One of the most underrated camping locations in the United States is Maine. With mountains, coastline, dense forests, and more, there is a broad range of options in this northern state. If you are in the market for a camping trip in Maine, there are a few hotspots to keep in mind, activities to engage in, and websites to check out. Here is a breakdown of camping in Maine!
5 great locations for camping in Maine
Firstly, we will discuss a couple of the great camping locations located throughout Maine. This will give you a few ideas as to where you want to pitch your tent or set up the RV.
- Hermit Island Campground
One of the highest-rated campgrounds in all of Maine is Hermit Island. This is located on Casco Bay in Phippsburg, Maine. There are over 250 sites on the property and offer a really cool coastline location. There are miles of hiking trails as well as a beachfront. Plus, there is an excellent boat launch so you can gear up and head out into the Atlantic. So, no matter your interests, there is something at Hermit Island Campground.
- Sandy Pines Campground
A really popular town in Maine for visitors to check out is Kennebunkport. This is where the Sandy Pines Campground is located. This is one of the most diverse campgrounds on this list as it has a few different camping options available. You can tent camp, hook up an RV, do some “glamping”, and even rent out a cottage for you and your loved ones.
In terms of things to do, there is a lodge and a pool on the property. Plus, you will be sleeping very close to Goose Rocks Beach which is known as one of the best beaches in all of New England.
- Balsam Woods Campground
If you are really craving a spot that has a ton to do for the whole family right on the property, you have to consider Balsam Woods Campground. There is so much packed into this campground that you may not want to venture out!
One of the big selling points of Balsam Woods Campground is going ATVing. When staying here, you will have access to over 1000 miles of ATV trails through the Maine wilderness. Unfortunately, there is not a way to rent ATVs on the property itself, there are some options in the area, and if you have your own, all the better. Edit: Since this was originally written, Balsam Woods no longer promotes ATV riding on their website. There still appears to be trails nearby in Abbot ME, and another facility that has cabin rentals is Abbot Trailside Lodging, just down the road from Balsam Woods Campground. If you want to plan an ATV trip, I would call a couple of these places ahead of time, and check out the current status of the ATV trails.
If ATVing isn’t your thing, there are tons of other programs and activities available on location. Another big one is kayaking and/or fishing the Piper Pond creek that is right on the property.
- Cutler Coast Public Reserved Land
The Cutler Coast Public Reserved Land is an area made up of over 12,000 acres and offers some really cool natural features. Everything from blueberry patches, peatlands, and shorefronts are featured on this piece of property.
This is the type of spot where you simply go out and enjoy. There really aren’t any bells and whistles to get hung up. Nature really gets to speak for itself.
If you aren’t looking to camp on the property, you have free access to the land, so you can explore and have a good time without spending a dime.
- Blackwoods Campground
Another camping spot at Acadia National Park is the Blackwoods Campground. This campground has over 200 tent sites, and 60 sites for RV’s. Sites can be reserved 2 months in advance. The Acadia Island Explorer shuttle bus is available from late June to mid-October to take you to park destinations as well as Bar Harbor and other local places of interest.
The sites are mostly rustic with no electric hookups. However, there are flush toilets available, as well as picnic areas. Sites have fire rings and picnic tables.
3 super fun activities to do in Maine
No camping trip is complete without doing some really fun activities to pass the time. Thankfully, Maine is packed full of things to do and sites to see. Here are three great activities to engage in while camping in Maine!
- Explore Acadia National Park
One of Maine’s biggest and most prominent attractions is Acadia National Park. Over 3 million people visit this park annually and for good reason. This is one of the most beautiful areas in the entire Northeast.
Whether it be exploring over 140 miles of hiking trails, trekking to the top of Cadillac Mountain, experiencing Thunder Hole, or kayaking to some of the various islands off the cost, there is fun for the whole family at Acadia National Park.
- Take a lobster boat tour
No trip to Maine is complete without indulging in the world-famous Maine Lobster. Take this aspect one step further and go on a lobster boat tour. It is easy to roll up to the nearest shack and order a lobster roll, but it is a whole different thing to see what the processes are like.
This is an entirely different world than one that you are probably used to. Tapping into this is a cool experience that you and your family will never forget.
- Go fishing and/or clamming
Along with lobster, Maine clams also run the seafood market in this state. Clamming is really cool and does not take a whole lot of skill. However, you do need to keep in mind local laws and make sure that you get the necessary permits.
On the more traditional fishing side, Maine is filled with lakes as well as miles of coastline on the Atlantic. Inland, there are smallmouth bass, crappie, and some other species that fill the lakes and streams of Maine. On the coast, giant striped bass is king. Chasing stripers is one of Maine’s biggest angling feats.
Useful links for more information
If you want to learn more about some of the talking points in this blog, here are a few links that will help you gather more information.
Any information regarding Acadia National Park and other National Park businesses can be found at https://www.nps.gov/acad/index.htm.
Maine campsites can be found at campmaine.com.
In regards to camping in general, visit mustgocamping.com, and see a review posted previously of the KOA Oceanside for info on another Maine camping option near Acadia National Park.
Now, hopefully you have a far better idea about camping in Maine, places to go, and things to do. The next time you are in the market for pitching a tent or parking an RV, keep some of these aspects in mind, and enjoy Maine!
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