Pet-Friendly Island Dome on Lake w/Free Kayaks

Nightly

📍 Monmouth, ME, US

Per night · ~ estimatesHow we estimate

Hammock Haven is tuned to Nature’s soundtrack — loons calling at dusk, water lapping beneath the dock, wind moving through the trees, and the occasional splash from someone giving in to the lake. From your island dome, you’ll fall asleep to these rhythms and wake as light skims across Annabessacook Lake. Days unfold to a steady beat: cooking simple meals, drifting in hammocks just above the water, paddling the shoreline, and wandering the wooded trails of our 14-acre island. No headphones required.

About the Home

Getting settled is easy and intentionally uncomplicated. Bring a cooler of food and drinks, a few vacation clothes, and curiosity — we supply the rest. Hammock Haven includes a comfy queen bed, extra blankets, a wood stove with unlimited firewood, and thoughtfully designed off-grid comforts like a nose-friendly compost toilet and hot outdoor shower (non-freezing seasons). Electricity is limited on purpose, so the natural sounds get top billing. This is fine glamping, not rough camping. Getting here is part of the experience, and we make it smooth. Arrive by canoe, kayak, ferry, or your own boat, with free island transportation and parking included. You’ll have private access to Hammock Haven and shared access to the rest of the island — trails, docks, hammocks, swim spots, paddle gear, and sunset perches. Daytime visitors may pass through shared areas, as island tradition allows, but when evening settles in, the island quiet takes over. Hammock Haven is pet-friendly for well-mannered pups, beloved by returning guests, and perfect for anyone craving a reset guided by wind, water, and wildlife instead of notifications. Pack light, listen closely, and let nature handle the playlist. OUR FAQ: HOW DO I GET TO THE ISLAND? Every island adventure begins at our shoreside parking/dock area. From there, you've got options: Paddle, Ferry, or BYOBoat. See the details below for schedules, limitations, and FAQ. Know that we make island access for you, your crew, and your gear convenient, free, and part of your adventure. RETURNING GUESTS: We appreciate folks who return year after year. If you've misplaced the Island Withdrawal Syndrome coupon code, remind us of your last stay and we'll send you a new one. We can't have you suffering from IWS, now can we! Also, if you are looking for an exception to minimum night requirements, please reach out. COOKING OPTIONS: We make cooking easy, so pack food, not gear. We supply: kitchen utensils, dishes, pots and pans, French press, coffee, tea, sugar, salt, pepper, and drinking water from our homestead well. You can cook on the propane grill and stove or over an open fire. FREE STUFF: Every Maine Island adventure includes: FREE island transportation, camp chairs, unlimited firewood, lantern, fire starter, matches, canoe, kayak, or stand-up paddle board with life vests and gear. Explore Annabessacook Lake! On the island there is a mile of walking paths, benches and hammocks.This is FINE GLAMPING not hard camping - we do all the rustling for you. DOGS ON VACAY: We're dog people and Hemlock Haven is pet-friendly for most pups. We screen all four legged visitors right after the reservation is made so that every island visitor is safe and prepared. If you can answer "YES" to each of our screening questions, your pup will be approved: Does your dog get along with other pups and humans? Is your dog’s history bite-free? Are you willing to keep your pup on leash during your stay? And, are you willing to be responsible for any damages your dog creates? If there's a "NO" in there, DON'T WORRY! Check out our stay at Naughty Dog Island. It’s a private island with a log cabin where ANY dog - even unsociable ones - can be leash-free and worry-free. Our pet fees are $30/night per pet, which gets settled up after the reservation and screening are completed. LOOKING FOR A SHORT STAY OR WANT A SUPER DEAL? So that guests looking for longer stays have options, our minimum night stay requirements tend to start high early in the year and then drop by Summer. So if you've got a quick stay in mind and are surprised by our minimum night stay requirements, check back with us. The closer we get to an empty night, the more flexible we will be. Same goes for our pricing: if you've got specific dates or stay in mind, book early for the sure thing. But if you're flexible on dates, flexible on which stay you want, and don't mind biting your nails while waiting for a price you like, then save the link and check back. We have a first-come, first-served booking policy, but our pricing gets lower, the closer we are to an empty night.

Good to know

OUTHOUSAPHOBES: We're with you! New guests might wonder about our island, off-the-grid bathrooms. Rest assured that our compost toilets are designed with usability in mind. They smell great! We have all been to rural outhouses where this is not the case. It's the number 1 complaint (or is that #2?). Which is why, when we built each of our toilets facilities, we did something different. Through management of airflow, separation of liquids from solids, application of saw dust, and optimizing the force of gravity, we have a composting toilet system that has been in place for years with minimal odor and maximum sanitation. So rest easy: if a member of your party is an "outhousaphobe", know that so are we! CAN WE HOST A MEDIUM-SIZED GATHERING ON THE ISLAND? Yes — many groups do exactly that. Instead of reserving the entire island, you can combine several nearby island stays to create a comfortable base for your group, with shared time for meals, swims, and wandering conversations while everyone still has their own place to land at night. Once your group has a few stays reserved, our event console helps tie it all together — organizing guest lists, ferry arrivals, lodging, schedules, and potluck plans so the gathering feels coordinated without becoming a full-time planning job. 🌲🛶 CAN'T FIND THE DATES YOU'RE LOOKING FOR? Check out all of our seven (soon to be eight) Maine Island eco-retreat listings at 1 Big Sustainable Island. Packing Advice for glampers: PACK LIGHT! WHAT SHOULD I BRING? • Cooler w/ ice (Free replacement ice packs available) • Favorite foods and beverages • Cell phone/laptop charge cables (We've got juice to keep them charged.) • Sunscreen and bug repellent • Layers of warm clothing • Headlamp or flashlight with extra batteries • Fishing permit for anyone over 16 • Water shoes for swimming • Curiosity and a good sense of humor Our Rates include: • Free island transportation • Free canoes, kayaks, stand up paddle boards, paddles and life vests • Free dock space for your boat • Shoreside hammock • Floating swim dock hammock • Camp chairs • Unlimited firewood • Fire pit • Wood-stove tent heater (for heating season) • Adjustable grill for cooking over the fire • Propane grill and stove • Pots, pans • Dishes • Utensils • Biodegradable soap • Sheets • Towels • Playing Cards • Lanterns • Dad jokes and exclamation points! REMOTE WORK - Wifi, cell, and battery recharges Cell reception registers 3 bars and 5G on the island . So, with any smartphone, you can work remotely. Bring your cord and we'll take phone and laptop battery charging from there. If you need our data plan, we offer a mobile hotspot upon request. There might be a catch: Telling the office or the teens how easy it is to get online on your island adventure will be up to you! If you need us to keep this on the low down: mum's the word. WHAT IS 1 BIG SUSTAINABLE ISLAND (1BSI)? 1BSI is a nonprofit, off-grid island retreat on Annabessacook Lake in Maine where curious humans come to unplug, wander, and remember how to breathe at lake speed. It’s part glamping getaway, part community experiment, and part gentle mischief — a place where thoughtfully designed island stays (cabins, domes, tents, treehouses, and floating oddities) make simple living feel surprisingly luxurious. We handle the boats, the basics, and the behind-the-scenes magic so you can focus on the good stuff: nature, connection, quiet moments, and getting pleasantly reset by island life.

The Neighborhood

Annabessacook Lake is our 1400 acre backyard of clear water, good fishing, and great neighbors. Whether they are year-round residents, summer vacationers, or visitors, most folks you'll meet will tell you that they have been coming here since they were a kid.

Guest Access

Guests enjoy exclusive access to Hemlock Haven where they can enjoy privacy and shared access to 1 Big Sustainable Island. There's lots to do on 1 Big Sustainable Island and (as has been the tradition for generations in the neighborhood) visitors are encouraged to stop by (so expect some company from the neighborhood on the island during daylight -- after dark, however, the island is closed to the public). Activities in these shared areas include: Hiking or walking on more than a mile of trails Swimming Swinging off the rope swing at the lake's edge Cooking over an open fire Watching the sunset from Sunset Rock Resting in one of the hammocks sprinkled about the island Fishing off the dock Canoeing, kayaking, and stand-up paddle boarding Sauna lake plunging We are happy to provide safe luggage storage so you can enjoy free early arrival or free late departure. Guests can take advantage of the shared areas and activities either before check in or after check out. HOW PRIVATE IS THIS? Each of our eco-island stays is designed with privacy in mind. There are 6 stays on 1 Big Sustainable Island. Unless you go looking for neighbors, you probably won't know they are there. Every site has its own corner of the island. You might see folks in the public areas of the island (ie bathroom, boat rack, ferry ride, rope swing, and trails), but your sleeping and eating accommodations are private. Also know that our Reset Crew (if they're not already on island) is a text away, if you need help.

House Rules and Terms

Our Island-Life Vacationing Manual has all of our hints, tips, and rules for experiencing a memorable and inspiring island vacation. Let us know if you would like a copy. And here is the fine print. We are strict about our House Rules and the additional rules below because we want folks to have a safe, enjoyable, peaceful island adventure. Like most people, we don't like surprises, but we do like questions, so if you have any about our house rules, feel free to ask beforehand. We do not allow parties. All overnight guests must be registered within the reservation request. Day visitor guests must be pre-cleared before inviting them over. All occupants of our canoes and kayaks are required to wear life vests. All boats and swimmers are required to be off the water by dark. When checking a boat out for paddling alone, you must text message to Kent. When returning a boat from paddling alone, a text message to Kent is required. There is no smoking allowed in any structure. Smoking is allowed only outside, provided that smokers clean up. Our smoking damage fee is:$300. Illegal substances and fireworks are prohibited at all times. Fires in the fire ring shall be attended to at all times. A bucket of lake water should be filled and available whenever fires are active. Fires in the wood stove should not exceed 375 degrees Active wood stoves should be attended at all times. Smelly garbage must be disposed of in the garbage cans outside. Quiet hours are from 9pm to 8am. No personal items should be left in shared spaces. All requests for pets (service animals and others) are required at the time of booking. All dogs shall be on leash at all times. The lost key charge is $50. All guests are liable for any and all damage (caused by themselves, individuals in their party, and their pets) to the buildings, common areas, and property, including legal fees.