Popham Beach is a sandy beach in Maine that extends southwest about three miles from Fort Popham, at the mouth of the

Kennebec River The Kennebec River (Abenaki language, Abenaki: ''Kinəpékʷihtəkʷ'') is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map , accessed June 30, 2011 river within the U.S. state of Maine. It ri ...

, toward the mouth of the

Morse River The Morse River is a river of the West Coast Region of New Zealand's South Island. It flows generally northwest from its source in the Strachan Range, reaching the Mahitahi River 14 kilometres south of Bruce Bay. See also *List of rivers of New ...

. It is near the site of the short-lived Popham Colony, founded in 1607 and abandoned the following year. The beach and the surrounding area are considered part of the town of

Phippsburg Phippsburg is a town in Sagadahoc County, Maine, United States, on the west side of the mouth of the Kennebec River. The population was 2,155 at the 2020 census. It is within the Portland– South Portland–Biddeford, Maine, Biddefo ...

Sagadahoc County Sagadahoc County ( ) is a county located in the U.S. state of Maine. As of the 2020 census, the population was 36,699. Its county seat is Bath. In geographic area, it is the smallest county in Maine. Sagadahoc County is part of the Portland� ...

. At the southwestern end of the beach, access is granted via the popular

Popham Beach State Park Popham Beach State Park is a public recreation area covering on the Atlantic Ocean in the town of Phippsburg, Sagadahoc County, Maine. It is the state's highest volume day use State Park. The state park occupies a dynamic shoreline landscape ...

, administered by Maine Bureau of Parks & Lands. The northeastern end of the beach is accessed via paths around historic

Fort Popham Fort Popham is a Civil War-era coastal defense fortification at the mouth of the Kennebec River in Phippsburg, Maine. It is located in sight of the short-lived Popham Colony and, like the colony, named for George Popham, the colony's leader. Pr ...

, a handful of private parking lots and pathways, as well as the Ocean View Campground situated near the boundary of the state park. Popular recreational activities at Popham Beach include walking, beachcombing, sunbathing, sightseeing, kite flying, swimming, and fishing for species such as striped bass and bluefish. Casual hikers also enjoy exploring the remnants of

Fort Baldwin Fort Baldwin is a former coastal defence and fortification, coastal defense fortification near the mouth of the Kennebec River in Phippsburg, Maine, United States, preserved as the Fort Baldwin State Historic Site. It was named after Jeduthan Bald ...

on the opposite side of the cove from Fort Popham. The state park is patrolled by lifeguards during the warmer months, with no lifeguards on duty at any time beyond the state park boundary. At low tide, sandbars are exposed that provide brief access to Wood Island and Fox Island. The Pond Island and

Seguin Island Seguin or Séguín is a French and Gascon name. It may be a Frankish name, from Germanic origin (''sig-'', that is, "victory", cf. modern German ''sieg'', and ''-win'', that is, "friend", related to modern English "win"). Seghin, Sigiwinus, Si ...

lighthouses are easily visible from the shores of Popham Beach, and their distinct foghorns are audible for miles around. Pets are allowed on parts of Popham Beach all year round, but there are special rules that apply to pets for parts of the beach in th
state park
It is a rule in the state park that you must pick up any waste that your pet may leave behind. But the open part of the beach is considered more pet friendly than it
state park
counterpart. Popham Beach State Park is a popular day trip destination for area residents, while the cottages (and their access roads) at the northeastern end of the beach are privately owned. There are many cottages available for seasonal rental, as well as a seasonal motel and a bed and breakfast, the latter of which is housed in an old Coast Guard Station. In recent years, increased erosion has threatened the southwestern end of the beach, with massive dune loss at the state park and the area bordering the park, which is home to numerous rental cottages and seasonal residences, along with the Ocean View Campground. Part of the 1999 film '' Message in a Bottle'' was filmed at the beach. Author Douglas Kennedy describes Popham Beach in several of his novels like "Pursuit of Happiness".

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* * {{Coord, 43, 44.5, N, 69, 47.4, W , type:landmark_region:US-ME_dim:2km , display=title Beaches of Maine Landforms of Sagadahoc County, Maine Kennebec River