Maine Outdoors Map

The most remote AT section in the eastern US. 100 miles from Monson to Baxter with lean-tos, pristine lakes, and zero services.

Moosehead

Fees: Free to hike and camp on the trail. KI Jo-Mary gate fees apply if you drive in on its logging roads; Baxter State Park camping is extra.

A scenic series of cascades on Abol Stream near the Golden Road, a quick and rewarding stop just outside Baxter State Park's southern boundary.

Easy difficulty · Aroostook & Katahdin

Photo: Kevin A. Trostle · CC BY-SA 3.0

45 miles of car-free broken-stone roads through Acadia National Park with 17 handcrafted stone bridges, ideal for biking, walking, and cross-country skiing.

Easy difficulty · Acadia

Fees: $35 vehicle pass (7-day), $30 motorcycle, $20 individual

A rewarding west-side Acadia loop with ocean views over Somes Sound and the only fjord on the U.S. Atlantic coast.

Moderate difficulty · Acadia

Fees: Acadia National Park entrance fee required. A park pass or America the Beautiful pass covers vehicle entry.

Maine's crown jewel national park with 150+ miles of trails, 45 miles of carriage roads, and the first place to see sunrise in the eastern US from Cadillac Mountain.

Acadia

Fees: $35 vehicle pass (7-day), $30 motorcycle, $20 individual

Oceanfront campground and cabins in Sullivan, on the quiet Schoodic side of Acadia, about fifteen minutes from Schoodic Point and forty from Bar Harbor.

Downeast

Fees: Paid sites and cabins booked through the campground. Rates vary by season and by tent, RV, or cabin; confirm current pricing and 2026 dates when you reserve.

Photo: Scott Craig · CC BY 3.0

A calm, shallow 1,133-acre lake in Orland with a launch at the historic Craig Brook National Fish Hatchery, beloved for quiet canoeing.

Downeast

Photo: Shadow2700 · Public domain

A 40-foot drop near the end of the Allagash Wilderness Waterway, reached by canoe with a roughly third-mile portage. Campsites at the falls. Remote northern Maine.

Aroostook & Katahdin

Fees: Allagash Wilderness Waterway day-use and camping fees apply, collected by the Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands. There is no road to the falls.

Photo: Shadow2700 · Public domain

A 92-mile wilderness corridor through northern Maine with 81 primitive campsites, multi-day canoe routes, and zero cell service.

Aroostook & Katahdin

Fees: $6.54-13.08/person/night (resident/non-resident)

Roughly 80 primitive paddle-in campsites along Maine's legendary 92-mile Allagash Wilderness Waterway canoe route through northern Maine.

Aroostook & Katahdin

Fees: $12/person/night for Maine residents; $18/person/night for non-residents

Nearly 5,000 acres of backcountry ponds, granite hills, and trails off Route 9 east of Bangor, with primitive pondside campsites and the rewarding Bald Bluff Mountain loop.

Downeast

Fees: Free. No entrance fee. Pondside campsites are primitive and first-come, first-served.

A warm, shallow 3,826-acre lake straddling Wayne and Leeds. Popular for bass fishing, kayaking, and easy family recreation with four islands to explore.

Greater Portland

Fees: None for public boat launch

A paved 2.6-mile riverside path connecting Topsham and Brunswick with Androscoggin River views, year-round access, and East Coast Greenway links.

Easy difficulty · Greater Portland

A 90-foot plunge waterfall set into a 115-foot cliff face in Township D, reached by a short but rugged 1.1-mile trail with three stream crossings.

Moderate difficulty · Western Mountains

Photo: The original uploader was Ianeng at English Wikipedia. · CC BY-SA 2.5

A 1,420-acre Winthrop Lakes Region water in Monmouth and Winthrop, known for smallmouth and largemouth bass and easy paddling near Augusta.

Greater Portland

Maine's first state park, established in 1938, with twin-peaked Quaggy Jo Mountain, swimming on Echo Lake, and 800 acres of northern Maine woods.

Moderate difficulty · Aroostook & Katahdin

Fees: Day use: $3 Maine resident adult, $4 non-resident adult, $1 non-resident senior, $1 child 5-11; Maine residents 65+ free. Camping: $15 resident / $25 non-resident per night.

Maine's most painted covered bridge, built in 1872 over the Sunday River in Newry, named for impressionist painter John Enneking who worked here often.

Easy difficulty · Western Mountains

Photo: Magicpiano · CC BY-SA 4.0

A wild 2,800-acre pond near Jackman with 40+ islands, landlocked salmon, brook trout, and the start of the famous 34-mile Moose River Bow Trip.

Moosehead

Fees: None

A remote 6,700-acre reservoir deep in western Maine's logging country, with cold-water trout, landlocked salmon, spectacular fall color, and very few people.

Western Mountains

A little-known western Maine peak near Rangeley. Aziscohos Mountain climbs to a 3,215-foot summit with sweeping views over Aziscohos Lake, the Rangeley Lakes, and on clear days, Mount Washington.

Moderate difficulty · Western Mountains

Fees: None

Portland's most popular urban loop, 3.5 miles of paved trail around Back Cove with skyline views, birding, and year-round walking and running.

Easy difficulty · Greater Portland

Photo: DrStew82 · CC BY-SA 4.0

The Machias River roars through downtown Machias over the falls the town is named for. View it from a riverside park and a footbridge. Loudest in spring runoff.

Easy difficulty · Downeast

Fees: Free. Bad Little Falls Park is a town park with no entrance fee.

Photo: DrStew82 · CC BY-SA 4.0

A compact tidal reversing rapid on the Bagaduce River in Brooksville, viewed from roadside pull-offs. The currents flip with the tide. Time your visit to a tide chart.

Downeast

Fees: Free. Viewing is from public roadside pull-offs.

The outermost island in the Harpswell chain, reached by the world's only granite cribstone bridge, with the dramatic Giant's Stairs formation, Land's End views, and a dockside lobster pound.

Easy difficulty · Midcoast

Fees: None (restaurant parking may be limited to customers)

A 1,011-foot ledge in the Amherst Mountains Community Forest east of Bangor, with two open viewpoints over Downeast forests, ponds, and the Penobscot valley.

Moderate difficulty · Downeast

Fees: Free. The Amherst Mountains Community Forest is public reserved land managed by the Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands with no fee.

A quick 2-mile hike near Bangor to a bald summit with broad views over the Penobscot valley and Downeast coast.

Easy difficulty · Downeast

Fees: None.

A family-friendly hike near Rangeley with a fire tower summit offering 360-degree panoramas of Mooselookmeguntic Lake, Rangeley Lake, and surrounding peaks.

Easy difficulty · Western Mountains

A little-known Loon Echo Land Trust preserve near Bridgton. Short, rewarding trails to an open granite summit at 1,100 feet with views over Sebago Lake and the Presidentials.

Moderate difficulty · Greater Portland

Fees: None. Loon Echo Land Trust preserves are free and open to the public.

A short, rewarding hike in the Ragged Mountain Preserve near Camden with wide-open ledges and panoramic views over Penobscot Bay and the islands.

Moderate difficulty · Midcoast

A 9.8-mile loop with miles of open ledge scrambles over two summits on the Maine-New Hampshire border. One of New England's best ridge walks.

Hard difficulty · Western Mountains

Fees: A White Mountain National Forest parking pass is required at the trailhead.

Family campground on 10-mile Toddy Pond in Orland, with tent and RV sites, log cabins, a swim area, and boat rentals between Bucksport and Acadia.

Downeast

Fees: Paid sites. Reservations through the campground; rates vary by tent, RV, or cabin and hookup level.

Wooded full-service KOA on Mount Desert Island near Acadia, with RV hookups, tent sites, cabins, a heated pool, a camp store, and an Island Explorer shuttle stop to the park.

Acadia

Fees: Rates vary by site type and season. Book direct through KOA.

Old-school 300-site MDI campground that takes no advance reservations and no credit cards. Show up before noon during peak season for one of the wooded or open hillside sites.

Acadia

Fees: Approximately $30-$50/night depending on hookups; cash or check only, no credit cards

Walk the exposed gravel bar from downtown Bar Harbor to Bar Island, but only near low tide. How to time the tide window and avoid getting stranded.

Easy difficulty · Acadia

Fees: Free trail; paid downtown Bar Harbor street parking May 15–Oct 31

A mossy Deer Isle woods trail to a shore where a low-tide sandbar lets you walk out to wild Barred Island, with sweeping Penobscot Bay views.

Moderate difficulty · Downeast

Fees: Free. Barred Island Preserve is a Nature Conservancy property co-managed with Island Heritage Trust, with no entrance fee.

A 100-Mile Wilderness summit with a fire tower and big views over Lake Onawa. 10 miles round trip on the Appalachian Trail.

Hard difficulty · Moosehead

Fees: None.

Photo: Ken Gallager · CC BY-SA 3.0

WMNF campground on Basin Pond in Evans Notch, just over the New Hampshire line, with reservable and first-come sites, vault toilets, drinking water, and a small-boat launch.

Western Mountains

Fees: Campsites about $30 per night, plus around $6 per night for each additional vehicle. Senior and Access pass holders receive 50 percent off.

The Nature Conservancy's largest Maine coastal preserve: 1,846 acres of woods and four miles of shoreline around The Basin in Phippsburg, laced with hiking trails.

Moderate difficulty · Midcoast

Fees: Free. No entrance fee. Open sunrise to sunset.

Family campground on the quiet side of Mount Desert Island in Bass Harbor, with wooded sites, cabins, yurts, and a heated pool about half a mile from the lighthouse.

Acadia

Fees: Paid sites reserved directly through the campground, which does not take third-party bookings. Rates run by season and by tent, RV-hookup, cabin, or yurt, with multi-night minimums on the cabins and yurts.

Photo: John Manard · CC BY-SA 2.0

An 1858 lighthouse perched on a cliff at the southern tip of Mount Desert Island in Acadia National Park, with dramatic views and a steep staircase down to the rocks.

Easy difficulty · Acadia

Fees: Acadia National Park entrance fee ($35 per vehicle, 7 days)

A 0.9-mile walk through salt marsh to Seawall Beach, one of Maine's last undeveloped barrier beaches, with nesting piping plovers and least terns.

Easy difficulty · Midcoast

89-acre North Berwick preserve with ~2 miles of trail up the 866-ft, three-peaked Bauneg Beg Mountain, the Devil's Den boulders, and views from the Whites to the sea.

Moderate difficulty · Southern Maine

Fees: Free. Bauneg Beg Mountain Conservation Area is owned by the Great Works Regional Land Trust and open to the public.

Photo: Fredlyfish4 · CC BY-SA 4.0

Plan Baxter State Park gates, Katahdin parking, campground reservations, seasonal access, rules, and a wilderness visit from Millinocket or Patten.

Aroostook & Katahdin

Fees: Maine-registered vehicles free; non-resident vehicles $20/day or $50/season (checked July 2026)

True wilderness camping at the foot of Mount Katahdin. Multiple campgrounds and backcountry lean-tos with no electricity, no cell service, and no compromise on the wild experience.

Aroostook & Katahdin

Fees: $15-40/site depending on campground and type

29,537 acres in Baxter's northwest corner managed for ecological research, with old-growth stands, limited access, and a quieter side of the park.

Moderate difficulty · Aroostook & Katahdin

Fees: Free for Maine residents; $20 per vehicle gate pass for non-residents (2025 Baxter State Park day-use fee)

Scarborough's 400-plus site family camping resort with heated pools, splash park, mini golf, and Pine Point Beach ten minutes away.

Southern Maine

Fees: $45-85/night depending on site type and season

A guarded, dog-friendly Saco sand beach between Kinney Shores and Ferry Beach State Park, with summer lifeguards, paid and permit parking, restrooms, and an accessible beach wheelchair.

Southern Maine

Fees: Daily paid parking and seasonal permit parking available. Permits sold at Saco City Hall and the Police Department.

Steep iron-rung ladder hike on Acadia's quieter west side, climbing 440 feet of cliff face to a clifftop overlook of Echo Lake.

Hard difficulty · Acadia

Fees: $35 Acadia National Park vehicle pass (7-day)

Photo: Roger Wollstadt · CC BY-SA 2.0

A deep, exceptionally clear 1,351-acre pond near Ellsworth, famed for lake trout and salmon, with a public launch and resident loons and eagles.

Downeast

Photo: Fyn Kynd · CC BY 2.0

A 295-acre Rockport hill of blueberry barrens with 360-degree Penobscot Bay views and the historic sod-roofed Beech Nut hut at the summit.

Easy difficulty · Midcoast

Fees: Free. Beech Hill Preserve is owned and managed by Coastal Mountains Land Trust with no entrance fee.

Photo: Victoria Stauffenberg · Public domain

A quiet Acadia summit on the island's west side with an old fire tower you can climb and views over Long Pond and Echo Lake. A short, easy hike near Southwest Harbor.

Easy difficulty · Acadia

Fees: Acadia entrance pass required ($35/vehicle, valid 7 days)

A thrilling iron-rung scramble up exposed cliff faces with jaw-dropping views of Sand Beach and the Atlantic Ocean in Acadia National Park.

Hard difficulty · Acadia

Fees: $35 Acadia National Park vehicle pass (7-day)

Cascade on Bemis Stream near Mooselookmeguntic Lake, accessed via the Appalachian Trail or Bemis Stream Trail in the Rangeley Lakes region.

Moderate difficulty · Western Mountains

A rugged AT ridge walk across multiple summits at 3,592 feet. Views stretch over Mooselookmeguntic Lake and deep into the western mountains.

Hard difficulty · Western Mountains

Fees: None

Baxter State Park gateway campground with 30 sites on Millinocket Lake. Cabins, tent sites, and a North Woods base camp 8 miles from the park entrance.

Aroostook & Katahdin

Fees: $30-50/night for campsites; cabins higher

A wide, powerful 25-foot cascade on Nesowadnehunk Stream in Baxter State Park, reached by a short walk from the Daicey Pond Road.

Easy difficulty · Aroostook & Katahdin

Fees: Maine residents free; non-residents $15/vehicle (Baxter State Park entrance fee)

Steep two-mile climb with wooden ladders to Big Spencer Mountain's flat ecological-reserve summit above Moosehead, with sweeping views toward Katahdin.

Hard difficulty · Moosehead

Fees: Free. Big Spencer is a Maine Public Reserved Land ecological reserve with no trail fee.

A dramatic waterfall crashing through a deep slate gorge near the Appalachian Trail in Elliotsville, reached by an easy half-mile walk through the woods.

Easy difficulty · Moosehead

Photo: СССР · CC BY-SA 2.5 ca

A 36,000-acre wilderness with twin 4,000-footers, free backcountry camping at Horns Pond, and 17.6 miles of the Appalachian Trail.

Western Mountains

Fees: Free (no fees or permits)

A high alpine traverse over two of Maine's fourteen 4,000-footers. The Bigelow Range covers West Peak, Avery Peak, and miles of exposed Appalachian Trail ridge above Flagstaff Lake.

Hard difficulty · Western Mountains

Fees: Free. The Bigelow Preserve is managed by the Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands and there is no entrance fee.

A scenic roadside cascade on Fall Brook off Route 201 with one of the best swimming holes in the Upper Kennebec Valley, easily accessed from the highway.

Easy difficulty · Moosehead

A hidden pocket beach on Penobscot Bay in Owls Head. Sandy crescent cove tucked between spruce headlands, with gentle surf, warm water by Maine standards, and a peaceful, uncrowded vibe.

Midcoast

Fees: Day-use fee charged Memorial Day through Labor Day. Cash or check only.

A 3.6-mile Rumford hike to 2,133 feet with views over the Androscoggin and Ellis River valleys.

Moderate difficulty · Western Mountains

Fees: None.

Photo: JRLibby · CC BY-SA 3.0

Acadia's most popular campground with 281 wooded sites minutes from Otter Cliff and the Park Loop Road. Open May through October.

Acadia

Fees: $30/night May-October

Photo: DrStew82 · CC BY-SA 4.0

A tidal reversing rapid where the Salt Pond meets Blue Hill Bay. The tide builds a standing wave kayakers surf. View it from the Route 175 bridge; timing follows the tide.

Downeast

Fees: Free. Viewing is from the public roadside by the Route 175 bridge.

A Downeast classic on nearly 500 acres of conservation land. Blue Hill Mountain offers multiple trail options to an open summit with views of Blue Hill Bay and Mount Desert Island.

Moderate difficulty · Downeast

Fees: None

A 3-mile loop through the White Mountain National Forest with open granite ledges, wild blueberries in late summer, and views across the Evans Notch area.

Moderate difficulty · Western Mountains

A 1,770-acre MCHT preserve on the Bold Coast with gravel beaches, ocean cliffs, 5.5 miles of trails including an accessible path, and views of Grand Manan Island.

Moderate difficulty · Downeast

Maine's most dramatic coastal trail features 100-foot sea cliffs, cobblestone beaches, and the wild, remote beauty of the Downeast shoreline on the Cutler Coast Public Reserved Land.

Moderate difficulty · Downeast

A perfectly sized day hike in the 100-Mile Wilderness region. Borestone climbs through a Maine Audubon sanctuary to twin granite summits with 360-degree views over Lake Onawa.

Moderate difficulty · Moosehead

Fees: Free access. Maine Audubon suggests a donation of $5 for nonmember adults and $3 for nonmember students and seniors.

A 1,639-acre Maine Audubon sanctuary with three alpine ponds, a 1,981-foot summit, a staffed visitor center, and rewarding hiking in the Moosehead region.

Moderate difficulty · Moosehead

Fees: Free access. Suggested donation: $5 nonmember adults, $3 nonmember students and seniors.

A remote 3,638-foot summit near the Canadian border with 360-degree views and deep wilderness solitude. 8 miles round trip.

Moderate difficulty · Moosehead

Fees: None.

A 1,702-acre Downeast lake near Eastport with quality smallmouth bass, salmon, and the unhurried pace of Washington County.

Downeast

Fees: None

Photo: Paul VanDerWerf from Brunswick, Maine, USA · CC BY 2.0

A beginner-friendly state park hike just 30 minutes from Portland with a quick summit and views stretching to Casco Bay and the western foothills.

Easy difficulty · Southern Maine

Fees: $4 non-resident adult / $3 Maine resident adult / $1 children 5-11 (ages 12+ pay adult rate)

Photo: Paul VanDerWerf from Brunswick, Maine, USA · CC BY 2.0

An 800-acre state park near Freeport with an easy summit hike, 24 miles of shared-use trails for hiking and mountain biking, and year-round camping.

Easy difficulty · Greater Portland

Fees: Day use: $4 Maine resident adult, $6 non-resident adult, $2 non-resident senior, $1 child 5-11; Maine residents 65+ free. Camping: $15 resident / $25 non-resident per night.

Photo: Paul VanDerWerf · CC BY 2.0

A trail network linking Bradbury Mountain State Park to Pineland through the woods of Pownal and Gray, with miles of multi-use paths north of Portland.

Moderate difficulty · Greater Portland

Fees: Free at the corridor trailheads. Bradbury Mountain State Park charges a day-use fee; the corridor trails outside the park are free.

A 163-acre Topsham preserve on Bradley Pond, headwaters of the Cathance River, with a mile-plus out-and-back trail through rolling fields, stone walls, and deep woods.

Easy difficulty · Midcoast

Fees: Free. No entrance fee. One small public parking area at the top of the driveway.

A pristine 2,942-acre lake in Ellsworth. Exceptionally clean water, strict boat inspections, and a public forest with trails to the shore. Limited access, big reward.

Acadia

Fees: None. Boat inspection and permit required before launching (free).

A wild 9,000-acre reservoir near Moosehead Lake. Landlocked salmon, smallmouth bass, moose sightings, and North Woods solitude in central Somerset County.

Moosehead

Fees: None

A 23-acre town-owned reserve in Cumberland Foreside with a calm Casco Bay beach, walking trails through coastal woods, and a pier. Quiet, uncrowded, and 20 minutes from Portland.

Easy difficulty · Greater Portland

Fees: None (resident parking sticker for lower lot)

Photo: US Coast Guard · Public domain

1832 lighthouse on Vinalhaven's northwest end. Grounds open to the public with wide Penobscot Bay views over the Fox Islands Thorofare; tower closed.

Easy difficulty · Midcoast

A 100-ton glacial erratic balanced on the cliff edge of South Bubble, deposited by retreating glaciers 16,000 years ago with views over Jordan Pond.

Moderate difficulty · Acadia

Fees: $35 vehicle pass (7-day Acadia pass), $20 individual

A small Greek Revival lighthouse in South Portland's Bug Light Park with Portland skyline views, WWII shipyard history, and spectacular sunsets.

Easy difficulty · Greater Portland

Photo: Fran Schwanck · CC BY-SA 4.0

Restored 1872 light station on Swan's Island with an open keeper's house, climbable tower, trails and beaches. Free to visit; reached by ferry from Bass Harbor.

Easy difficulty · Downeast

Fees: Free. There is no fee to visit the light station buildings, trails, or beaches.

Built in 1821 on a five-acre island near Boothbay Harbor, this living history lighthouse is accessible by boat with nature trails and the original stone tower.

Easy difficulty · Midcoast

Fees: Boat tour fare varies by operator. Balmy Days Cruises: approximately $34 adults, $24 children. Tours generally run mid-June through mid-September.

Open ridgeline hiking less than an hour from Portland. Burnt Meadow Mountain offers exposed ledges with views of the Presidential Range and Sebago Lake.

Moderate difficulty · Western Mountains

Fees: No fees. The trail is on land managed by the Loon Echo Land Trust and open to the public.

A treeless 3,609-foot summit near Sugarloaf in Carrabassett Valley, with sweeping western-mountain views on a roughly 6-mile round-trip climb from the base lodge.

Hard difficulty · Western Mountains

Fees: Free. The Burnt Mountain trail starts from the Sugarloaf base area with no fee to hike.

A 30-foot falls on Cochrane Brook in remote Aroostook County, surrounded by deep northern Maine forest with few visitors and genuine backcountry solitude.

Moderate difficulty · Aroostook & Katahdin

Photo: Christian Collins · CC BY-SA 2.0

The highest peak on the North Atlantic seaboard with legendary sunrise views, multiple hiking routes, and 360-degree panoramas of Acadia National Park and the Atlantic Ocean.

Moderate difficulty · Acadia

Fees: $35 Acadia National Park vehicle pass (7-day). A $6 vehicle reservation is required to drive the Cadillac Summit Road from May 20 to October 25, 2026.

Photo: Christian Collins · CC BY-SA 2.0

The longest and most gradual route up Cadillac Mountain with miles of above-treeline ridge walking and panoramic views across Acadia National Park.

Moderate difficulty · Acadia

Fees: $35 Acadia National Park vehicle pass (7-day)

A picture-perfect New England harbor where tall-masted windjammers anchor beneath the Camden Hills, with a public landing, waterfront park, and views that define the Maine midcoast.

Easy difficulty · Midcoast

Fees: Metered parking in town; free at some peripheral lots

A new multi-use connector trail linking Camden's Mount Battie to Lincolnville's Bald Rock Mountain through Camden Hills State Park, offering ridgeline views of Penobscot Bay and the midcoast islands.

Moderate difficulty · Midcoast

Fees: $6 per vehicle (Maine residents) / $8 (non-residents) at Camden Hills State Park

A gentle, family-friendly loop in Camden Hills State Park with boardwalk sections, forest walking, and connections to Mount Battie and Ocean Lookout.

Easy difficulty · Midcoast

Fees: $6 Maine residents, $8 non-residents (state park day-use fee)

Photo: Dougtone · CC BY-SA 2.0

A 5,710-acre park on the midcoast with 30 miles of trails, the Mount Battie auto road, and sweeping views over Penobscot Bay and the Camden harbor.

Midcoast

Fees: Day use: $4 Maine resident adult, $6 non-resident adult, $2 non-resident senior, $1 child 5-11; Maine residents 65+ free. Camping: $25 resident / $35 non-resident per night, $35 / $45 with water and electric.

The only ski area in the US with ocean views, plus a 400-foot toboggan chute, winter sports on Ragged Mountain, and summer hiking with panoramic Penobscot Bay vistas.

Moderate difficulty · Midcoast

Fees: Lift tickets $45-65 (winter); trails free year-round

A jetty beach at the mouth of the Saco River in Saco. Dramatic waves, a working fishing harbor, and a tight-knit coastal community.

Southern Maine

Fees: None

Historic 1828 lighthouse station made famous by Edward Hopper's paintings. The east tower remains active at 67 feet tall, adjacent to Two Lights State Park.

Easy difficulty · Greater Portland

Fees: $4 Maine resident, $6 non-resident (Two Lights State Park day use)

A working fishing village on the eastern edge of Kennebunkport, with a lobster-boat-filled harbor, direct views of Goat Island Lighthouse, and the unhurried pace of an older Maine coast.

Easy difficulty · Southern Maine

Fees: None

A rewarding loop hike in Evans Notch with cascading waterfalls, dense boreal forest, and an open granite summit delivering panoramic views into New Hampshire.

Moderate difficulty · Western Mountains

Fees: No fees. The trailhead is in the White Mountain National Forest and does not require a recreation pass for day hiking.

A 14,000-acre federally designated wilderness in the White Mountain National Forest with rugged trails, open ledges, and primitive backcountry camping.

Hard difficulty · Western Mountains

Fees: Free (WMNF parking pass required at some trailheads, $5/day or $30/year)

A 25-foot urban waterfall on Cascade Brook (near the Saco River) in Saco's historic mill district, with easy walkway access and views of 19th-century brick mill buildings.

Easy difficulty · Southern Maine

Multiple waterfalls tumbling through a narrow, mossy gorge off Route 17 in Byron, with easy roadside access and some of western Maine's most dramatic geology.

Moderate difficulty · Western Mountains

A string of ledgy cascades and pools on the Bull Branch of the Sunday River in Newry, a short walk from Bull Branch Road and a longtime local swimming spot near Bethel.

Easy difficulty · Western Mountains

A remote 2,905-acre Downeast lake with excellent bass and salmon fishing, dozens of islands, and miles of undeveloped shoreline.

Downeast

A 15-foot falls at Head of Tide Park on the Cathance River in Topsham, where the river drops to tidewater. A Brunswick-Topsham Land Trust park with trails and a boat launch.

Easy difficulty · Midcoast

Fees: Free. Head of Tide Park is protected by the Brunswick-Topsham Land Trust in partnership with the Town of Topsham.

A 230-acre Topsham preserve with 3.3 miles of trails along the Cathance River rapids, a large heath bog, and an ecology center. Almost 8,000 feet of river shorefront.

Easy difficulty · Midcoast

Fees: Free. No entrance fee. Open dawn to dusk.

Town-owned western Maine campground in a mature red pine grove on Flagstaff Lake. 115 sites, sandy beach, jumping dock, and Bigelow Range views at 1,150 feet elevation.

Western Mountains

Fees: Approximately $32-$40/night depending on site type and hookups

One of Maine's most remote drive-to lakes at 5,080 acres in the North Woods, holding wild lake trout and salmon in pristine wilderness.

Aroostook & Katahdin

Fees: North Maine Woods checkpoint fee ($12/person/day nonresident, $8/person/day resident)

Photo: Paul VanDerWerf · CC BY 2.0

A quiet sand beach at the north end of Bailey Island, reached on foot down a private road. Only Harpswell residents, taxpayers, and their guests or renters may use it. No dogs.

Greater Portland

Natanis, Bog, Long, and Lower ponds linked in a chain near the Quebec border, with shoreline campsites, easy paddling, and the trail up Snow Mountain above the water.

Western Mountains

Fees: Free. There is no entrance fee for the Public Reserved Land. Camping at the primitive sites is first-come, first-served.

A nearly 11,000-acre headwater lake of the Allagash Wilderness Waterway, home to the historic Tramway and Lock Dam, with deep, cold water for togue.

Aroostook & Katahdin

The largest island in Casco Bay accessible only by ferry, with sandy beaches, cycling-friendly roads, a historic golf course, and a tight-knit year-round community of about 400.

Easy difficulty · Greater Portland

Fees: Casco Bay Lines round trip from Portland: approximately $16 adults peak season. Chebeague Transportation Company from Yarmouth: approximately $16 adults round trip.

A remote 25,000-acre wilderness lake in the North Woods, home to Maine's last village with no road, accessed by boat or floatplane.

Moosehead

Family-run saltwater campground on tidal Montsweag Bay in Wiscasset, with 47 water-view sites, full hookups, a saltwater pool, clay tennis, and canoe and kayak rentals.

Midcoast

Fees: Paid sites. Rates vary by hookup level and season, plus 9% Maine lodging tax; reserved by phone with a 50% deposit. See current rates below.

Baxter State Park's most spectacular backcountry campground at 2,914 feet in Katahdin's Great Basin with lean-tos and a bunkhouse, reached by a 3.3-mile hike.

Aroostook & Katahdin

Fees: $30/night lean-to; $12/night bunkhouse

Photo: Hadrianopolis · CC BY-SA 3.0

A 6.6-mile round trip to the base of Katahdin's Great Basin, the gateway trail for the Knife Edge, Cathedral Trail, and Hamlin Ridge.

Moderate difficulty · Aroostook & Katahdin

Fees: Free for Maine residents; $20 per vehicle day-use fee for non-residents at Baxter State Park.

A 3,942-acre warm-water lake split into two basins near Augusta, with some of the best bass fishing in the state and a quiet public beach on the east shore.

Midcoast

A pristine 751-acre lake with exceptional water clarity and a 129-foot depth. Loons, brook trout, and quiet paddling in the western foothills.

Western Mountains

Fees: None

The outermost and smallest year-round island in Casco Bay, with unpaved roads, about 60 year-round residents, a working lobster fleet, and the feel of stepping back several decades.

Easy difficulty · Greater Portland

Fees: Casco Bay Lines round trip: approximately $16 adults peak season. Off-peak approximately $8.50.

Photo: Daderot · CC0

New England's largest botanical garden: 295 acres of themed gardens, giant Thomas Dambo trolls, and woodland trails along tidal shoreline in Boothbay.

Easy difficulty · Midcoast

Fees: Timed admission is charged in season, with discounted rates for children, seniors, and other categories. Members enter free. Buy tickets in advance for busy summer days.

A 5,543-acre warm-water lake near Augusta with 62 miles of shoreline. Nationally recognized for largemouth bass and northern pike, with islands and coves.

Greater Portland

An 888-acre Downeast park on Cobscook Bay where tides rise and fall 24 to 28 feet, with waterfront campsites, nature trails, and access to Maine's wildest coast.

Downeast

Fees: Day use: $4 Maine resident adult, $6 non-resident adult, $2 non-resident senior, $1 child 5-11; Maine residents 65+ free. Camping: $20 resident / $30 non-resident per night.

The highest peak in the Jackman region at 3,717 feet, topped by an old fire tower with a deck. A short, steep climb to a 360-degree view from Katahdin to Sugarloaf.

Hard difficulty · Western Mountains

A major art museum on the Colby College campus with free admission, over 800 Alex Katz works, and nearly 8,000 pieces of American art.

Greater Portland

Fees: Free admission

Photo: Ken_Gallager · CC BY-SA 3.0

14-site WMNF campground at the south end of Evans Notch in Chatham, New Hampshire, beside the Cold River and Basin Pond, with vault toilets, drinking water, and a pavilion.

Western Mountains

Fees: Campsites about $30 per night, plus around $6 per night for each additional vehicle. Senior and Access pass holders receive 50 percent off.

A 3,628-acre cold water lake near Lincoln with native togue, landlocked salmon, and depths over 100 feet. One of central Maine's best kept secrets.

Aroostook & Katahdin

Fees: None

A small sandy beach on Ocean Avenue in Kennebunkport with views of Walker's Point, the Bush family compound, and the rocky coastline.

Southern Maine

Photo: User:Magicpiano · CC BY-SA 4.0

A dramatic 500-yard river gorge on the Swift River with carved rock formations, swimming holes, cascading falls, and one of the few places in Maine to pan for gold.

Easy difficulty · Western Mountains

The oldest Atlantic salmon hatchery in the US (1871) in East Orland with a visitor center, aquarium, nature trails, and free admission.

Easy difficulty · Downeast

A cluster of islands off Mount Desert Island reached by mail boat from Northeast Harbor, with the Islesford Historical Museum, working lobster wharves, and the quiet pace of Maine island life.

Easy difficulty · Acadia

Fees: Beal and Bunker ferry: approximately $28-32 round trip adults. Cranberry Cove ferry similar.

A 5.8-mile round trip to a 3,213-foot summit in the Bigelow Preserve with panoramic views of the Bigelow Range, Sugarloaf, and the western Maine mountains.

Moderate difficulty · Western Mountains

A mile-long sandy beach just 15 minutes from Portland with gentle surf, picnic areas, walking trails through coastal woods, and the best family beach day near the city.

Easy difficulty · Greater Portland

Fees: $8 non-resident adults, $6 Maine residents; $2 non-resident seniors; $1 ages 5-11; free under 5 and Maine residents 65+

A quiet Sebago-region lake in Raymond below Rattlesnake Mountain, connected to Panther Pond. Paddling, swimming, and fishing for bass, salmon, and togue near Portland.

Greater Portland

Two 4,000-foot peaks on the AT near Stratton. A 10.4-mile round trip through Maine's western mountains for peak baggers.

Hard difficulty · Western Mountains

Fees: None.

Secluded 7-site WMNF campground under white pines on Crocker Pond, Albany Township, Maine, with first-come sites, vault toilets, potable water, and a non-motorized launch.

Western Mountains

Fees: Campsites about $18 per night. Senior and Access pass holders receive 50 percent off.

A 100-acre TNC old-growth fog forest on Deer Isle with rare bryophyte communities, moss-draped spruce, and a self-guided nature trail.

Easy difficulty · Midcoast

A 2,472-acre lake in the Fish River chain of northern Aroostook County. Brook trout, salmon, and remote wilderness far from the crowds.

Aroostook & Katahdin

Fees: None

Photo: Magicpiano · CC BY-SA 4.0

BTLT's 321-acre Brunswick farm with ~5 miles of trails through woods, blueberry barrens, and rare sandplain grassland, plus a Saturday farmers market May to November.

Easy difficulty · Midcoast

Fees: Free. Crystal Spring Farm is owned by the Brunswick-Topsham Land Trust and open to the public at no charge.

Quiet 65-site family campground on Cupsuptic Lake in the Rangeley Lakes region. Sandy beach, good fishing, and peaceful western Maine lakeside camping.

Western Mountains

Fees: $30-50/night depending on site type

A 360-acre Kennebec Land Trust property in Leeds with easy trails through fields, woodlots, and a bog at former Governor Kenneth Curtis's childhood farm.

Easy difficulty · Southern Maine

Fees: Free. The Curtis Homestead Conservation Area is owned and managed by the Kennebec Land Trust with no fee. Open year-round.

Photo: King of Hearts · CC BY-SA 4.0

Town-owned lighthouse at the mouth of Camden Harbor. The island is closed, so view the light from Bayview Street downtown or from a harbor boat tour.

Midcoast

12,234 acres of dramatic sea cliffs and rugged Downeast coastline, with the 9.1-mile Fairy Head Loop and three free, first-come primitive campsites on the headland.

Moderate difficulty · Downeast

A 35-acre canoe-only pond in Baxter State Park. Iconic Katahdin reflections, rustic cabins, and true wilderness at its finest.

Aroostook & Katahdin

Fees: Free for Maine residents; $20 per vehicle gate pass for non-residents (2025)

Ten rustic cabins on a pristine 35-acre pond in Baxter State Park with canoes provided, iconic Katahdin reflections, and a wilderness experience unlike any other in Maine.

Aroostook & Katahdin

Fees: $58/night cabin (up to 4 people)

A 4,381-acre midcoast lake spanning three towns, known for its family-friendly state park beach, the historic Damariscotta Mills fish ladder, and fishing for bass, salmon, and trout.

Midcoast

Fees: $4 Maine resident adult, $6 non-resident adult, $1 children 5-11 (state park day use)

Historic island off Boothbay with one of the earliest European settlements in New England (1622), now a land trust preserve with trails and seabird colonies.

Moderate difficulty · Midcoast

The only Acadia peak with both a hiking trail and a carriage road to the top. A short 583-foot climb near Seal Harbor with ocean views, easy enough for kids.

Easy difficulty · Acadia

Fees: Acadia entrance pass required ($35/vehicle, valid 7 days)

Roughly 20 primitive campsites around ice-age ponds in remote northern Aroostook County with unique geology, outstanding fishing, and wilderness solitude few places in Maine can match.

Aroostook & Katahdin

Fees: Free

Talus caves with year-round ice in Maine's North Woods. A short, family-friendly hike through Nature Conservancy land near Baxter State Park.

Easy difficulty · Aroostook & Katahdin

Fees: None

A glacial talus formation that retains ice into summer, located in a 46,000-acre Nature Conservancy preserve near Millinocket in the shadow of Mount Katahdin, reached by a 2-mile round-trip trail.

Moderate difficulty · Moosehead

Fees: None

A 46,271-acre TNC wilderness south of Baxter with pristine ponds, famous ice caves, and free boat-access camping.

Aroostook & Katahdin

Fees: Free (no fees)

A 40-acre glacial sand deposit in the middle of Freeport's forests, with guided tours, gem panning, and one of Maine's strangest geological landscapes.

Easy difficulty · Greater Portland

Fees: $12.50 adults, $8.50 ages 4-12 (2024 rates, check website for current pricing)

Photo: Dougtone · CC BY-SA 2.0

Historic 1829 lighthouse in Castine with public grounds and a short footpath to the rocky shore at the mouth of the Penobscot River.

Easy difficulty · Downeast

A small, accessible cascade near downtown Rangeley, set in a town park along the outlet stream in the center of the Lakes Region.

Easy difficulty · Western Mountains

Wooded, tent-friendly campground in Cape Neddick with three camping areas, water-and-electric RV sites, three yurts, and a heated pool, two miles from Ogunquit.

Southern Maine

Fees: Paid campground. Nightly rates vary by tent site, water-and-electric RV site, or yurt, and by season; Dixon's sets them at booking rather than posting a single public figure, and a minimum stay applies on holiday weekends. Reserve direct.

521 acres of midcoast conservation land with woodland trails, a freshwater swimming beach, Damariscotta River frontage, and one of the best free swimming spots in Maine.

Easy difficulty · Midcoast

Fees: Free

A 1,138-acre wilderness pond within 14,000 acres of public reserved land. Sandy beaches reachable by boat, Schoodic Mountain views, and excellent coldwater fishing.

Downeast

Fees: Free (public reserved land)

Over 14,000 acres of free backcountry camping with crystal-clear lakes and mountain views, just 45 minutes from Acadia.

Downeast

Fees: Free (no fees)

Roughly 15 primitive hike-in and paddle-in sites around crystal-clear Donnell Pond in Downeast Maine. Granite ledges, pristine swimming, and backcountry solitude.

Downeast

Fees: Free

Acadia's second-highest peak with a fraction of Cadillac's crowds. Historic stone staircases, iron ladders, and panoramic views over Frenchman Bay from 1,270 feet.

Moderate difficulty · Acadia

Fees: Acadia National Park entrance fee: $35 per vehicle (7-day pass), $30 motorcycle, $20 individual (walk/bike). Annual pass $70.

A hard 6-mile climb to twin summits in the remote interior of Baxter State Park, with dramatic views of Katahdin and a fraction of the crowds on the park's popular trails.

Hard difficulty · Aroostook & Katahdin

Fees: Free for Maine residents; $20 per vehicle gate pass for non-residents (2025 Baxter State Park day-use fee)

Photo: Dennis G. Jarvis · CC BY-SA 2.0

Photogenic 1898 Kennebec River lighthouse on Arrowsic Island, reached by a short wooden footbridge. Grounds are open to the public daytime in season.

Easy difficulty · Midcoast

A short family hike to a historic stone tower with panoramic views of Sebago Lake, the Presidential Range, and the western Maine foothills.

Easy difficulty · Greater Portland

Fees: None

An 87-mile gravel rail trail from near Ellsworth east toward Calais, the longest in Maine. Open to walking, biking, ATVs, horses, skiing, and snowmobiling across Downeast forest and marsh.

Easy difficulty · Downeast

A quieter 2,800-foot sandy beach in Wells with tidal flats, coastal dunes, and excellent birding. The calm side of Wells.

Southern Maine

Fees: Metered parking required Memorial Day through Columbus Day

A crescent sand beach in St. George with tide pools, sea glass, and Penobscot Bay island views. Marshall Point Lighthouse is a short drive away. The quintessential quiet midcoast beach day.

Midcoast

Fees: None

Five lean-to shelters on a remote Acadia island reached by mail boat. One of the hardest camping reservations in the entire NPS.

Acadia

Fees: $20/night

About 27,000 acres of lakes and forest 70 miles northeast of Bangor, with free first-come lakeside campsites, hand-carry paddling, and a 6,000-acre ecological reserve.

Downeast

Fees: Free. No fees or permits required for camping; all sites are first-come, first-served.

Family campground on seven-mile Pemaquid Lake in Nobleboro, with full-hookup, waterfront, and wooded sites, cabins, a swim beach, and a boat launch near the Pemaquid coast.

Midcoast

Fees: Paid sites. Rates vary by site tier (waterfront, waterview, wooded), cabin, or the rental lakehouse; booked through the campground's Premier Campgrounds system.

A pair of dramatic waterfalls on the West Branch of the Ellis River, with an 80-foot lower falls and a 70-foot upper falls reached by a moderate loop on the Appalachian Trail.

Moderate difficulty · Western Mountains

Photo: Casoulman · CC0

The 17-acre Casco Bay summer home of North Pole explorer Admiral Robert Peary, reachable only by boat, off Harpswell. A state historic site in Casco Bay.

Easy difficulty · Greater Portland

Fees: A landing fee is charged, cash or check only, no credit cards. Boat-tour operators charge separately for passage.

The largest lake in Acadia National Park at 436 acres, circled by a scenic 6-mile carriage road and open to paddling but not swimming.

Easy difficulty · Acadia

Fees: $35 vehicle pass (7-day Acadia pass)

24,083 acres on the eastern half of Eagle Lake in far-northern Aroostook County, a Fish River chain salmon and togue fishery with boat-access campsites and a Square Lake thoroughfare.

Aroostook & Katahdin

Fees: Free. No entrance fee. Boat-access campsites are first-come, first-served.

The rusting 1902 Eagle Lake Tramway and two ghost locomotives from the Eagle Lake and West Branch Railroad, on a 0.6-mile trail between Chamberlain and Eagle lakes in the Allagash.

Easy difficulty · Aroostook & Katahdin

Fees: Allagash Wilderness Waterway day-use or camping fees, paid at a North Maine Woods checkpoint

An easy 8-foot falls on Big Wilson Stream just off Route 150 near Willimantic, viewed from a public bridge. Minutes from Tobey Falls in the Moosehead foothills.

Easy difficulty · Moosehead

Fees: Free. The falls are viewed from a public bridge; surrounding land is private.

Portland's only public beach, a small sand-and-pebble stretch on Casco Bay at the Eastern Promenade with kayak rentals and harbor views.

Greater Portland

A massive 16,070-acre border lake shared with New Brunswick. Maine's best salmon fishery, legendary smallmouth bass, and 128 feet of depth in the remote Downeast region.

Downeast

Fees: None

The 1,823-acre headwater of the Belgrade chain in Smithfield and Oakland: shallow, warm, and easy for family paddling, with a state launch.

Greater Portland

A grassy hillside park on Munjoy Hill in Portland with sweeping Casco Bay and island views, the paved Eastern Prom Trail along the water, East End Beach, and the Narrow Gauge Railway.

Greater Portland

A 237-acre freshwater lake in Acadia National Park with a sandy swimming beach, warm water, and mountain views. No large motorboats.

Acadia

Fees: Acadia National Park pass required ($35 vehicle, $20 individual)

Boat-access 985-acre wild island south of Swans Island, the largest undeveloped island on the eastern seaboard, with MCHT trails, beaches, and primitive campsites.

Moderate difficulty · Downeast

Fees: Free. Marshall Island is a Maine Coast Heritage Trust preserve with no fee. Access is by private boat only.

Photo: Econrad · CC BY-SA 3.0

A 1963 Cold War B-52 wreck still scattered in the woods near Greenville. A short, sobering walk off a logging road south of Moosehead Lake, with a memorial to the seven who died.

Easy difficulty · Moosehead

A 22-foot two-tier cascade on the Ellis River near Andover, one of the easiest waterfalls to access in western Maine with roadside parking.

Easy difficulty · Western Mountains

A 1,543-acre coldwater lake in Somerset County with wild lake trout, stocked salmon, and the kind of quiet that is hard to find on bigger lakes.

Moosehead

Fees: None

164-acre MCHT farm preserve in Rockport with an easy 1.4-mile loop through hayfields and woods, community gardens, and Belted Galloways at neighboring Aldermere Farm.

Easy difficulty · Midcoast

Fees: Free. Erickson Fields is a public preserve owned by Maine Coast Heritage Trust with no entrance fee.

Four rustic campgrounds in Maine's White Mountain National Forest with wilderness hiking, swimming holes, and fall foliage along scenic Route 113.

Western Mountains

Fees: $18-30/night depending on campground

A challenging 1.2-mile cliffside trail with iron rungs along the western wall of Grafton Notch, dramatic views and serious exposure.

Hard difficulty · Western Mountains

Fees: Grafton Notch State Park day-use fee: $4 per adult Maine resident, $6 per adult non-resident. Children under 12 free.

A 315-acre TNC peninsula on Megunticook Lake with old-growth hemlock, three miles of trails, shoreline access, and views of the Camden Hills.

Easy difficulty · Midcoast

A 3-mile loop around a wooded peninsula on Megunticook Lake in Camden, with old-growth forest, lakeshore access, bog views, and swimming in one of Maine's clearest inland lakes.

Easy difficulty · Midcoast

Fees: None

A 117-acre state park in Saco with a white sand beach, rare northern tupelo trees, a boardwalk through a bog, and 1.7 miles of nature trails through varied habitats.

Easy difficulty · Southern Maine

Fees: $4 residents, $6 non-residents

A 192-acre Maine Audubon property in Holden with trails, a nature center, and bald eagle viewing over Fields Pond.

Easy difficulty · Aroostook & Katahdin

A remote fly-fishing pond near Kokadjo with wild brook trout, pristine boreal scenery, and access to AMC's Medawisla Lodge and backcountry trail system.

Moosehead

A tiny fishing village at the southern tip of Georgetown Island with a legendary lobster pound on the dock, panoramic views of five spruce-topped islands, and a public boat launch.

Easy difficulty · Midcoast

Fees: None

Photo: pfly · CC BY-SA 2.0

A 20,300-acre reservoir created when the Dead River was dammed in 1950, flooding two towns. Bigelow Range views, remote island camping, and serious fishing for brook trout and salmon.

Western Mountains

The lowest and shortest summit hike in Acadia. A quick 1.5-mile loop to views over Valley Cove and Somes Sound.

Easy difficulty · Acadia

Fees: Acadia National Park entrance fee required.

The quieter end of Ogunquit's three-mile sandy stretch, accessed by a pedestrian footbridge over the Ogunquit River. Same fine sand, fewer crowds, and a warm river side for families.

Southern Maine

Fees: Parking $8/hour or $45/day (April 17–October 31)

A small historic park atop Portlands Eastern Promenade with Civil War and Spanish-American War cannons, a Victorian bandstand, and one of the best Casco Bay overlooks in the city.

Easy difficulty · Greater Portland

Photo: Phil8684 · CC BY 4.0

An 88-acre Kittery Point park with three beaches, a 565-foot pier, World War-era fort batteries, and the best land view of offshore Whaleback Light.

Easy difficulty · Southern Maine

Fees: Seasonal vehicle entry fee charged at the gate when staffed (day pass or season pass). Payment is credit or debit card only, no cash. Walkers and cyclists without a season pass are also charged.

Photo: Richard Craven · CC BY-SA 2.5

An abandoned Civil War-era granite fort on an island in Portland Harbor, accessible only by kayak, with ruins to explore and Casco Bay views.

Easy difficulty · Greater Portland

Fees: Free to visit (kayak rental or tour fee separate)

Massive granite Civil War-era fort on the Penobscot River in Prospect with vaulted chambers, cannons, and the adjacent Penobscot Narrows Observatory.

Easy difficulty · Midcoast

Fees: Combined fort and observatory: $9 adult non-resident, $7 Maine resident, $3 children 5-11. Fort only: $4.50 adult non-resident, $3 Maine resident.

Maine's first river lighthouse (1836), a unique square brick tower in Fort Point State Park with Penobscot Bay views and the ruins of the 1759 Fort Pownall nearby.

Easy difficulty · Midcoast

Fees: $4 non-resident, $3 Maine resident (state park day use, Memorial Day to October 15)

A massive semi-circular granite fort built during the Civil War at the mouth of the Kennebec River in Phippsburg, with climbable ramparts, river views, and Popham Beach access.

Easy difficulty · Midcoast

Fees: None

Photo: Photo by and (c)2014 Derek Ramsey (Ram-Man) · CC BY-SA 4.0

Home to Portland Head Light, Maine's most photographed lighthouse, with 90 acres of oceanfront grounds, military ruins, cliff walks, and free admission in Cape Elizabeth.

Easy difficulty · Greater Portland

Fees: Free park entry. Main lots in season: $6 for the first 2 hours, then $2/hour (card only at the meters). Overflow lot free year-round.

A 2-mile stretch of open Atlantic beach in Biddeford with steady waves, good surfing, and far fewer crowds than Old Orchard Beach.

Southern Maine

Fees: Parking permit required in season from Biddeford City Hall

The first picnic point on Acadia's one-way Schoodic Loop Road: shaded tables, a public pier and dock, tide pools at low tide, and views over Winter Harbor.

Easy difficulty · Acadia

Fees: No separate fee at Frazer Point, but an Acadia National Park entrance pass is required to enter the Schoodic section, including arriving by your own boat.

A short, easy Belgrade Lakes hike with one of the best effort-to-view ratios in central Maine. A quick climb to an open ledge over Long Pond, perfect for families and sunsets.

Easy difficulty · Western Mountains

One of Maine's most remote year-round islands, population ~30, with a 1,159-acre preserve, dramatic headlands, and ferry service three times per week.

Moderate difficulty · Downeast

Fees: Ferry fare varies by service. R.L. Gott passenger ferry approximately $25-30 round trip.

A cascading waterfall dropping into a deep swimming hole on Bull Branch Stream, named one of the top 20 swimming holes in the world.

Easy difficulty · Western Mountains

5,240 acres of undeveloped wildlife habitat in the midcoast hills with hunting, birding, wildflower meadows, and an expansive trail network through regenerating forest.

Moderate difficulty · Midcoast

Fees: Free

Photo: Ken Gallager · CC BY-SA 3.0

AT shelter and tent sites in the Mahoosuc Range between Goose Eye and Fulling Mill, the closest legal camp to the famous Mahoosuc Notch, at about 3,000 feet.

Hard difficulty · Western Mountains

Fees: Free. No caretaker or fee at Full Goose Shelter; follow Leave No Trace.

A large 3,720-acre Downeast lake off Route 1 near East Machias, with a town launch, a swimming area, and strong bass fishing.

Downeast

A tidal beach on Vinalhaven Island where a sandbar to Greer Island emerges at low tide, creating a walkable peninsula. Ferry required from Rockland. Island time on the Maine coast.

Easy difficulty · Midcoast

Fees: None (ferry fare required: ~$23 round trip adult, ~$55 vehicle summer)

A long, narrow island south of Bath connected by bridge, home to Reid State Park's rare sandy beaches, the Five Islands lobster pound, and the Josephine Newman wildlife sanctuary.

Easy difficulty · Midcoast

Fees: Reid State Park: $8 per vehicle (non-residents) / $6 (residents)

A short, dramatic coastal walk over massive rock slabs and tidal pools on Bailey Island in Harpswell, one of midcoast Maine's most striking shoreline trails.

Easy difficulty · Midcoast

Maine Audubon headquarters in Falmouth with 65 acres, 2.5 miles of trails on the Presumpscot estuary, a nature store, and free access.

Easy difficulty · Greater Portland

A Perry town park on Passamaquoddy Bay with a gravel beach, grassy lawn, boat launch, and picnic area, with views of the Western Passage and Deer Island, New Brunswick.

Downeast

The last lighthouse in Maine to be automated (1990), standing 25 feet tall on Goat Island at the entrance to Cape Porpoise Harbor. Viewable from the pier or by boat tour.

Easy difficulty · Southern Maine

Fees: Boat tour fares vary by operator (approximately $40-60 per adult)

A sandy stretch in Kennebunk with the calm, family-friendly Mother's Beach section, walking distance to the historic district and close to Kennebunkport.

Southern Maine

Fees: Parking pass required June 15 - September 15 ($25/day, $75/week, or seasonal)

Photo: Ken Gallager at English Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 3.0

A 3,860-foot Mahoosuc peak on the Appalachian Trail near the Maine-New Hampshire line, just south of fearsome Mahoosuc Notch. A steep, demanding hike to a wide-open alpine summit.

Expert difficulty · Western Mountains

A quiet 3-mile crescent of sand in Kennebunkport, protected by a barrier reef with gentle surf, tidal pools, and no commercial development along the shore.

Southern Maine

Fees: Parking permit required Memorial Day-Labor Day: $40/day, $200/week, $325/season

A moderate Acadia hike with sweeping ocean views from a 525-foot summit, an optional Cadillac Cliffs cave scramble, and easy connections to Ocean Path and Sand Beach.

Moderate difficulty · Acadia

Fees: $35 Acadia National Park vehicle pass (7-day)

Camp near Grafton Notch's gorges, waterfalls, and Old Speck Mountain. A private campground and AT lean-tos put you steps from western Maine's best hiking.

Western Mountains

Fees: $28/night at Grafton Notch Campground (private, 15 sites)

A dramatic mountain pass drive through Grafton Notch State Park on Route 26 between Newry and Upton, with roadside waterfalls and trailheads to some of Maine's best hikes.

Easy difficulty · Western Mountains

Fees: $4 per vehicle (Maine residents) / $6 (non-residents) at Grafton Notch State Park

Photo: Dougtone · CC BY-SA 2.0

A 3,129-acre mountain notch in western Maine with dramatic waterfalls, Screw Auger Falls, Table Rock, and the Old Speck trailhead on the Appalachian Trail.

Western Mountains

Fees: $4 nonresident adults, $3 resident adults, $1 children 5-11, free for Maine residents 65+

A 7,865-acre reservoir near Ellsworth with islands, floating heaths, and good bass fishing. Just minutes from Acadia National Park.

Acadia

Fees: None

A remote 40-foot horseshoe waterfall spanning over 100 feet on the Dead River, one of Maine's most impressive falls in a wild, roadless setting.

Easy difficulty · Aroostook & Katahdin

Maine's largest waterfall by volume, a remote 40-foot horseshoe cascade on the St. John River accessible only by multi-day canoe trip or rugged backcountry hike.

Hard difficulty · Aroostook & Katahdin

Legendary Downeast fishing village with world-class smallmouth bass, the Grand Lake canoe tradition, and 2,500 square miles of interconnected lakes and streams.

Downeast

Fees: No gate fee. Maine fishing license required.

A Casco Bay island 20 minutes from Portland by ferry, with the historic Fort McKinley military campus, waterfront dining at Diamond's Edge, and a golf-cart community overlooking the bay.

Easy difficulty · Greater Portland

Fees: Casco Bay Lines round trip: approximately $16 adults peak season. Off-peak approximately $8.50.

A large, deep, exceptionally clear border lake in Acton, prized for swimming, boating, and landlocked salmon and lake trout fishing, just an hour from Portland.

Southern Maine

A short but dramatic coastal loop in Acadia that climbs a granite headland 145 feet above the Atlantic, with cliff views over Sand Beach and ruins of a stone teahouse.

Moderate difficulty · Acadia

Fees: $35 vehicle pass (7-day), $30 motorcycle, $20 individual (Acadia National Park pass)

Largest of the Belgrade Lakes at 8,239 acres. Inspired On Golden Pond, with excellent bass and trout fishing, island-dotted waters, and classic Maine lake culture.

Greater Portland

4,523 acres of conserved wildlands with a fire tower summit, the Dead River gorge, remote trails, and sweeping views from Penobscot Bay to Katahdin in eastern Maine.

Moderate difficulty · Downeast

Fees: Free (donations welcome)

A 3-mile tidal estuary trail in Damariscotta featuring the Glidden Midden, a 2,000-year-old oyster shell heap and National Historic Landmark.

Easy difficulty · Midcoast

A 4.8-mile coastal loop through rare jack pine barrens, peat bogs, and rugged Downeast shoreline on a Nature Conservancy preserve in Beals.

Moderate difficulty · Downeast

Photo: Fred Yost/USFWS · Public domain

A clear, deep salmon and trout lake near Ellsworth, home to a national fish hatchery and one of Maine's few native landlocked salmon fisheries.

Downeast

Primitive wilderness camping on Chesuncook Lake, Maine's third-largest lake. Paddle-in or floatplane access to one of the most remote camping experiences in the eastern US.

Moosehead

Fees: $10-12/person/night (North Maine Woods fee)

Photo: Kyle MacLea · CC BY-SA 2.5

Islesboro ferry-landing lighthouse with the Sailors' Memorial Museum in the keeper's house. One of the few Maine towers open to climb in summer.

Easy difficulty · Midcoast

Photo: Andythrasher · CC BY-SA 4.0

Known as the Grand Canyon of Maine, this remote slate gorge features a series of dramatic waterfalls, deep emerald pools, and towering old-growth pines along an 8-mile loop trail.

Moderate difficulty · Moosehead

Fees: KI Jo-Mary checkpoint day use: $13 per Maine resident, $18 per non-resident; under 18 and 70+ free. Cash or check only.

RV-friendly 180-site campground on a quiet Frenchman Bay cove in Bar Harbor, 10 minutes from Acadia National Park entrance.

Acadia

Fees: $40-75/night depending on site type and season

A 40-foot cascade in Acadia, framed by the stone arch of the 1925 Waterfall Bridge. Reached on a short walk up the Hadlock Brook Trail. Best after spring melt.

Easy difficulty · Acadia

Fees: Acadia National Park entrance pass required. A pass covers the park for seven days; an annual park pass is also available.

A 1,225-acre Maine Coast Heritage Trust preserve in Lubec with cobble beaches, sheer cliffs, and dramatic bluff vistas near the easternmost point of the US.

Moderate difficulty · Downeast

Fees: Free. Hamilton Cove Preserve is owned and managed by Maine Coast Heritage Trust with no entrance fee.

Katahdin's second-highest peak at 4,756 feet. A challenging 10-mile round trip via Chimney Pond with long alpine ridge walking.

Hard difficulty · Aroostook & Katahdin

Fees: Free for Maine residents; $20 per vehicle gate pass for non-residents (2025 Baxter State Park day-use fee).

Photo: Denmarkmaine · CC BY-SA 3.0

Clear pond on the Denmark-Sebago line northwest of Sebago Lake, with a public launch, brown trout and bass fishing, and mountain views.

Southern Maine

Photo: Graeme Churchard · CC BY 2.0

WMNF campground on Evans Brook in Evans Notch, Maine, with reservable and first-come sites, vault toilets, potable water, and brook-trout fishing along Route 113.

Western Mountains

Fees: Campsites about $24 per night, plus around $6 per night for each additional vehicle. Senior and Access pass holders receive 50 percent off.

A 25-foot plunge waterfall inside KI Jo-Mary Forest, on the trail approach to Gulf Hagas in Maine's 100-Mile Wilderness.

Moderate difficulty · Moosehead

Fees: KI Jo-Mary gate fee ($15/vehicle for non-residents, varies)

A modernist campus on granite ledge above the Atlantic on Deer Isle. Award-winning architecture, craft workshops, and public tours from May through October.

Easy difficulty · Downeast

Fees: None for public visiting hours

A crescent of sand at the tip of Phippsburg's Small Point peninsula near Hermit Island. Gentle surf, sheltered swimming, and a quiet campground atmosphere far from the crowds.

Midcoast

Fees: $15 per vehicle

A quick, easy hike near Fryeburg with open summit views over the western Maine mountains, ideal for families or a casual afternoon outing near Kezar Lake.

Easy difficulty · Western Mountains

Photo: Unknown authorUnknown author or not provided · Public domain

A roadside overlook at 2,200 feet on the Rangeley Lakes National Scenic Byway with sweeping views of Mooselookmeguntic Lake, forested ridges, and the surrounding peaks of western Maine.

Easy difficulty · Western Mountains

Fees: None

An 1829 lighthouse on Southport Island near Boothbay Harbor, famous for the legend of a baby rescued from a shipwreck. Viewable from the beach; privately owned.

Easy difficulty · Midcoast

A 255-acre peninsula in Phippsburg with 271 tent-only sites, eight sandy beaches, and no RVs allowed. Reservations by mail or phone only; peak-week requests are drawn by random selection in January.

Midcoast

Fees: $52-81/night in season by site tier; $51-61 off-season (2026, plus 9% Maine lodging tax)

A small, iconic surfing beach in Scarborough with consistent waves, a buried shipwreck, and a tight-knit neighborhood feel just south of Portland.

Greater Portland

Fees: Metered parking; $2/hour in season

A clear, popular Lakes Region lake at the edge of Bridgton village, with a public beach, free boat launch, swimming, paddling, and bass and salmon fishing below Pleasant Mountain.

Western Mountains

A 2,440-acre wildlife refuge in Alton with boardwalks through bogs, four ponds, and diverse wildlife near the University of Maine.

Easy difficulty · Aroostook & Katahdin

A 1,345-acre state sanctuary in Brooksville with 11 miles of trails, kayak access to Penobscot Bay, and a no-dogs policy that keeps the wildlife habitat undisturbed.

Moderate difficulty · Downeast

A 20-to-30-foot falls where the Moose River drops past an island, a landmark on the Moose River Bow Trip canoe loop near Jackman. Reached by canoe with a third-mile portage.

Moosehead

Fees: No fee for the falls. Logging-road gate fees may apply in the North Maine Woods, and fire permits are required for campsites.

A broad 40-foot waterfall near Bingham with a swimming hole at the base, reached by an easy quarter-mile walk through cedar forest off Pleasant Ridge Road.

Easy difficulty · Moosehead

A beautiful multi-drop cascade in remote northern Baxter State Park near South Branch Pond, reached by a moderate wilderness hike through old-growth forest.

Moderate difficulty · Aroostook & Katahdin

Fees: Maine residents free; non-residents $15/vehicle (Baxter State Park entrance fee)

A short, easy loop through spruce forest to one of Acadia's most secluded cobblestone beaches, where polished granite stones clatter in the surf and crowds rarely appear.

Easy difficulty · Acadia

Fees: Acadia National Park pass required ($35/vehicle, 7-day)

A quiet 2-mile hike in Washington County with views over East Grand Lake near the Canadian border.

Easy difficulty · Downeast

Fees: None.

A 110-acre TNC preserve on the quiet side of Bar Harbor with forest trails, rocky shoreline, seal-watching, and far fewer visitors than Acadia.

Easy difficulty · Acadia

A 1,145-acre impoundment south of Moosehead Lake created by Harris Station Dam. Deep, wild, and loaded with togue, salmon, and brook trout. Gateway to Kennebec rafting.

Moosehead

Fees: Free (boat launch managed by Brookfield Renewable)

The most remote and least-visited section of Acadia National Park, a wild island reached by mail boat from Stonington with 18 miles of trails, sea cliffs, and roughly 55 year-round residents.

Moderate difficulty · Downeast

Fees: Isle au Haut Boat Services round trip from Stonington: approximately $44 adults. Acadia National Park entrance fee not required for Isle au Haut.

A 14-mile island in Penobscot Bay reached by a 20-minute car ferry from Lincolnville, with Grindle Point Lighthouse, quiet roads for cycling, and Warren Island State Park just offshore.

Easy difficulty · Midcoast

Fees: Maine State Ferry round trip: approximately $17 adults peak season (June-September), $10 off-peak. Vehicle fare additional (approximately $42.50 peak, $30 off-peak).

A tiny year-round island community reached by mail boat from Northeast Harbor, with a historical museum, lobster dock, and unhurried island atmosphere.

Easy difficulty · Acadia

Fees: Mail boat/ferry fare (approximately $20-30 round trip)

Photo: Kim Carpenter · CC BY 2.0

A rare pebble beach covered in polished rhyolite stones that sing with the tide. No sand, pure geological wonder on the Downeast coast.

Downeast

Fees: None

Portland's only natural waterfall, a 25-foot cascade in the 85-acre Fore River Sanctuary reached by a short walk from the Rowe Avenue trailhead.

Easy difficulty · Greater Portland

Roughly 70 sites on Jo-Mary Lake in the North Maine Woods. Logging road access, excellent fishing, and paddling in the 100-Mile Wilderness region.

Moosehead

Fees: $12/person/night for Maine residents; $18/person/night for non-residents (plus day-use gate fee)

175,000 acres of private forest between Millinocket and Greenville, open to camping, fishing, and paddling with gated access and over 60 campsites.

Aroostook & Katahdin

Fees: $10/day use, $15/night camping (plus day use fee)

A short, easy walk to a big granite dome above Fryeburg, with a 360-degree summit view and the bronze Robert Peary monument naming the surrounding peaks.

Easy difficulty · Western Mountains

Acadia's most thrilling cliff trail with iron rungs, ladders, and exposed traverses above Jordan Pond.

Hard difficulty · Acadia

Fees: Acadia National Park entrance fee required.

Photo: NPS / Victoria Stauffenberg; derivative by Maps and stuff · Public domain

A crystal-clear glacial pond in Acadia National Park, 150 feet deep and framed by the twin rounded peaks of The Bubbles. Home to Jordan Pond House and its famous popovers.

Acadia

Fees: $35 Acadia National Park vehicle pass (7-day)

Photo: Victoria Stauffenberg · Public domain

Acadia's historic teahouse on Jordan Pond, famous for popovers on the lawn. Guide to reservations, parking, the shuttle, and timing your visit.

Easy difficulty · Acadia

Fees: $35 per vehicle (Acadia National Park entrance); meals extra

A 119-acre Maine Audubon sanctuary in Georgetown with salt marsh, rocky coast, 2.5 miles of trails, and exceptional birdwatching on Robinhood Cove.

Easy difficulty · Midcoast

Ruins of an 1843 charcoal iron smelter in the North Woods, featuring a towering stone blast furnace, kiln remains, and the gateway road to Gulf Hagas.

Easy difficulty · Moosehead

Fees: KI Jo-Mary checkpoint day use (May opening through October): $13 per person Maine resident, $18 nonresident; under 18 and 70+ free. Cash or check only.

A remote wilderness lake on Baxter State Park's east side, reached only on foot. Famous for its mirror view of Mount Katahdin, with quiet paddling and a classic sporting camp.

Aroostook & Katahdin

Fees: Baxter State Park day-use fee for non-Maine vehicles ($15/vehicle); Maine-registered vehicles free

Baxter State Park's premier Katahdin trailhead campground with tent sites and lean-tos at the start of the Hunt Trail to Maine's highest peak.

Aroostook & Katahdin

Fees: $30/night tent site; $45/night lean-to

Photo: Fredlyfish4 · CC BY-SA 4.0

A multi-tiered waterfall on Katahdin Stream along the Hunt Trail (Appalachian Trail) in Baxter State Park, about 1.2 miles from Katahdin Stream Campground.

Easy difficulty · Aroostook & Katahdin

Fees: Day use: $5 parking reservation + $10 trailhead pass + $20 gate pass (non-residents)

Free primitive camping under a Bortle 2 dark sky at Maine's newest national monument. 18 sites, 4 lean-tos, zero cell service.

Aroostook & Katahdin

Fees: Free (no entrance or camping fees)

87,563-acre national monument with the darkest skies east of the Mississippi, scenic loop road, backcountry camping, and a quieter gateway to the Katahdin region.

Moderate difficulty · Aroostook & Katahdin

Fees: Free (no entrance fee)

A backcountry waterfall on Morrison Brook in the Caribou-Speckled Mountain Wilderness, reached via the Caribou Trail in the Evans Notch area of western Maine.

Hard difficulty · Western Mountains

The largest fly-fishing-only lake east of the Mississippi, 5 miles long in the Rangeley wilderness with native brook trout, salmon, and traditional sporting camps.

Western Mountains

Fees: Gate fee for logging road access (check current rates)

Whitewater rafting outfitter with attached riverside campground, on-site brewery, pool, and cabin tents. A one-stop adventure base on the Kennebec River.

Moosehead

Fees: Tent $15/person/night; cabin tents from $21/person; RV from $45/site; cabins from $92/night. 9% Maine tax + $6/person/night resort fee additional.

A paved, flat 1-mile multi-use path following a former trolley line through Kennebunk, connecting Sea Road to the downtown village with an easy, accessible walk through mature trees.

Easy difficulty · Southern Maine

Fees: None

A 1,000-acre TNC grassland preserve in Kennebunk, home to the endangered grasshopper sparrow, rare sandplain grassland, and wild blueberry picking in August.

Easy difficulty · Southern Maine

A small protected cove in Cape Elizabeth with rocky points, tide pools, and a quiet pebble beach, just steps from Crescent Beach and 20 minutes from Portland.

Easy difficulty · Greater Portland

Fees: $3 residents, $4 non-residents

A hidden 20-foot waterfall and sculpted gorge on the Kezar River in Lovell, with natural potholes, swimming holes, and a short scramble from an unmarked parking area.

Easy difficulty · Western Mountains

One of Maine's cleanest lakes, 2,665 acres in the foothills of the White Mountains. Deep, clear water, a 9-mile length, and a shoreline that has stayed remarkably undeveloped.

Western Mountains

Eleven rustic cabins on a secluded pond in Baxter State Park with canoes included, west-facing sunset views, and direct access to Doubletop Mountain.

Aroostook & Katahdin

Fees: $58/night cabin (up to 4 people)

A wide, quieter stretch of Saco Bay sand beside the Goosefare Brook salt marsh, with summer lifeguards and street-side permit parking. A calmer alternative to Old Orchard Beach.

Southern Maine

Fees: Street-side permit parking. Permits sold at Saco City Hall and the Police Department.

Maine's most thrilling and exposed ridgeline traverse, a 1.1-mile scramble across Katahdin's narrow arête with 1,500-foot drops on both sides.

Expert difficulty · Aroostook & Katahdin

Fees: Maine resident vehicles free; non-resident $15/vehicle

A 334-acre preserve in Cumberland with 6.5 miles of trails over Bruce and Blueberry hills around a 46-acre pond, an easy escape just north of Portland.

Moderate difficulty · Greater Portland

Fees: Free. Knight's Pond Preserve is jointly owned by the towns of Cumberland and North Yarmouth and managed with the Royal River Conservation Trust at no charge.

A spring-fed 1,017-acre lake in Liberty with exceptional water clarity, a state park with sandy beach and 38 campsites, and strong fishing for landlocked salmon, brook trout, and smallmouth bass.

Midcoast

Fees: Lake St. George State Park day use: $5 Maine resident adult, $7 non-resident adult, $2 non-resident senior, $1 child 5-11; Maine residents 65+ free

A quiet 360-acre state park on a clear Midcoast lake with 38 campsites, swimming, fishing for landlocked salmon, and easy trails.

Easy difficulty · Midcoast

Fees: Day use: $5 Maine resident adult, $7 non-resident adult, $2 non-resident senior, $1 child 5-11; Maine residents 65+ free. Camping: $20 resident / $30 non-resident per night.

A 55-acre oceanfront campground on Frenchman Bay with views of Cadillac Mountain and Mount Desert Island, boat launch, and a quieter alternative to camping inside Acadia.

Easy difficulty · Acadia

Fees: Day use: $4 Maine resident adult, $6 non-resident adult, $2 non-resident senior, $1 child 5-11; Maine residents 65+ free. Camping: $20 resident / $30 non-resident per night.

A 45-acre TNC preserve at the edge of Vinalhaven village with wildflower meadows, rocky coast, easy walking, and Penobscot Bay views.

Easy difficulty · Midcoast

A walk-in beach at the Wells Reserve, reached by trails through salt marsh and forest. No development, no crowds, just coast and nature.

Southern Maine

Fees: $5 parking fee (seasonal); free for members

A Downeast sleeper hike through blueberry barrens to a 1,475-foot summit. Sweeping views over the coastal lowlands, remote and rarely crowded.

Moderate difficulty · Downeast

Fees: None

Photo: Amy from Derby, USA · CC BY 2.0

A 925-acre state park on the shore of Moosehead Lake with 90 campsites, a sandy beach, boat launch, and access to New England's largest lake.

Easy difficulty · Moosehead

Fees: Day use: $4 Maine resident adult, $6 non-resident adult, $2 non-resident senior, $1 child 5-11; Maine residents 65+ free. Camping: $20 resident / $30 non-resident per night.

A sandy beach right on Route 1 in Lincolnville with Penobscot Bay views, the Islesboro ferry dock, and a lobster pound next door. One of the most accessible midcoast beach stops.

Midcoast

Fees: Parking fee May 15-Oct 15 ($10/day, $50/week, $95/month)

A neighbor to Tumbledown with its own rewards. Climb through forest to an open ridgeline at 3,434 feet with sweeping views of the western mountains and alpine ponds.

Moderate difficulty · Western Mountains

Fees: None

Photo: Siameselover · CC BY-SA 4.0

Island lighthouse off Cutler Harbor, reached by boat and a plank walkway. Open during American Lighthouse Foundation open houses and overnight keeper stays.

Easy difficulty · Downeast

Fees: No admission fee for open houses; donations support the lighthouse. Overnight keeper stays are booked separately.

A long, winding lake in Gray and Windham with three connected basins, lively boating and water sports, warm swimming, and strong bass fishing just 30 minutes from Portland.

Greater Portland

A series of waterfalls dropping through a deep slate gorge in the 100-Mile Wilderness, reached by a 2.5-mile round-trip hike on the Appalachian Trail near Monson.

Moderate difficulty · Moosehead

A 57-foot waterfall plunging into a narrow slate gorge near Monson, a 3-mile round trip on the Appalachian Trail.

Moderate difficulty · Moosehead

A year-round fishing community in Casco Bay reached by a 45-minute ferry from Portland, with singing sands at South Beach, quiet roads, and the independent spirit of Maine's newest town.

Easy difficulty · Greater Portland

Fees: Casco Bay Lines round trip: approximately $16 adults peak season. Off-peak approximately $8.50.

A singing sand beach on Long Island in Casco Bay, reached by a 45-minute ferry from Portland. Calm bay water, soft sand, and the slow pace of island life just five miles offshore.

Greater Portland

Fees: Ferry fare required (round trip, check cascobaylines.com)

A 5,295-acre lake stretching 11 miles through Bridgton, Naples, and Harrison, connected to Sebago Lake by the historic Songo Lock. Family boating and summer vacations.

Western Mountains

A deep, two-basin Belgrade lake across Belgrade, Mount Vernon, and Rome, with cold water for salmon and lake trout and a launch at the narrows.

Greater Portland

A mile-long sandy beach in York along Route 1A, popular for surfing, family swimming, and sunset views with Nubble Lighthouse visible from the northern end.

Southern Maine

Fees: Metered parking at $4/hour along Long Beach Avenue

A sheltered sandy crescent on Penobscot Bay in Owls Head. Gentle surf, unusually warm water for Maine, and views of the Muscle Ridge Islands. Locals still call it Lucia Beach.

Midcoast

Fees: $3 per person (cash or check only)

A 76-mile remote paddling corridor through Downeast wilderness with Class II-III whitewater, primitive campsites, and virtually no development.

Expert difficulty · Downeast

Remote island 15 miles off Cutler hosting the largest Atlantic puffin colony in the Gulf of Maine, accessible by guided boat tour.

Moderate difficulty · Downeast

Fees: Boat tour: approximately $175-195 per adult, $125-150 per child. Reservations required months in advance.

A sandy-rocky beach set in a working lobster harbor on Bailey Island. Wild roses line the shore, sea glass turns up in the pebbles, and lobster boats come and go from their moorings.

Midcoast

Fees: None

A 100-acre island connected by causeway with a flat 1.5-mile shoreline loop, fairy house village, Casco Bay panoramas, and peaceful walking just 10 minutes from Portland.

Easy difficulty · Greater Portland

Fees: State day-use fee: $3 Maine resident adult, $4 non-resident adult; Maine residents 65+ free

A dramatic 70-foot cascade in the Evans Notch area of the White Mountain National Forest, reached by a 1.6-mile hike on the Royce Trail.

Moderate difficulty · Western Mountains

Home to Mahoosuc Notch, famously called the hardest mile on the Appalachian Trail, with boulder caves, steep scrambles, and remote backcountry camping.

Expert difficulty · Western Mountains

A moderate midcoast Maine hike to a dramatic cliff overlook with a historic white cross memorial and sweeping views over Megunticook Lake and the Camden Hills.

Moderate difficulty · Midcoast

A clean 1,673-acre lake spanning Readfield and Winthrop. Sandy town beach, two basins with diverse fishing, and easy access just 15 minutes from Augusta.

Greater Portland

Fees: Free public beach access

Photo: Giorgio Galeotti · CC BY-SA 4.0

Plan Ogunquit's paved ocean walk from Shore Road to Perkins Cove, including parking, trolley access, 39 benches, accessibility, and seasonal rules.

Easy difficulty · Southern Maine

Fees: Path access is free; municipal parking rates below were checked July 2026

Photo: Photo by and (c)2014 Derek Ramsey (Ram-Man) · CC BY-SA 4.0

An 1857 lighthouse in Port Clyde made famous by Forrest Gump. Walk the distinctive catwalk to the tower, visit the free museum, and take in views of Muscongus Bay.

Easy difficulty · Midcoast

Hidden $15/night municipal campground on a rocky ocean point in Downeast Maine. First-come-first-served, no reservations needed.

Downeast

Fees: $15/night

A 6,765-acre Downeast lake spanning four towns in Washington County. Prolific smallmouth bass, bald eagle nesting along Moosehorn NWR shoreline, and the unhurried pace of far eastern Maine.

Downeast

Fees: None

Rockport campground with Penobscot Bay views, a pool, and short ocean access. A comfortable midcoast base for Camden Hills, schooner cruises, and Rockland.

Midcoast

Fees: Approximately $32-$58/night seasonal range; cottage rentals from $50/night; $10 pet fee per stay

Knox County's largest lake at 1,328 acres, ringed by Camden Hills with the Maiden Cliff overlook above and Barrett's Cove beach below. Warm water and scenic swimming.

Midcoast

A 3,510-acre Belgrade Lakes chain lake spanning three towns, known for outstanding bass fishing, clean water, and year-round recreation.

Midcoast

A nearly 9,000-acre wilderness lake at the doorstep of Baxter State Park. Iconic Katahdin views, landlocked salmon, lake trout, and some of the best wildlife watching in Maine.

Aroostook & Katahdin

Fees: None

A rugged 4.4-mile coastal loop around Monhegan Island with dramatic 150-foot sea cliffs, crashing surf, and wildflower-lined trails through dense spruce forest.

Moderate difficulty · Midcoast

RV-only oceanfront campground on Penobscot Bay in Belfast, with 44 full-hookup ocean-view sites, a private beach, an on-site restaurant, and lobster dinners. No tents.

Midcoast

Fees: Paid RV sites. Full-hookup rates vary by site and season, reserved through the campground; tents are not permitted. See season and details below.

A modern 88-acre full-hookup RV and tent resort east of Moosehead Lake in Greenville, with a pool complex, a stocked trout pond, a food-and-music pavilion, and dark North Woods nights.

Moosehead

Fees: Paid sites. Full-hookup RV, tent, and seasonal sites booked through the resort; rates vary by site type and length of stay.

A peaceful day-use park on Penobscot Bay in Searsport with ocean views, tidal pools, three short hiking trails, and sheltered picnic spots.

Easy difficulty · Midcoast

Fees: $4 non-resident adult, $3 resident adult, $1 children 5-11

Photo: Denmarkmaine · CC BY-SA 3.0

A long, three-basin lake at the foot of Pleasant Mountain in Bridgton, with two public launches and a cold-water fishery for salmon and togue.

Western Mountains

A small, family-owned campground about a mile from downtown Greenville with 26 RV and 8 tent sites, water and electric hookups, and a camp store: the close-to-town base for exploring Moosehead.

Moosehead

Fees: Paid sites. Full, partial, and tent-with-electric sites; no sewer on-site, but a dump station and pump service are available. See the dated pricing note below.

Photo: J. Passepartout · CC BY-SA 4.0

Maine's largest lake at 75,000 acres, stretching 40 miles through the North Woods. World-class fishing, the iconic cliffs of Mount Kineo, and some of the best moose watching in the Northeast.

Moosehead

90+ free primitive campsites along Moosehead Lake's shores and islands. True North Woods wilderness camping with no fees and no reservations.

Moosehead

Fees: Free (BPL sites) / $12-15/person (North Maine Woods)

A 29,196-acre refuge in two divisions near the Canadian border, famous for American woodcock research, 50+ miles of trails, and boreal wildlife habitat.

Easy difficulty · Downeast

Photo: ThePessimus · Public domain

Second largest Rangeley Lake at 16,300 acres and 139 feet deep. World-class salmon and brook trout fishing, remote forested shoreline, and big-water paddling.

Western Mountains

A 45-foot waterfall reached by an easy 0.3-mile trail near Farmington, set in the Sandy River watershed with a peaceful forest setting.

Easy difficulty · Western Mountains

A quick but rewarding climb near The Forks with open summit views of Moxie Pond, Moxie Bald Mountain, and the Kennebec highlands. Wild blueberries in late summer are a bonus.

Moderate difficulty · Moosehead

Fees: None

A V-shaped gorge 40 feet deep and nearly 1,000 feet long on the Bear River, carved by glacial meltwater, with an easy boardwalk walk to the overlook.

Easy difficulty · Western Mountains

Fees: $4 per adult non-resident, $1 children 5-11 (Grafton Notch State Park day use fee)

A small, family-friendly Kennebunk beach with tide pools, a playground, summer lifeguards, and ADA Mobi-Mat access. A beach parking pass is required in season.

Southern Maine

Fees: Beach parking pass required. Day, weekly, or seasonal passes sold at on-beach kiosks or Kennebunk Town Hall.

One of Maine's fourteen 4,000-footers with the second-largest alpine zone in the state. A long, rewarding climb to 4,049 feet with sweeping views from a boulder-strewn summit.

Hard difficulty · Western Mountains

Fees: None

Southern Maine's favorite easy summit in York with panoramic views stretching from the Atlantic coast to Mount Washington, a trail network for all levels, and a unique conservation story.

Easy difficulty · Southern Maine

Fees: $2/hour parking (free November 16 - April 14)

A 325-acre Auburn park with old feldspar quarries where hand-tool gem collecting is legal, plus several miles of trails for hiking and winter skiing.

Easy difficulty · Greater Portland

A quick, family-friendly climb to the stone tower atop Mount Battie with sweeping views of Camden Harbor, Penobscot Bay, and the islands of midcoast Maine.

Easy difficulty · Midcoast

Fees: Camden Hills State Park day use (covers the auto road): $4 Maine resident adult, $6 non-resident adult, $2 non-resident senior, $1 child 5-11; Maine residents 65+ free

Western Maine's iconic perfect-cone summit at 3,187 feet, with a steep direct trail to a restored fire tower and views of the Bigelows, Tumbledown, and Webb Lake.

Hard difficulty · Western Mountains

Fees: Mount Blue State Park day use: $5 Maine resident adult, $7 non-resident adult, $2 non-resident senior, $1 child 5-11; Maine residents 65+ free

Maine's largest state park at 8,000 acres, split between a Webb Lake campground with swimming beach and the Mount Blue hiking area with summit views.

Western Mountains

Fees: Day use: $5 Maine resident adult, $7 non-resident adult, $2 non-resident senior, $1 child 5-11; Maine residents 65+ free. Camping: $20 resident / $30 non-resident per night, $30 / $40 with water and electric.

A remote northern Maine summit at 2,434 feet with clear views of Katahdin and the surrounding wilderness. 3 miles round trip.

Moderate difficulty · Aroostook & Katahdin

Fees: None.

A quick, rewarding hike to open ledges above the Saco River valley. Mount Cutler's 1,232-foot summit offers wide views of the White Mountains for minimal effort.

Moderate difficulty · Western Mountains

Fees: No fees. Mount Cutler Park and Conservation Area is owned by the Town of Hiram and open to the public.

A long-running family campground on Somes Sound, the only fjord on the U.S. East Coast. Tent sites, small RV sites, and waterfront platforms minutes from Acadia and Bar Harbor.

Easy difficulty · Acadia

Fees: Site rates vary by site type and season. See the campground's official rates page for current pricing.

A 27-mile scenic drive through Acadia National Park passing Sand Beach, Thunder Hole, Otter Cliff, Jordan Pond, and the Cadillac Mountain summit road.

Easy difficulty · Acadia

Fees: $35 vehicle pass (7-day), $30 motorcycle, $20 individual

The northern terminus of the Appalachian Trail and Maine's most demanding day hike, climbing from Katahdin Stream Campground over the Hunt Spur to Baxter Peak at 5,268 feet.

Expert difficulty · Aroostook & Katahdin

Fees: Free for Maine residents; $20 per vehicle gate pass for non-residents (2025 Baxter State Park day-use fee). Parking reservations are required at all Baxter State Park trailheads in summer and book up months in advance.

Photo: Tkessler (talk) · CC BY-SA 3.0

A volcanic cliff rising straight from Moosehead Lake, accessible only by boat, with 3.5 miles of trails and panoramic views over Maine's largest lake.

Moderate difficulty · Moosehead

Fees: Kineo shuttle: $15 round trip, $8 one way, children 9 and under free. Mount Kineo State Park day use: $3 Maine resident, $4 nonresident, $1 nonresident senior.

Photo: Magicpiano · CC BY-SA 4.0

A boat-access-only 3.6-mile loop up the dramatic cliff face of Mount Kineo on Moosehead Lake via the steep Indian and Bridle trails.

Moderate difficulty · Moosehead

Fees: Kineo shuttle: $15 round trip, $8 one way, children 9 and under free. Mount Kineo State Park day use: $3 Maine resident, $4 nonresident, $1 nonresident senior.

The highest of the Camden Hills, where Ocean Lookout opens over Penobscot Bay and Maiden Cliff drops away above Megunticook Lake.

Moderate difficulty · Midcoast

Fees: Camden Hills State Park day-use fee

A short climb through woods to open ledges with views over Keoka Lake, Bear Pond, and the Oxford Hills. Blueberries and a summit cave add charm.

Moderate difficulty · Western Mountains

Fees: None

A Nature Conservancy preserve in Fryeburg on the Saco River floodplain, with a West Ridge Trail climbing to a 1,073-foot ledge summit.

Moderate difficulty · Western Mountains

Fees: Free. Mount Tom Preserve is owned by The Nature Conservancy in Maine with no fee to hike. Open sunrise to sunset.

A new Coastal Mountains Land Trust trail near the Penobscot Narrows Bridge climbs to a 565-foot wooded summit with an overlook toward Acadia.

Moderate difficulty · Midcoast

Fees: Free. Mount Tuck Preserve is owned and managed by Coastal Mountains Land Trust with no fee to hike.

A 4.0-mile Bethel Town Forest loop with three ledge overlooks above the Androscoggin River valley and western Maine mountains.

Moderate difficulty · Western Mountains

Fees: None.

A 982-acre lake in southern Maine spanning Shapleigh and Acton. Public beach, exceptional water quality, 98-foot depth, and a diverse fishery including landlocked salmon, lake trout, and bass.

Southern Maine

Fees: None for boat launch; beach access maintained by Mousam Lake Region Association

The easternmost beach in the US with an ADA boardwalk, Campobello Island views, and drowned forest stumps at low tide.

Easy difficulty · Downeast

Fees: None

A bald AT summit at 2,630 feet with 360-degree views over Moxie Pond and endless forest. 8 miles round trip near The Forks.

Moderate difficulty · Moosehead

Fees: None.

Photo: Andy Thrasher · CC0

One of New England's tallest waterfalls at 90 feet, reached by a flat one-mile trail ending at a boardwalk overlook above a deep slate gorge.

Easy difficulty · Moosehead

A quieter cascade downstream of the famous Moxie Falls, set in the gorge on Moxie Stream about a kilometer above the Kennebec River.

Moderate difficulty · Moosehead

A remote northern Maine wilderness where the Appalachian Trail skirts a pristine lake, with primitive campsites, moose, and deep backcountry quiet.

Moderate difficulty · Aroostook & Katahdin

Roughly 10 primitive sites around pristine Nahmakanta Lake in the 100-Mile Wilderness. The Appalachian Trail passes through, and the solitude is profound.

Moosehead

Fees: $10/person/night

Sebago Lakes region KOA on Route 114, 1.4 miles from the Naples Causeway. Full RV hookups, deluxe cabins, tent sites, and a swimming pool.

Southern Maine

Fees: From $65/night; rates vary widely by site type and season

Small private campground with 20 sites on Moosehead Lake in Greenville. Lakefront camping, moose sightings, and true North Woods quiet.

Moosehead

Fees: $30-45/night

Baxter State Park's centrally located campground with tent sites, lean-tos, and a group area, a great base for Doubletop, OJI, and the Brothers mountains.

Aroostook & Katahdin

Fees: $30/night tent site; $45/night lean-to

A classic Maine fishing harbor on the Pemaquid Peninsula with a lobster co-op right on the dock, boat cruises to Monhegan Island, and Pemaquid Point Lighthouse nearby.

Easy difficulty · Midcoast

Fees: None

A quiet 234-acre coldwater gem in Aroostook County. Deep, clean water supporting brook trout, lake trout, and brown trout far from the crowds.

Aroostook & Katahdin

Fees: None

A turbulent cataract on the Carrabassett River cutting through striking bedrock, viewed straight from the bridge in North Anson village. Strongest in spring runoff.

Western Mountains

Fees: Free. Viewing is from the public bridge and roadside in North Anson village.

A quiet island in Penobscot Bay with a summer colony heritage, a craft brewery, a community arts center, and a 70-minute ferry ride from Rockland through the Fox Islands Thoroughfare.

Easy difficulty · Midcoast

Fees: Maine State Ferry round trip: approximately $18 adults peak season (June-September), $16 off-peak.

Over 500 primitive campsites across 3.5 million acres of managed North Maine Woods timberland. Checkpoint entry, per-person fees, and wilderness camping on logging roads.

Aroostook & Katahdin

Fees: $12/person/night Maine residents; $18/person/night non-residents (plus gate fee)

A 2,115-acre Belgrade chain lake spanning Smithfield, Rome, and Mercer. Bass, pike, and pickerel with less traffic than its famous neighbors.

Greater Portland

Fees: None

A remote northern Baxter climb to 3,152 feet with above-treeline views across Maine's wildest country.

Hard difficulty · Aroostook & Katahdin

Fees: Free for Maine residents; $20 per vehicle gate pass for non-residents (2025 Baxter State Park day-use fee).

A quiet Acadia hike to an 852-foot summit with peaceful views over Somes Sound. One of the least crowded trails in the park.

Moderate difficulty · Acadia

Fees: Acadia National Park entrance fee required.

Photo: FirozAnsari · CC BY-SA 4.0

One of New England's most iconic lighthouses, built in 1879 on a tiny rocky island just offshore in York. Best viewed from Sohier Park on the mainland.

Easy difficulty · Southern Maine

Steep, ledgy Moosehead-region climb to Number 4 Mountain's open ledges and former fire-tower site, with an option to push on to remote Baker Mountain.

Moderate difficulty · Moosehead

Fees: Free. The trail crosses conservation land with no posted trail fee.

Remote fire-tower peak in TNC's Leuthold Forest Preserve near Jackman, a short but steep climb to ledges and big North Woods views after a long gravel-road drive.

Moderate difficulty · Moosehead

Fees: Free. The Leuthold Forest Preserve is owned by The Nature Conservancy with no trail fee.

The remote 3,315-foot western peak of The Nature Conservancy's Leuthold Forest Preserve near Jackman, overlooking Attean Pond and the Moose River country.

Hard difficulty · Moosehead

Fees: Free. The Leuthold Forest Preserve is owned by The Nature Conservancy in Maine and is open to the public at no charge.

A remote northern Maine peak at 1,617 feet deep in Aroostook County. Boreal forest, wilderness solitude, and the feeling of being truly far from everything.

Moderate difficulty · Aroostook & Katahdin

Fees: None

Acadia's iconic coastal walk from Sand Beach to Otter Point, passing Thunder Hole, Monument Cove, and the 110-foot Otter Cliffs with ocean views the entire way.

Easy difficulty · Acadia

Fees: $35 Acadia National Park vehicle pass (7-day)

Small rustic oceanfront campground on Eggemoggin Reach in Brooklin, downeast Maine, with electric-only tent and small-RV sites, a rocky beach, and Deer Isle bridge views.

Downeast

Fees: Paid sites. Electric tent and RV sites priced by location, with oceanfront sites at a premium, plus tax; cash, check, or card. See current rates below.

Private 60-site campground minutes from downtown Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park. Convenient base camp with some ocean views.

Acadia

Fees: $45-70/night depending on site type and season

Plan an Ogunquit Beach day around three entrances, changing tides, calmer Ogunquit River water, 2026 parking rates, and the town trolley.

Southern Maine

Fees: Municipal parking varies by lot; see the checked July 2026 rates below

A 78-mile National Scenic Byway along Route 201 from Solon to the Canadian border, following the Kennebec River through deep gorge country and past The Forks whitewater hub.

Easy difficulty · Moosehead

Fees: None

Photo: Paul VanDerWerf from Brunswick, Maine, USA · CC BY 2.0

A 7-mile sandy beach with a historic pier, Palace Playland (New England's only beachfront amusement park), and a boardwalk that has drawn visitors for over a century.

Southern Maine

Fees: Metered parking at $4/hour; private lots $5-$20/day

Family-owned RV, park-model, and cabin campground in Old Orchard Beach with full hookups across five sections, about a mile from the beach. No tent sites.

Southern Maine

Fees: Paid RV, park-model, and cabin campground with no tent sites. Nightly rates vary by section, hookup level, and season; cabins and park models are priced higher than RV sites. See the dated rate note below and confirm at booking.

Maine's third-highest peak at 4,170 feet, reached via the Appalachian Trail through Grafton Notch State Park. A demanding climb rewarded with an observation tower and deep wilderness views.

Hard difficulty · Western Mountains

Saco River campground with 1,700 feet of private frontage, on-site tube and paddle craft rentals, and an upriver shuttle. Built around floating the Saco rather than just sitting beside it.

Western Mountains

Fees: Approximately $32-$36/night; Sun-Wed discounts and fall discounts available

A 4,800-foot ADA-accessible boardwalk through a northern peat bog on the Bangor-Orono line, with seven interpretive stations, carnivorous plants, orchids, and boreal bird habitat.

Easy difficulty · Moosehead

Fees: None

Small 40-site coastal campground on Orrs Island near Bailey Island and Giant's Stairs. Intimate midcoast Maine island camping connected by bridge.

Midcoast

Fees: $35-55/night depending on site type

A brook falls dropping into a 90-foot gorge in a 213-acre land-trust preserve in South Berwick. The trail also passes Balancing Rock. Best flow in spring.

Moderate difficulty · Southern Maine

Fees: Free. The Orris Falls Conservation Area is owned by the Great Works Regional Land Trust.

Remote 15-foot cascade on Otter Brook near the Debsconeag Lakes Wilderness, best suited for adventurous hikers seeking backcountry solitude.

Hard difficulty · Aroostook & Katahdin

East and West preserves on the tidal Cross River in Boothbay with 3.5 miles of trails through forest, along rocky shoreline, and past tidal narrows.

Easy difficulty · Midcoast

A 3-mile loop on a narrow peninsula between two tidal rivers in Boothbay, with reversing falls, old-growth hemlock, and dramatic shore access where fresh and salt water collide.

Easy difficulty · Midcoast

Fees: None

A steep unmarked scramble to a hidden granite overlook above Ship Harbor with views of the Atlantic and Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse.

Expert difficulty · Acadia

Fees: Acadia National Park pass required ($35/vehicle, 7-day)

A small 1852 lighthouse perched on a dramatic cliff 100 feet above Penobscot Bay. Short woodland trail, panoramic bay views, and one of Maine's most scenic lighthouse settings.

Easy difficulty · Midcoast

A world-class collection of pre-1940 aircraft, automobiles, and engines in working condition, with summer air shows and driving demonstrations on the Midcoast.

Easy difficulty · Midcoast

Fees: $18 adults, $10 ages 6-17, free under 6 (2026 prices)

A clear Sebago-region pond in Raymond linked to Crescent Lake by the Tenny River. Great for swimming, paddling, and bass and salmon fishing, 40 minutes from Portland.

Greater Portland

Family campground in Waterford with 200 sites on a private lake. Sandy beach, full activities program, and western Maine foothills setting.

Western Mountains

Fees: $40-70/night depending on site type and season

A quieter Acadia summit at 941 feet with ocean views and easy connections to Bald Peak and Gilmore Peak. Short loop, big reward.

Moderate difficulty · Acadia

Fees: Acadia National Park pass required ($35 per vehicle, 7-day; $70 annual)

Photo: Jules Verne Times Two · CC BY-SA 4.0

A half-mile of pristine Kennebunk sand where the Mousam River meets the sea. Open to the public but with only about six parking spots and no-parking signs along the road.

Southern Maine

Lakeside RV, cabin, and tent campground on Patten Pond in Ellsworth, with a private beach, boat rentals, and an easy drive to Acadia.

Downeast

Fees: Paid sites. Reservations through the campground; day rates vary by site type and hookup level.

A moderate hike near Bangor with open ledge views stretching toward Acadia and the Downeast coast. Also known locally as Chick Hill.

Moderate difficulty · Downeast

Fees: None

A year-round Portland island day trip with a short ferry crossing, a bikeable four-mile loop, the Atlantic back shore, Battery Steele, and a compact village.

Easy difficulty · Greater Portland

Fees: Casco Bay Lines fares (checked July 2026): peak-season round trip $16 adult and $8 child/senior; off-peak adult round trip $8. Bicycle fares extra.

An 839-acre park on Sebec Lake with a sandy beach, 56 campsites, 10 miles of easy trails, and a quiet Piscataquis County setting.

Easy difficulty · Moosehead

Fees: Day use: $5 Maine resident adult, $7 non-resident adult, $2 non-resident senior, $1 child 5-11; Maine residents 65+ free. Camping: $20 resident / $30 non-resident per night, $30 / $40 with water and electric.

A quarter-mile sandy beach in Bristol near Pemaquid Point Lighthouse, with calm swimming, a snack bar, and family-friendly facilities.

Midcoast

Fees: $5 ages 12+, $1 ages 5-11, age 4 and under free (2026)

A cascading waterfall right in the center of Pemaquid village in Bristol, with a natural swimming hole, remnants of an old covered bridge, and the gentle atmosphere of a forgotten midcoast hamlet.

Easy difficulty · Midcoast

Fees: None

Photo: Paul VanDerWerf from Brunswick, Maine, USA · CC BY 2.0

Iconic 1827 lighthouse perched on dramatic layered rock formations in Bristol, with a museum, keeper's house, and some of Maine's best tidal pool exploring.

Easy difficulty · Midcoast

Fees: $5 per car (Memorial Day to Columbus Day)

A 1,247-foot Acadia summit with open ledges and 360-degree views over Jordan Pond and Bubble Pond. Quieter than Cadillac, with four routes up.

Moderate difficulty · Acadia

Fees: Acadia entrance pass required ($35/vehicle, valid 7 days)

A 922-acre lake stretching five miles through Norway, Maine. Sandy beach swimming, good bass and trout fishing, and a scenic setting in the Oxford Hills.

Western Mountains

A 5-mile loop over Acadia's second and sixth highest peaks with sweeping Jordan Pond views, open granite ridges, and far fewer crowds than Cadillac Mountain.

Moderate difficulty · Acadia

Fees: $35 Acadia National Park vehicle pass (7-day)

A steep Acadia climb from Jordan Pond to an open 1,194-foot summit with wide views over the park's interior mountains and lakes.

Moderate difficulty · Acadia

Fees: Acadia National Park entrance fee required.

The tallest public bridge observatory in the world at 420 feet, built into a cable-stayed bridge pylon with 360-degree views of Penobscot Bay and Fort Knox.

Easy difficulty · Midcoast

Fees: Observatory and Fort Knox combined: $9 adult non-resident, $7 Maine resident, $3 children 5-11

A tiny working fishing cove in Ogunquit with a hand-operated pedestrian drawbridge, lobster shacks right on the water, art galleries, and the southern starting point of the famous Marginal Way.

Easy difficulty · Southern Maine

Fees: Metered parking and pay lots ($10-25/day in summer)

A steep climb up 300+ hand-cut granite steps from the CCC era to Mansell Mountain's summit, with views of the Cranberry Isles. An overlooked climb on Acadia's quiet side.

Hard difficulty · Acadia

Fees: $35 Acadia National Park vehicle pass (7-day)

A 3,335-acre coastal refuge in downeast Maine with seabird nesting islands, four miles of mainland trails through spruce forest and along wild granite shoreline.

Easy difficulty · Downeast

Photo: DrStew82 · CC BY-SA 4.0

A deep, clear 828-acre lake on Route 1A between Bangor and Ellsworth, known as Lucerne-in-Maine and prized for salmon and lake trout.

Downeast

A massive overhanging boulder and a narrow lemon squeezer cave on the Appalachian Trail near Rangeley, 4 miles round trip through spruce forest.

Moderate difficulty · Western Mountains

Trophy landlocked salmon fishery accessible only by hiking trail or floatplane, home to the historic Pierce Pond Camps in remote Somerset County wilderness.

Moderate difficulty · Moosehead

A wide, four-mile sandy beach at the edge of Scarborough Marsh. Calmer and less crowded than Old Orchard Beach next door, with good walking, family-friendly waters, and a local lobster shack.

Greater Portland

Fees: $20 per vehicle daily (Memorial Day through Labor Day, 7am to 5:30pm). Free before 7am and after 5:30pm.

A short family-friendly hike to a 60-foot fire tower in the Kennebec Highlands. Mount Pisgah offers 360-degree views over the lakes of central Maine.

Easy difficulty · Greater Portland

Fees: No fees. The Mt. Pisgah Conservation Area is owned by the Town of Winthrop with an easement held by the Kennebec Land Trust.

The high point of the Lakes Region, a long ridge above Moose Pond in Bridgton with open ledges, a fire tower site, and sweeping views west to Mount Washington.

Moderate difficulty · Western Mountains

A rugged Appalachian Trail summit near Caratunk with 1,200 feet of elevation gain in just over a mile. Open ledges deliver sweeping views of Pleasant Pond and the Kennebec highlands.

Hard difficulty · Moosehead

Fees: None

A quiet 2,539-acre Washington County lake with a protected public launch, remote undeveloped shoreline, and premier smallmouth bass fishing.

Downeast

Full-service Sebago Lake resort with 300 sites, an 18-hole golf course, marina, sandy beach, and resort-level amenities 45 minutes from Portland.

Greater Portland

Fees: $55-120/night depending on site type and season

Photo: Jules Verne Times Two · CC BY-SA 4.0