Top Five Maine State Parks are Forever Wild

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June 15, 2011

Top Five Maine State Parks are Forever Wild


Enjoy a spectacular sunset over Sebago Lake in Maine
Within a days drive of any lakefront property in Maine are state parks worth exploring for their scenery, cultural and historical significance and natural resources. Forty-nine state parks dot the landscape of Maine, including several located in the Lakes Regions. We’d like to share our five favorite state parks with you.
In 1931, then Governor Percival Baxter bequeathed Mount Katahdin and the surrounding land to the people of Maine, stating it “shall forever be retained and used for state forest, public park and public recreational purposes . . . shall forever be kept and remain in the natural wild state . . . shall forever be kept and remain as a sanctuary for beasts and birds.”
That gift became Baxter State Park. Today, the park encompasses 332,020 acres of some of the wildest and most spectacular terrain in Maine. Over 200 miles of trails wind through this largest of Maine state parks. It’s popular year round as people enjoy winter and summer camping, ice/snow climbing, skiing, snowmobiling, hiking, fishing, rafting, hunting and wildlife watching. The northern boundary of the Appalachian Trail is at Mount Katahdin in this wilderness park.
Camden Hills State Park isn’t located in the Lakes Region, but the scenic vista atop Mount Battie offers views of Camden, Penobscot Bay and the surrounding islands, and we just love it. This 5,986-acre park offers 30 miles of hiking trails where folks can enjoy hiking, bird watching and winter sports.
Grafton Notch State Park in the Mahoosuc Range includes twelve of the most challenging miles of the entire Appalachian Trail. The rugged terrain is especially evidenced in the steep trails that lead to the summit of Old Speck, where you can enjoy spectacular views from the 4,180 elevation. With Route 26 bisecting this 7,642-acre park, shorter walks include Screw Auger Falls, Mother Walker Falls and Moose Cave. One of the most popular hikes is along the Table Rock Trail, which overlooks Old Speck. Birders, hikers, fishermen, snowshoers, cross-country skiers and snowmobilers all enjoy this outdoor paradise. The ITS82 snowmobile trail runs across the region.
Rangeley Lakes State Park is much smaller at 869 acres. It sits beside Rangeley Lake, a 9-mile body of water that supports world famous populations of landlocked salmon and trout. People come here to hike, picnic, camp, watch wildlife, fish, hunt and participate in winter sports. The campground has 50 sites close to the waterfront with views of Saddleback Mountain.
Last, but certainly not least in our opinion, is Sebago Lake State Park. This 1,309-acre park opened in 1938 and was one of five original state parks in Maine. It’s a forested lakeside park situated on the shore of Sebago Lake, Maine’s deepest and second largest lake. Year-round, people enjoy activities here including boating, hiking, swimming, fishing, camping, cross-country skiing and snowmobiling.
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