Are you addicted to the smell of campfire smoke, or is it the salty sea air that does it for you? Do you wake up on weekends dying to hit a mountain trail, or is a mellow jaunt through history more your speed? Are you a wildlife watcher? A lighthouse lover? We asked Down East readers to swallow hard and pick one favorite from among more than 50 stunning Maine state parks and historic sites. Hundreds of you answered the call. See if your favorite Maine state parks made the list — then pack a picnic, grab your backpack, and go outside to play.
Quoddy Head State Park
“The shore has a raw beauty, with the cliffs rising up, crowned with forest. Both the lighthouse on the point and the view of the ocean and Grand Manan Island are spectacular. Hike the trails along the cliffs and bluffs.”
Skip Dickson, Salem, Connecticut
Favorite Maine State Parks #1:
Quoddy Head State Park
973 South Lubec Rd., Lubec
207-733-0911
Photographed by Benjamin Williamson
Aroostook State Park
“This park is a gem. We love camping here — the sites are large and wooded, the restrooms clean and spacious, the whole park is well kept. Echo Lake is so beautiful! For more hardy souls, Aroostook has hiking trails, swimming, and canoes and kayaks for rent.”
Joe and Kathy Meyer, Canonsburg, Pennsylvania
Favorite Maine State Parks #2:
Aroostook State Park
87 State Park Rd., Presque Isle
207-768-8341
Photographed by Paul Cyr
Popham Beach State Park
“Even on the busiest summer days, you can still feel alone walking along the ever-changing shore. At low tide, visitors collect sand dollars and traipse to Fox Island. High tide delivers a new personality, along with just the right waves for bodyboarding and, for some, surfing. Our family has been visiting for decades and plans to keep it ‘our spot’ through our last days.”
Christen Graham, North Yarmouth, Maine
Favorite Maine State Parks #3:
Popham Beach State Park
10 Perkins Farm Ln., Phippsburg
207-389-1335
Photographed by Cait Bourgault
Baxter
“Baxter is the ultimate uncharted territory of the Maine wilderness. Its deep woods, changing weather, and foggy mountains evoke an almost spiritual sense. After visiting the park nearly every year as a child — hiking Mount Katahdin, canoeing on South Branch Pond, and watching for moose and wildlife in the many ponds and marshes — Baxter holds a special place in my memories.”
Valerie Collins, Middletown, Connecticut
Favorite Maine State Parks #4:
Baxter State Park
Togue Pond Gatehouse (South Entrance), 8 miles west of Millinocket on Baxter State Park Rd. Matagamon Gatehouse (North Entrance), 26 miles northwest of Patten on Shin Pond Rd.
207-723-5140
Photographed by Matt Milone
Two Lights
“I love the breathtaking ruggedness of the rocky shoreline, the rhythmic thrumming of the waves, and the accessibility of the rocks for climbing and exploring eddy pools. The vista is hypnotic and mysterious when the fog rolls in.”
Pam Kowal, Buffalo, New York
Favorite Maine State Park #5:
Two Lights State Park
7 Tower Dr., Cape Elizabeth
207-799-5871
Photographed by Cait Bourgault
Reid
“The memories, the water, and the waves. Staying in that water all day until we were red as lobsters. Falling asleep on the way home, with that dried-up skin from too much salt. Looking forward to the next trip, always on the perfect summer day with warm sunshine, cold water, and best friends.”
Barbara Allen, Cape Elizabeth, Maine
Favorite Maine State Parks #6:
Reid State Park
375 Seguinland Rd., Georgetown
207-371-2303
Photographed by Benjamin Williamson
Camden Hills
“Drive up Mount Battie, climb the tower, read Edna St. Vincent Millay’s poem, enjoy the view, and picnic. Where the mountains meet the sea: the best of both Maines.”
Cindy Rideout, Harpswell, Maine
Favorite Maine State Parks #7:
Camden Hills State Park
280 Belfast Rd., Camden
207-236-3109
Photographed by Benjamin Williamson
Fort Knox
“The fort’s history is so well documented, and the scenery of Penobscot Bay is gorgeous! I like to walk the whole area and try to imagine what it was like for those stationed here.”
Jean Bickford, Colorado Springs, Colorado
Favorite Maine State Parks #8:
Fort Knox State Historic Site
711 Fort Knox Rd., Prospect
207-469-7719
Photographed by Cait Bourgault
Rangeley Lake
“My family loves to watch the bald eagles swoop down into the lake to catch fish, spot otters scurrying around on the rocks, and catch crayfish by flashlight. Swimming in the cold, clear water of Rangeley Lake, surrounded by the unspoiled natural landscape of woods and mountains, is the perfect way to reconnect as a family. Mostly, I love to have my camp coffee in the morning in a private lakefront campsite, listening to the lapping of the waves on the rocks. Oh yes, and the stargazing is out of sight!”
Samara Yandell, Portland, Maine
Favorite Maine State Parks #9
Rangeley Lake State Park
South Shore Rd., off Rte. 17, Rangeley
207-864-3858
Photographed by Cait Bourgault
Cobscook Bay
“I love to camp at Cobscook, do some hiking, and maybe even bring my mountain bike. It’s large and quiet, with breathtaking ocean views and abundant wildlife.”
Chris Colter, Houlton, Maine
Favorite Maine State Parks #10:
Cobscook Bay State Park
40 S. Edmunds Rd., Edmunds Township
207-726-4412
Photographed by Benjamin Williamson