Maine has one national park, roughly 48 state parks, and over 600,000 acres of public land managed for recreation.
Maine's best parks
Acadia, Baxter, Camden Hills
- Acadia National Park
- $35 per vehicle for 7 days, pass required year-round
- Baxter State Park
- Free for Maine residents, $20 entrance for everyone else
- State park day use
- $3 to $8 per adult. Kids under 5 and Maine residents 65+ free
- Best time
- September for hiking and color; July and August for beaches
Some of these parks are world-famous. Others are quiet enough that you might have a beach, a mountain or a whole island to yourself on a Tuesday in June. Both kinds are worth your time. Below are the ten big ones, then ten quieter parks, with our honest take on which are worth the drive. Tap a pin for its photo and page.
Acadia National Park
Acadia is the only national park in New England and one of the ten most visited in the country. Over 4 million people come every year, and they all want the same parking spots.
They come because Acadia packs huge variety into 49,000 acres. In one early-starting day you can climb iron rungs on the Precipice Trail, bike the 45 miles of gravel carriage roads, swim at Sand Beach, watch waves at Thunder Hole, catch sunrise from Cadillac Mountain (the first place in the US to see it from October to March) and eat popovers at Jordan Pond House.
- Best time
- Late September to mid-October
- Entry
- $35 per vehicle, 7 days
Crowds thin a lot after Labor Day, and fall color and crisp weather follow. Skip July and August unless you like traffic on a one-lane road. The free Island Explorer shuttle helps, but Sand Beach, Jordan Pond and Cadillac lots fill before 9 AM in summer, and the Cadillac Summit Road needs a vehicle reservation in season (May 20 to October 25 in 2026). Plan for both or you will spend your vacation circling lots. Next, read our 12 Best Hikes in Acadia and 3 Days in Acadia Itinerary.
Skip the Park Loop Road between 10 AM and 3 PM in July and August. Head to the quieter west side of Mount Desert Island instead: Acadia Mountain, Beech Mountain and the trails around Echo Lake see half the traffic and have views just as good.
Baxter State Park
Baxter is Acadia’s opposite. No paved roads, no gift shops, no flush toilets at most campgrounds and no cell service. Rangers enforce the 20 mph limit on the gravel roads. Percival Baxter gave the land on one condition: it stays “forever wild.”
The centerpiece is Mount Katahdin, Maine’s highest peak at 5,268 feet and the northern end of the Appalachian Trail. The Hunt Trail to Baxter Peak is a hard 10.4-mile round trip with 4,200 feet of gain and exposed scrambling above treeline. The Knife Edge between Baxter Peak and Pamola Peak is the most dramatic hiking in the eastern US, and one of the most dangerous in bad weather.
- Best time
- September
- Entry
- Free for Maine residents, $20 for others
Baxter is more than Katahdin. South Turner Mountain has the best view of Katahdin itself, The Owl is a brutal, underrated scramble, and Doubletop Mountain brings solitude. The park’s 200,000 acres hold moose, black bears and some of the best backcountry camping in the Northeast. Go in September: the alpine zone colors before anywhere else in Maine and the bugs are gone. Capacity is strict, and the Katahdin trailhead parking reservation opens months ahead and fills fast, so you can’t hike Katahdin on a whim.
Conditions on Katahdin can be drastically different from the base. Snow is possible from September through June. Winds above treeline regularly exceed 50 mph. The Knife Edge has no escape route once you commit. Check the ranger station forecast before you start, and turn around if the weather changes.
Camden Hills State Park
Camden Hills may be the easiest mountain-meets-ocean outing in Maine. Mount Battie has a road to the summit and a stone tower looking over Camden harbor, Penobscot Bay and the islands. It is the postcard view, and it lives up to it.
The Megunticook Trail climbs to Ocean Lookout on Mount Megunticook, at 1,385 feet the highest point on the mainland Atlantic coast. The Maiden Cliff Trail ends at a cliff over Megunticook Lake, and the Nature Trail is a gentle walk through old hemlocks. The Camden Hills campground has 107 sites, many wooded and well spaced, five minutes from dinner downtown. Summer brings cruise ships and crowds to Mount Battie; fall color from the top is excellent.
- Best time
- June or September
- Day use
- $4 Maine resident, $6 non-resident
Grafton Notch State Park
Grafton Notch is a small park with big attractions. The mountain pass on Route 26 between Bethel and the western mountains holds some of Maine’s most dramatic waterfalls and rock formations.
Screw Auger Falls is a must. The Bear River drops through granite potholes carved by whitewater, two minutes from the parking lot. Mother Walker Falls and Moose Cave are short walks nearby. Hikers can climb Old Speck Mountain (4,170 ft, Maine’s fourth-highest mountain, with a fire tower) or Table Rock, a cliff-edge slab that feels like the prow of a ship. In late September the notch walls turn maple red and the falls run well after fall rain.
- Best time
- Late September
- Day use
- $3 Maine resident, $4 non-resident
Sebago Lake State Park
Sebago Lake State Park is where Portland-area families swim. Sebago Lake is Maine’s deepest and second-largest lake, and the park beach is one of New England’s best freshwater swims: clean sand, clear water, summer lifeguards and a gentle entry for kids.
The park sits on the north shore at the mouth of the Songo River. Its 250 campsites are split between Witch Cove, closer to the beach, and Naples, quieter and more wooded; both fill on summer weekends. Easy trails wind through pine and oak, and the Songo River is a popular paddle to Long Lake through Songo Lock, the last lock left on the old Cumberland and Oxford Canal.
- Best time
- July and August; water 70 to 75°F by mid-July
- Day use
- $6 Maine resident, $8 non-resident
Reid State Park
Reid State Park has something rare on the Maine coast: real sandy beaches. Mile Beach and Half Mile Beach are split by rocky headlands with tide pools and surf. Most of this coast is granite; locals treasure Reid as the exception.
It sits on Georgetown Island, about an hour north of Portland off Route 1. The beaches face the open Atlantic, so expect real surf on stormy days and cold water all year. At low tide the rocks between beaches hold sea stars, urchins, hermit crabs and anemones; check the tide chart first. There’s a picnic area, a summer snack bar and short trails through the coastal forest. No camping.
- Best time
- Late June to August; low tide for tide pools
- Day use
- $6 Maine resident, $8 non-resident
Bradbury Mountain State Park
Bradbury Mountain is the closest state park to Portland with a real summit. The mountain is only 485 feet, but the trail to the top takes about 20 minutes and the summit ledge looks out over Casco Bay and the countryside.
Come here for a quick after-work hike or a family outing that doesn’t take the whole day. The Bradbury Mountain campground is basic but clean, with 35 sites. Mountain bike trails weave through the lower slopes and are popular with riders from Freeport. The short hike works year-round.
- Best time
- Any time; the summit ledge is great at sunset
- Day use
- $4 Maine resident, $6 non-resident
Cobscook Bay State Park
Cobscook Bay is the Downeast gem almost nobody outside Maine knows. The park fills a peninsula near Lubec and Eastport, surrounded by some of the country’s biggest tides, about 18 feet between high and low on average and more on spring tides.
Many campsites sit right on the water. At low tide the mudflats stretch hundreds of yards, full of clams, worms and shorebirds; at high tide the water comes right up to shore. The bay is a key stopover for migrating shorebirds, and bald eagles nest nearby, so bring binoculars and patience. Downeast summers are short and the water never gets warm.
- Best time
- Late June through August
- Day use
- $4 Maine resident, $6 non-resident
Mount Blue State Park
Mount Blue State Park does a little of everything. Webb Lake has a sandy beach and boat launch, and its shallow entry and July warmth make it the best freshwater beach in western Maine. The campground has 136 wooded sites near the lake and books up on summer weekends.
Mount Blue itself is a 3,187-foot peak. The summit trail runs about 3.2 miles round trip and climbs 1,750 feet to a fire tower with views of Tumbledown, Saddleback and the Bigelow Range. Quiet trails, old logging roads and wildlife habitat fill the hills around it.
- Best time
- July and August to swim; September and early October to hike
- Day use
- $5 Maine resident, $7 non-resident
Popham Beach State Park
Popham Beach is the best beach in Maine, and we mean it. A long crescent of fine sand backs onto dunes, with a tidal river at one end and a rocky headland at the other. At low tide you can walk a sandbar to Fox Island, but watch the tide: it comes back fast.
The surf beats anywhere else on the Maine coast, with longboard waves on south swells. The water is cold, but on a hot August afternoon it feels fantastic. The lot fills by 10 AM on summer weekends, so arrive early. There’s no camping at Popham, but several campgrounds are a short drive away.
- Best time
- July and August; low tide for Fox Island
- Day use
- $6 Maine resident, $8 non-resident
More Parks Worth Visiting
These quieter parks rarely make tourist lists. Day-use fees are per adult, Maine resident first.
- Rangeley Lake State Park Rangeley · $4 / $6 day use Lakefront camping on Rangeley Lake with a small beach and boat launch. A quiet base for the western mountains and Rangeley.
- Lily Bay State Park Moosehead Lake · $4 / $6 day use On the east shore of Moosehead Lake near Greenville. Lakefront sites, excellent fishing and frequent moose sightings make it one of Maine's best remote campgrounds.
- Aroostook State Park Presque Isle · $3 / $4 day use Maine's first state park, far up in Aroostook County. Quaggy Jo Mountain has a loop hike with lake views. Very quiet.
- Two Lights State Park Cape Elizabeth · $5 / $7 day use Rocky shore 15 minutes from Portland. No beach, but big waves and picnic spots on the rocks. The lobster shack next door is a classic.
- Lamoine State Park Lamoine · $4 / $6 day use Across Frenchman Bay from Bar Harbor, with campsite views of the Acadia mountains. A quieter, cheaper base than Mount Desert Island.
- Wolfe's Neck Woods State Park Freeport · $4 / $6 day use Coastal trails through old white pines near Freeport. From the shoreline trail you can see the osprey nest on Googins Island.
- Moose Point State Park Searsport · $3 / $4 day use A small day-use park on Penobscot Bay between Belfast and Searsport, with shoreline picnic areas. A good lunch stop on a midcoast road trip.
Three more are worth the detour. Lake St. George State Park in Liberty has clear swimming, kayaking and loon calls at dusk, and is almost never crowded. Peaks-Kenny State Park has a small beach on Sebec Lake near Dover-Foxcroft; it’s a local favorite with excellent swimming. Holbrook Island Sanctuary is a 1,350-acre preserve near Castine with forest trails, a rocky beach and almost no visitors, one of the most peaceful spots on the coast.
Park Fees and Passes
Maine state parks charge a day-use fee per person, set park by park. Children under 5 and Maine residents 65 and older are free, and children 5 to 11 pay $1 (Bureau of Parks and Lands fee schedule). Fees for the parks above, per adult:
| State park | Maine resident | Non-resident |
|---|---|---|
| Camden Hills | $4 | $6 |
| Grafton Notch | $3 | $4 |
| Sebago Lake | $6 | $8 |
| Reid | $6 | $8 |
| Bradbury Mountain | $4 | $6 |
| Cobscook Bay | $4 | $6 |
| Mount Blue | $5 | $7 |
| Popham Beach | $6 | $8 |
Non-resident seniors pay less: $1 at Grafton Notch and $2 at each of the other parks in the table.
A state park pass covers day use at the state parks for a year. It doesn’t cover camping, Acadia or Baxter, which run their own fees. If you visit often, a pass pays off quickly.
- $105 State park vehicle pass Maine state parks, one year Day use for everyone in one vehicle of up to 17 passengers (BPL).
- $55 State park individual pass Maine state parks, one year Day use for the pass holder only.
- $45 Senior vehicle pass Maine state parks, one year For drivers 65 and older; the senior must be in the vehicle.
- $35 Acadia vehicle pass Acadia National Park, 7 days Required year-round. Non-US residents 16 and older also pay $100 each unless they enter with an annual or America the Beautiful pass (NPS).
- $80 America the Beautiful pass All national parks, one year For US citizens and residents. The non-resident annual pass costs $250.
- $20 Baxter entrance Baxter State Park Non-Maine residents only; residents enter free. A $50 season pass covers entrance (Baxter fees). Camping is extra.
Which Maine state park is best for families?
Sebago Lake State Park and Reid State Park are the best for families. Sebago has the best freshwater beach and a large campground. Reid has two sandy ocean beaches with tide pools. Both have easy access and lifeguards in summer.
Can you camp at Acadia National Park?
Yes. Acadia has four campgrounds: Blackwoods and Seawall on Mount Desert Island, Schoodic Woods on the Schoodic Peninsula, and Duck Harbor on Isle au Haut. All four are reservation-only through Recreation.gov. At Blackwoods, Seawall and Schoodic Woods, 90 percent of sites open six months ahead and the rest 14 days ahead; Duck Harbor releases every date for the season at 10 am on April 1 (NPS).
What is the difference between Acadia and Baxter State Park?
Acadia is a developed national park with paved roads, visitor centers, and shuttle buses. Baxter is a wilderness state park with gravel roads, no visitor services, and no cell service. Acadia is coastal; Baxter is deep interior. Both are worth visiting, but they offer very different experiences. See our full comparison: Acadia vs. Baxter State Park.
Do I need reservations for Maine state parks?
Day-use visits do not require reservations at any Maine state park, though parking lots fill on summer weekends at popular parks like Popham Beach and Reid. Camping reservations are highly recommended and can be made through the Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands website.
What is the best state park near Portland?
Bradbury Mountain State Park is the closest with a summit hike (about 30 minutes from Portland). Two Lights State Park has dramatic coastal scenery 15 minutes south. Sebago Lake State Park is about 45 minutes northwest and has the best swimming.
Are dogs allowed in Maine state parks?
Dogs are allowed in most Maine state parks but must be on a leash no longer than 4 feet. Dogs are not allowed on beaches at state parks between April 1 and September 30. At Acadia, dogs are allowed on most trails but banned from ladder trails, Sand Beach (summer), and some other areas.