From our August 2025 issue
How did 20 acres of sand dunes appear smack dab in the middle of the Maine woods? First slowly, and then all at once. Thousands of years ago, retreating glaciers pulverized rock into silt. After many painstaking cycles of the growth and decay of hardy, scrubby plants, a thin layer of topsoil developed — enough to eventually entice the Tuttle family to park their flock of sheep. The sheep, though, grazed the ground bare, and the soil quickly started eroding. Soon, all that was left was this arid tourist stop, open to the public since 1925. Nowadays, the dunes serve up an 1800s-style train ride, a mini-golf course, a restored farmhouse, and a labyrinth, among other attractions, plus ice cream, kettle corn, lemonade, and a salutary lesson in land stewardship. No need to keep an eye out for slithering sand vipers or kicking camels in this little Sahara (although a camel named Toona once called the place home) — the most dangerous thing in this shadeless landscape is probably sunburn.
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