathroom situation, hiking trails, and playground!
Parking Details:
You can access Two Lights State Park from the Two Lights Road off of Route 77 in Cape Elizabeth. With four rows of angled parking, you are guaranteed to find a spot to park here! Even on it’s busiest days, I have never found the parking lot to be full.
If you are coming in with a camper or RV, I would recommend parking near the treeline.
Playground Details:
There is a playground at this park and it’s in good condition. There are several slides, swings (baby swings, too!), monkey bars, and a wobbly bridge. There are picnic tables nearby and its proximity to the bathrooms is much appreciated.
Full disclosure: This is a pretty sunny playground! My favorite find of this year (thanks to my friend, Aimee!) is a great sunscreen applicator! I love Solar Buddies as I find it encourages my daughter to self-apply!
Hiking Trail Details:
There are several trails available to you at Two Light State Park and they are all very kid-friendly. The trails total about 1.9 miles of paths available. A good portion of the trails are on the ocean-facing side of the park. However, my favorite paths are those in the woods!
As you can see from the trail map, there are many different loops in the woods and our favorite is the long loop that leads you past the historical fire tower. These trails, though not well marked, are well traversed and you can easily find your way. I would even be comfortable taking my jogging stroller on these trails (reminder-I loved “off-roading” with my jogging stroller!).
*Two Lights State Park uses Maine Trail Finder as the official trail map for the park.
Beach Details:
There is no beach access at Two Lights State Park. However, you do have access to scramble along the rocks that make up this beautiful section of our coastline.
Reminder: The ocean is no joke and the waves are extremely powerful and unpredictable here. Always face the ocean with at least 20 feet between you and the surf.
Picnic Details:
This park is my FAVORITE picnic location because of all the cute, semi-hidden, picnic spots that are dotted along the ocean-facing side of this park. Finding a table close to the ocean or tucked away under the shade of the tree with the sound of the surf will NOT be a problem here! Many of the picnic tables also have accompanying charcoal grills.
A group site can be reserved and is located on the wooded side of the park.
Location of the Passport Station:
If you are working towards collecting stamps for the Passport Program, you will be able to find the Passport Station off to the side of the parking lot. You will be able to find this station near the kiosk offering more information about the historical features and trails here at the Park.
Fees:
| Adult Maine Resident | Adult Non Resident | Children 5-11 Years Old | Children under 5 & Adults 65 and older | Senior Resident | Senior Non Resident |
| $7.00 | 7.00 | $1.00 | FREE | FREE | $2.00 |
There is a ranger station/entrance station at this Park and it is sometimes staffed. Plan to bring exact change so if you need to drop your fee into the canister, you can!
*Maine libraries often have free Maine State Park passes available to their patrons. Check my blog to see if your library participates!
If you don’t see the pass listed with your library, don’t hesitate to reach out and ask them. Libraries frequently add museum and park passes to their offerings!
Bathroom Low Down:
The bathroom situation at Two Lights State Park is sooooo good! You will find a large building near the playground that houses 12 individual bathroom stalls (12!!) with flushing toilets. On the outside of the building you will even find water fountains and spigots for filling up those water bottles and water dishes for the pups.
The bathrooms are usually closed up during the off-season. However, don’t worry! You will still have bathroom access during the off-season by accessing the privy near the group picnic area.
Visitor Accessibility:
The Parks and Sites are rated on an overall basis with a 1-3 star rating and then individual aspects of the park assessed with a description of accessibility and a 1-5 star rating.
For my rationale for including this in the blog and the definitions for the descriptions of accessibility, head to my State Park Series Intro Blog where I share why it’s important to include this and how you can help make Maine State Parks more accessible for future generations.
Below is the accessibility rating for Two Lights State Park:
| Individual Aspect | Description of Accessibility | Rating |
| Parking | Accessible | ★★★★★ out of 5 stars |
| Restrooms | Accessible | ★★★★★ out of 5 stars |
| Picnic Tables | Accessible | ★★★★★ out of 5 stars |
| Picnic Area | Generally Accessible | ★★★★ out of 5 stars |
| Playground | Somewhat Accessible*Uneven ground | ★★ out of 5 stars |
| Bay Views | Generally Accessible | ★★★★ out of 5 stars |
| Trails | Accessible with Assistance | ★★★ out of 5 stars |
| Group Use Area | Accessible | ★★★★★ out of 5 stars |
| Group Picnic Area | Accessible | ★★★★★ out of 5 stars |
| Overall Accessibility: ★★★ out 3 stars | ||
Overall Impression:
We have been to Two Lights State Park countless times. The views along the trails that dot the coastline here are quintessential Maine rocky coast and absolutely breathtaking!
As I shared earlier, this is my favorite picnic spot in Southern Maine! Each picnic spot gives you some privacy while being picturesque. Whether you are looking for views of the ocean or a little spot in the shade or spots with multiple tables, you will be sure to find a picnic table that fits your situation!
With the wooded trails, historical features, playground, and scrambling over the rocks near the coastline, there is so much to do at Two Lights State Park that you could easily spend half a day here.
My tips for this park are pretty simple: pack a fabulous picnic lunch, some sunscreen, and enjoy! It’s not hard to fall in love with this park! Happy Adventuring!
For exclusive subscriber-only content, drop your email below to never miss a blog from The Wandering Chickadee.
And follow along on Facebook and Instagram for more daily content!