Fort Knox

Visiting this landmark has so much nostalgia. Growing up, my family always visiting durig labor day weekend. The ocean views are breath taking and vast. There are even the binoculars you can drop a quarter into. There are trails to follow in and around the fort. There is a picturesque picnic area, so make sure to pack a lunch and spend the day exploring.
Don’t forget your flashlights, for all the dark alleys and secret jail cells. We used to run ahead and hide to scare people from the cells. There are huge cannons inside and out, one of which we used to be able to fit in as kids. There are gun powder rooms, bunk house and a corridor of what appears to be a cafeteria. This is such a fun place to visit.

Don’t miss this! Stopped to take a trip to the top of the bridge tower. This was a fantastic stop as well. What a great piece of history. Easy walk through with informative plaques along the way.
Generally wheelchair (and stroller) accessible, but there are A LOT of steps. Worth the visit for the views.

We came to Fort Knox, because it was included in the entrance fee for the Penobscot Narrows Bridge and Observatory and two of our party were/​are history buffs. I was in it for the photography and — being that it was a gloomy/​overcast day at the time — especially the black-​and-​white photography. That said, I thought the fort was very interesting — the massive metal– and stoneworks were impressive, WOW! You don’t see work like that any more! — and therefore certainly «photogenic.» Plus, there’s something about walking through a piece of history like that that makes it «come alive» for you. In that vein, I appreciated the effort to set up a «real life» display in the officer’s quarters, but it was sad to see how deteriorated the mannequin guy was (looks like some rats have been chewing on the poor guy’s hand!)
Side note: I probably should have uploaded them last (I still haven’t been able to finesse the pic uploading part of Unilocal yet), but, as a visual artist, I thought someone’s display of Skel-​A-​Gnomes in the gift shop’s (back) office window was too interesting to pass up (i.e. interesting in a creepy sort of way — I already think gnomes are creepy, so why not go all the way? And these gave off a sort of «Middle-​Earth» vibe to me, which is even bettah!) And apparently people have been asking about them? Else why post an invoice in the window that tells what they are and where to buy them?

5 stars, cause this is as good as it gets.
Fort Knox is a Civil War-​era fortress which, although it did not need to be utilized for battle, they surely were ready for it!!! I wouldn’t say the place is *massive*, but definitely impressive in the skill of engineering and craftsmanship to make it all come together.
The parking/​admission is very reasonable. I found that the staff there are very knowledgeable. Although this is a self-​guided tour, the lady in the gift shop was happy to answer questions. The only thing that I might deduct a half-​star is the lack of any food items on premise. I get that there’s no Starbucks or Panera on site, but some chips bags and Gatorades might sell in the gift shop.
I do recommend bringing a flashlight (one for each member of your party is even better) — there is only ambient lighting coming through the small windows and gun turrets, so there are a lot of dark passages that get overlooked. Also, closed toe shoes (sneakers or boots is fine), as inside the fort can collect condensation on the granite surfaces (floors and stairs can be slippery).
The fort has been rehabbed from when I went there as a kid. I’m glad I could bring my boy there.
The observatory is new, and if you have a little time I definitely recommend it, if for nothing other than to soak up the beautiful A/​C on a sweltering (for Maine) 90° day. No worries about getting up there — you’re going to take the elevator to the (almost) top, then 2 flights of stairs from there. There is a wheelchair-​access elevator which bypasses the stairs portion. The views from the top are phenomenal, and on a clear day you can see Cadillac Mountain in Acadia National Park.
I’ll be back. Probably next year. And I’ll remember to bring a better flashlight!

If you’re visiting the Penobscot Bridge Observatory, I would highly recommend having a quick look round the neighbouring Fort Knox. It has been kept in great condition, and has a sense of a monument to it. The silent cannon emplacements and huge empty powder magazines and barrack rooms are emotive, to say the least.
A small museum explains the history of the ultimately unused fort, and gives an account of the Americans’ ill-​fated ‘Penobscot Expedition’, which, being British, was entertaining. Inside, there are a few rooms which have been fitted out as they would have been, and there are cannon in most of the major emplacements.
Finally, the tunnel networks linking the main fort to its outlying gun batteries are fun to explore, although a flashlight is necessary for some of them (my iPhone’s sufficed; you won’t need anything bigger).
All in all, Fort Knox is a lovely place to visit, with beautiful views over the river to Bucksport, and a perfect angle for photos of the Bridge. You’ll learn plenty about the history of the fort and the surrounding area, and entrance is even on the same ticket as the observatory!

We almost always make a pit stop here on our way up to or back from Bar Harbor. It’s a great little historical place with great views across the river — you can spend hours or just stroll through. There’s a huge picnic area and lots of nooks and crannies within the Fort. Despite having been here three times, I haven’t been into the tunnels or up to the Observatory — or had a picnic! Maybe next time. I will definitely be back. And no, this isn’t the place where the $$$ is!

A great place to have a picnic. Wonderful fort for exploring with many darkened corridors and multiple levels. One point, bring a flashlight if you plan on roaming within the maze like walls.

Nice fort. Friendly staff. Enjoyed the 2 for 1 ticket that included the Penobscot Observatory. Plaques around the fort explained different features nicely. Definitely a self-​paced place, stay as long or as little as you like. Enjoyed the reenactments as well. Well taken care of, clean.

I’ve been to so many different forts and historical sites they have all started to blend together but I still had a wonderful time at Fort Knox. My family really enjoyed running around the different parts of the fort and finding the less-​travelled passages. We also had a number of impromptu photo shoots with the interesting lighting throughout the fort.

Fort Knox was a great historical site to check out. It was only a few dollars to park in the lot and Fort Knox shares it’s parking lot and gift shop with the Penobscot Narrows Bridge & Observatory which is a great 2 for 1 trip. The observatory allows you for a great view of the Fort from about 420′ up (a few bucks more). Unlike the observatory, the Fort is an empty self-​guided place were you can stay as much or as little as you’d like. The Fort has a good amount of plaques around telling you a lot about the history of different parts so you do get some information during your visit. They do have a few large canons at the fort but other than that (and some current renovations being done) the fort is empty. They recommend bringing a flashlight which got me excited that I could do a little exploring of hidden areas or something but I really didn’t need one (there’s only one corridor that is dark-​ish). Fort Knox was in relatively great condition (no graffiti and nothing really falling apart or anything) and was worth the trip to check out.