Marshall Point Lighthouse
Marshall Point Road
Port Clyde, ME
A small white light reached by a slatted wooden walkway over the rocks, quietly famous as the spot where Forrest Gump finally stopped running.
Marshall Point Lighthouse is a small, much-loved light at the tip of the St. George peninsula in Port Clyde, reached by a distinctive slatted wooden walkway that runs out over the rocks to the tower. Modest in size, it has an outsized fame: this is the lighthouse where Forrest Gump reached the Atlantic and decided to turn around, a scene that draws film fans from around the world.
Beyond the movie, Marshall Point is a genuine piece of Maine's maritime coast, with a keeper's house that now serves as a small museum and a setting in one of the state's classic lobstering villages at the very end of the road, where the mail boat still leaves for the island of Monhegan.
What Travelers Love
- The photogenic wooden walkway leading out to the little lighthouse
- Its cameo as the end point of Forrest Gump's cross-country run
- A small keeper's-house museum on local maritime and village history
- The quiet, authentic feel of a working lobstering village at road's end
Worth Knowing
- The grounds and walkway are open year-round; the museum keeps limited seasonal hours
- The rocks are uneven and can be slick, so watch your footing near the water
- Port Clyde is small, so parking and space are limited on busy summer days
- The village is the departure point for the ferry to Monhegan Island
Learn about Marshall Point Lighthouse
A light for a working coast
A lighthouse has marked Marshall Point since 1832, guiding vessels into Port Clyde harbor and along the rocky approaches of the St. George peninsula. The present tower and the walkway that leads to it date from a rebuilding later in the nineteenth century.
The point served the working life of the coast, lighting the way for fishing boats, coasting schooners, and the traffic of a busy maritime region. The keeper's house beside it sheltered the families who tended the light before it was automated.
This shore is part of the homeland of the Wabanaki peoples, whose presence along the MidCoast long predates the lighthouse and the village that grew up around the harbor.
The Forrest Gump connection
Marshall Point's widest fame comes from the 1994 film Forrest Gump. In the movie's cross-country running sequence, the title character reaches the end of his eastward run at this lighthouse, walking out the wooden ramp before turning back the way he came.
The scene turned a small Maine light into a pop-culture landmark, and visitors regularly walk the same ramp to recreate the moment, making Marshall Point one of the more photographed lighthouses in the state despite its modest size.
The museum in the keeper's house leans into that story alongside its local history, and the village takes the steady stream of film pilgrims in stride as part of Port Clyde life.
Port Clyde and the sea
Port Clyde is a working lobstering village at the end of Route 131, a place of wharves, traps, and fishing boats where the maritime economy is still very much alive rather than a picturesque memory.
From the village harbor the mail boat runs out to Monhegan Island, a remote artists' haven roughly a dozen miles offshore, making Port Clyde a gateway as well as a destination.
The waters off the point draw seals, eiders, and cormorants, and the rocks and tide pools reward a careful look, so the lighthouse rewards both film fans and anyone simply wanting a quiet spot to watch the Atlantic at the edge of Maine.
Season by season
Summer brings the steadiest weather and the fullest life to Port Clyde, with the museum open, boats running to Monhegan, and visitors walking the wooden ramp for their photos in the sun.
The shoulder seasons and winter strip the point back to its essentials, quieter, wilder, and often more dramatic, when a passing storm throws surf against the rocks and the little light stands alone against a gray sea. The grounds and walkway stay open year-round for those who come off-season.
Closest Boutels
The closest Boutel™ stays, so you can turn this stop into an overnight. Each is a place we chose through independent editorial review, never a paid placement.
Details
Port Clyde, ME
Frequently asked questions
What is Marshall Point Lighthouse?
Marshall Point Lighthouse, in Port Clyde on the St. George Peninsula of midcoast Maine, is a charming and picturesque lighthouse famous for its distinctive long wooden walkway leading out to the small white light tower over the water. Built in the nineteenth century, the beloved light station and its keeper's house, now a museum, sit on a scenic rocky point, and the lighthouse gained fame as a filming location in the movie Forrest Gump, as the spot where the character ends his cross-country run. Its beauty and film connection draw many visitors. With its picturesque walkway lighthouse and film fame, Marshall Point Lighthouse offers a delightful destination in Maine.
Is Marshall Point Lighthouse in Forrest Gump?
Yes, Marshall Point Lighthouse is famous as a filming location in the movie Forrest Gump, appearing as the spot on the Maine coast where the title character reaches the end of his long cross-country run and turns around. This memorable scene made the picturesque lighthouse and its long wooden walkway iconic to fans of the film, who come to walk the same boardwalk to the light. The connection adds a fun layer to the lighthouse's charm. Whether for the film or the scenery, walking out to Marshall Point Lighthouse is a delightful experience in Port Clyde, Maine.
What can you do at Marshall Point Lighthouse?
You can walk the distinctive long wooden walkway out to the picturesque lighthouse, photograph the scenic light station and rocky coast, visit the small museum in the keeper's house to learn its history, recreate the famous Forrest Gump moment, and enjoy the beautiful midcoast scenery and the charming fishing village of Port Clyde. The walkway, the lighthouse, and the film connection are highlights. It is a lovely, easy stop. With its scenic walkway lighthouse, museum, and coastal beauty, Marshall Point Lighthouse offers a rewarding visit in Port Clyde, Maine.
When is the best time to visit Marshall Point Lighthouse?
Late spring through fall offers the most pleasant weather to enjoy the lighthouse, walkway, and coast, with summer lively and fall bringing color and crisp air, while the lighthouse is scenic year-round. The museum in the keeper's house typically keeps seasonal hours, so checking before you go is wise. Early morning or evening offers lovely light and fewer people. For the best weather and museum access, aim for late spring through fall, though Marshall Point Lighthouse is a beautiful stop any time in Port Clyde, Maine.
What is near Marshall Point Lighthouse?
Marshall Point Lighthouse is in Port Clyde on the St. George Peninsula of midcoast Maine, within reach of the Farnsworth Art Museum and the Owls Head Transportation Museum in the Rockland area, Camden with its harbor and Mount Battie, and the midcoast lighthouses and villages. That makes Marshall Point Lighthouse a delightful stop to combine with the Farnsworth Art Museum, the Rockland and Camden areas, and the other attractions of midcoast Maine on a visit to the state.
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