I visited Cutts Island on Memorial Day 2021 as summer weather was just beginning and fears about the pandemic were waning. People were eager to get out and enjoy a day out on the water and breathe a sigh of relief; thus the island seemed transformed into one enormous “life resumes” party.

I paddled out from the Horsehead Bay landing, which was busy with all manner of boats, jet skis, and fellow kayakers. From Horsehead Bay, it is about 2.5 miles over the water to a landing on the north side of the island. There’s a bit of a tidal current in the bay; otherwise, the main challenge is the wakes left by motorboats. On this holiday, that was a very frequent obstacle.

On the way to this park, I paddled past Kopachuck State Park, which was also very popular:

A bit later, Cutts Island came into view:

There are a few trails through the forest on the park, which offer some nice views of the water and mountains nearby.

For more information:

• State Parks web site