Where Mountains Meet the Sea
Camden Hills State Park is the rare campground where you can hike to a mountain summit in the morning and walk to a harbor full of windjammer schooners in the afternoon. The park sits just north of Camden village on the Midcoast, with 107 campsites spread across wooded hillsides overlooking Penobscot Bay.
The campground has 107 sites total, 44 of them with water and electric hookups (a mix of 20, 30, and 50 amp service). RVs up to about 40 feet can fit in the larger sites. The rest are standard tent sites with no hookups. All sites have a picnic table, fire ring, and access to restrooms and hot showers.
The hookups make this one of the more comfortable state park campgrounds in Maine. You get the mountain-and-ocean setting without giving up a hot shower or a phone charge.
Best Sites to Book
Not all 107 sites are created equal. The campground is arranged on a hillside, and your experience depends a lot on where you end up.
Site 25 is a corner site with extra privacy and good tree cover. Popular for a reason.
Site 31 is shaded and has hookups, making it a strong pick for RVs or anyone who wants electric without sacrificing the camping feel.
Site 74 is one of the most private sites in the campground, tucked back with trees on multiple sides.
The hilltop sites in general are more spacious and catch a breeze, which helps with bugs in June. Lower sites are shadier and cooler but can feel tighter.
Most sites in the campground have WiFi (small daily fee), which is unusual for a Maine state park. The exception is sites 68 through 81, where the signal does not reach. Cell service is spotty throughout the park regardless of carrier, so do not count on a strong data connection. If you need to work remotely, the WiFi-equipped sites are your best bet.
One detail that matters: the showers at Camden Hills are hot and included with your site fee. They are not coin-operated. This sounds small until you have camped at parks where a four-minute shower costs two dollars in quarters you forgot to bring.
The Hikes
The trail system at Camden Hills is the main draw, and three summits anchor the network.
Mount Battie
The signature hike. A 1.1-mile moderate trail from the campground to the stone tower at the summit, where you get a full 360-degree view of Camden Harbor, Penobscot Bay, and the islands stretching toward the horizon. On a clear day you can see all the way to Cadillac Mountain in Acadia.
There is also an auto road to the top if you would rather drive. Sunrise from the tower is legendary, and because you are camping in the park, you can be up there before the day-trippers arrive.
Edna St. Vincent Millay wrote her poem “Renascence” about this view when she was 19. Stand at the tower and you will understand why.
Mount Megunticook
At 1,385 feet, Megunticook is the highest mainland coastal mountain on the entire US East Coast south of Katahdin. The Ocean Lookout on the way up gives you a view straight down to the bay that feels disproportionate to the effort it took to get there.
Maiden Cliff
Dramatic 800-foot cliffs dropping toward Megunticook Lake. A white cross at the edge marks where a girl fell in 1864. The view west over the lake and rolling hills is completely different from the ocean-facing summits. Worth the trip for the contrast alone.
The Full Loop
If you want to hit all three in one shot, the Megunticook-Maiden Cliff-Battie loop covers 8.9 miles and takes 5 to 5.5 hours. It is a legitimate day hike with real elevation changes, so bring water and snacks. Start early and you will have the trails mostly to yourself for the first couple hours.
Camden village is only two miles south of the campground. You can walk or bike there. This means you have access to restaurants, shops, ice cream, and the harbor without ever starting your car. Very few campgrounds in Maine put you within walking distance of a town this good.
Camden Village
The village is half the reason to camp here. Camden is one of the most photogenic harbor towns on the East Coast, with schooners and windjammers docked along the waterfront and a main street lined with independent shops and restaurants.
Lobster options: The Waterfront Restaurant sits right on the harbor. Scott’s Place does lobster rolls for around $11. If you are willing to drive 30 minutes south to Spruce Head, McLoons Lobster Shack has won multiple awards and is worth every mile.
Long Grain is one of the best Thai restaurants in Maine and it is in Camden. That sounds improbable but it is true. The noodle dishes are exceptional.
Windjammer cruises leave from the harbor daily in summer. A two-hour sail on Penobscot Bay with the Camden Hills behind you is hard to beat.
Reservations
Book through campwithme.com. Reservations open on a rolling basis four months in advance. Summer weekends fill quickly, especially the hookup sites.
After Labor Day, the campground switches to first-come, first-served. This is one of the best-kept secrets in Midcoast camping. September and early October weekdays are often wide open, and the weather is usually perfect.
If you can camp on a weekday after Labor Day, skip the reservation system entirely and just show up. The campground empties out dramatically after the holiday, and you will often have your pick of sites. The weather in September is some of the best of the year, and the foliage starts turning by month’s end.
October Foliage
Camden Hills is one of the best foliage camping destinations in Maine, and the timing here is different from what most people expect. Because the ocean moderates temperatures along the Midcoast, peak color arrives later than it does inland. Plan for the third week of October. The maples along the hillsides turn orange and red while the bay stays deep blue below, and the view from Mount Battie during peak foliage is one of the most photographed scenes in the state.
Spring
Campground opens late May. Trails can be muddy. Blackflies active in late May and early June.
Summer
Full services, warm weather, all trails open. Book hookup sites early. Weekdays less crowded.
Fall
Foliage peaks third week of October on Midcoast. Post-Labor Day is first-come-first-served and often wide open.
Winter
Campground closed mid-October through late May. Park trails remain open for day use.
Camden Hills vs Acadia Campgrounds
| Feature | Camden Hills | Blackwoods (Acadia) |
|---|---|---|
| Total Sites | 107 (44 with hookups) | 241 (no hookups) |
| Showers | Yes (free, hot) | No |
| Electric Hookups | Yes (20/30/50 amp) | No |
| Walk to Town | Yes (2 miles to Camden) | No (10 min drive to Bar Harbor) |
| Summit Hikes | Battie, Megunticook, Maiden Cliff | Cadillac, Beehive, Precipice |
| Ocean Views from Sites | No | No |
| Reservations | campwithme.com, 4 months ahead | recreation.gov, 6 months ahead |
| Fills Up | Moderate | Very fast |
| WiFi | Free at most sites | No |
Camden Hills trades the national park prestige for hookups, hot showers, WiFi (small daily fee), and a walkable town. If you want a more comfortable base for a Midcoast trip, it is hard to beat.
FAQ
Can I drive to the top of Mount Battie?
Yes. There is an auto road to the summit that is open during park hours. The fee is included with your camping stay. The stone tower at the top has 360-degree views of Camden Harbor, Penobscot Bay, and the islands.
How far is Camden Hills from Acadia?
About 1.5 hours northeast on Route 1. Camden Hills makes a good stop on the way to or from Acadia, or a base for exploring the Midcoast region on its own.
Is there cell service at the campground?
Spotty. You may get a signal depending on your carrier and location in the campground, but do not count on reliable data. WiFi (small daily fee) is available at most sites except 68 through 81.
Are the showers free?
Yes. Hot showers are included with your campsite fee and are not coin-operated. This is a genuine perk, as many Maine state parks either lack showers or charge for them.
Can I walk to Camden from the campground?
Yes. Camden village is about two miles south of the campground. You can walk or bike along Route 1 (there is a shoulder). This gives you access to restaurants, shops, the harbor, and windjammer cruises without driving.
What is the maximum RV length?
About 40 feet, though it depends on the specific site. The hookup sites (water and electric) accommodate most Class A and Class C motorhomes. Check site details on campwithme.com when booking.