Peaks-Kenny State Park

Central Maine’s Best Kept Secret

Peaks-Kenny State Park sits on 813 acres along the southern shore of Sebec Lake in Dover-Foxcroft. Yankee Magazine named it the Best Lakeside State Park in 2016, and most people outside central Maine have still never heard of it. That combination of quality and obscurity is exactly what makes it worth the drive.

The campground has 56 wooded sites, a white sand beach at South Cove, and views straight across 6,800-acre Sebec Lake to Borestone Mountain. Lifeguards staff the beach in summer. The trails are gentle. The fishing is excellent. And at 49 minutes from Bangor, this is one of the easiest weekend escapes in the state.

The Beach

The white sand beach at South Cove is the centerpiece. It faces north across Sebec Lake, and on a clear day Borestone Mountain fills the horizon directly across the water. The sand is clean, the entry is gradual, and the water warms up enough for comfortable swimming by late June.

Lifeguards are on duty during peak season, which makes this one of the better family swimming spots in the region. The beach area includes a bathhouse with changing rooms and restrooms.

Unlike most state park beaches, Peaks-Kenny rarely feels overcrowded. Even on summer weekends, the beach is large enough and the park unknown enough that you can stake out a quiet section without being elbow-to-elbow with strangers.

Best Sites to Book

The 56 sites are spread through mixed forest of pine, birch, and maple. All sites have picnic tables, fire rings, and relatively flat tent pads. The ground is soft pine needles and packed earth.

Lakeside sites are closest to the water and go first. If your reservation system shows any available, book them immediately. Waking up to a view of Sebec Lake through the trees is worth the slight trade-off in privacy.

Interior loop sites are more shaded and more private. The forest canopy is thick, which keeps sites cool even on hot July days. These tend to be quieter at night since they are farther from the beach foot traffic.

Sebec Lake

Sebec Lake is 6,800 acres with a maximum depth of 155 feet. That depth keeps the lake cool and supports a cold-water fishery that you do not find in shallower central Maine lakes. The water clarity is good and the shoreline is mostly undeveloped forest and private camps.

Fishing

The fishing at Sebec Lake is a genuine draw. The lake holds landlocked salmon, rainbow trout, lake trout, and smallmouth bass. The salmon and lake trout fishing is best in spring and fall when the fish are in shallower, cooler water. Smallmouth bass provide consistent action through the summer.

Trolling works well for salmon and lake trout. Fly fishing along the shoreline in the evening picks up bass. A Maine fishing license is required.

Boating and Paddling

The park has a hand-carry boat launch suitable for canoes, kayaks, and small inflatables. If you have a trailered boat, Greeley’s Landing is about 2 miles from the park and has a proper ramp.

Canoe and kayak rentals are available at the ranger station, but supply is limited. If paddling is central to your trip, bring your own. The lake is large and can get choppy on windy afternoons, so morning paddles are more pleasant and safer for less experienced paddlers.

Hiking

Peaks-Kenny has about 10 miles of trails that wind through old-growth forest along the lakeshore and up gentle ridges. None of the trails are strenuous. This is not a destination for peak-bagging. It is a place where a morning walk through old trees ends at a lakeshore overlook.

The Birch Point Trail follows the shoreline and is flat, easy, and scenic. Good for a morning walk with coffee or an after-dinner stroll.

The Ridge Trail climbs through hardwoods to modest viewpoints looking down at Sebec Lake. It is the most elevation you will gain in the park and it is still an easy-to-moderate hike.

For a real summit, Borestone Mountain is visible across the lake and highly recommended as a day trip. The trailhead is about a 20-minute drive from the park. Borestone is a 3.6-mile round trip hike to open granite summits with panoramic views. The Audubon Society manages the upper mountain and charges a small trail fee. The summit views of the surrounding lakes and mountains are among the best in central Maine.

When to Go

September is the sweet spot at Peaks-Kenny. The summer crowds are gone, the lake is still warm enough for a quick swim, the bass fishing is strong, and the maple trees along the trails are starting to turn. Weekdays in September you may have the beach entirely to yourself.

Dogs at Peaks-Kenny

Dogs are allowed at the campground and on all trails. They must be on a leash no longer than 6 feet at all times. Dogs are not allowed on the beach from April 1 through September 30. Outside that window, beach access for dogs is permitted.

The trails are a good option for dogs who want exercise. The terrain is gentle and the forest provides shade on hot days.

Getting There

From Bangor, take Route 15 north through Dover-Foxcroft. The park is just north of town. The drive is 49 minutes and entirely on good roads. This is one of the closest quality camping options to Bangor.

From Portland, take I-95 north to Newport, then Route 7 to Dexter and Route 23 to Guilford, connecting to Route 15 south into Dover-Foxcroft. About 2 hours and 15 minutes total.

Dover-Foxcroft has a grocery store, gas stations, and a few restaurants. Stock up on your way through. It is a 10-minute drive back to town from the park if you forget something.

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