Great location, very spacious sites. It is a great place to kickoff expeditions into the north…read morewoods of Maine

We love coming to Lily Bay, beautiful views. The kids can swim or you can took. Trails, outhouses…read moreare clean, and we usually see deer and we haven't but others have seen Moose.' It's a must if your in the Moosehead area.

Grafton Notch State Park occupies 3,129 acres (1,266 hectares) surrounding Grafton Notch, the…read moremountain pass between aldpate Mountain and Old Speck Mountain. The drive to it along ME 26 was beautiful, despite the intense and brutal heat on the day of our first visit. There are roadside turnouts for both Mother Walker Falls and Screw Auger Falls; the water flow at the falls was markedly curtailed due to the current drought conditions. You'll find signage that explains this area's glacial and geologic history. The trails leading to the waterfalls are short and well-marked, with uneven rock and forest flooring. Tip: Apparently Screw Auger Falls is so named because it looks as like someone took a giant auger and drilled large quantities of rock out of this quite sizable granite rock formation formation Tip: Dogs are allowed here for no additional fee. They're permitted throughout the park and on the trails; but not on the beaches I totally enjoyed everything I saw here on my first visit, and have already gone back a week ago. I expect to make visiting this very special destination a regular habit :-)

Grafton Notch State Park, one of Maine's scenic byways, is always going to have a really special…read moreplace in my heart: it's the first time I stepped on the Appalachian Trail! And, I don't know, you don't forget that do you? Screw Auger Falls - Anytime I get the chance to play on rocks and waterfalls, I'm going to! The Bear River has areas of expansive smooth rocks that may or may not be accessible (depends on how much water is flowing). On one side, there's a tinier waterfall; the other side, the gorge where Screw Auger spills down. The rocks here are so interestingly carved and worn because of the years and years (and years) of water washing over them. Mother Walker Falls Turnout - I think this is where The Abandoned Road is, an interesting stone stairway, a wee cave, and some information about "this section of Bear River in the deep gorge below is called Mother Walker Falls. Roaring over broken rocks and falling into little pools, the river gradually drops a total of 98 feet." You can't see much because of the density of the trees. Moose Cave - This is a 1/4 mile loop of mostly packed surface, stairs, some boardwalks and planks, and a few steep drop-offs. There's a reindeer moss garden before Moose Cave which was formed when a great slab of granite broke away from the mountainside. Supposedly at some point an unlucky moose got trapped here. Eyebrow Trail/Table Rock - So now we get to some hiking. I did some research that suggested Table Rock (2380°, 2.4 miles; specifically going orange to blue to white [AT]) was slightly easier than Eyebrow (2600°, 2.1 miles; specifically going orange to white [AT]). Either way, you get to spend some time on the AT, and some folks are here just to step foot, snap a photo, and move on. We decided to do Eyebrow Trail and it was one of the toughest hikes I've ever been on in the best way possible; it ignited a passion in me I didn't know I had! There were areas where you had to scale the mountainside with an iron cable bolted into the ground; other areas where you had to climb vertically on a rock surface via an iron ladder. The summit's views reminded me of areas of the Highlands in Scotland; and, I don't know that I've ever smelled pine so raw and cold and crisp before. I will never forget this hike; maybe sometime I can come back and do Old Speck (4180°)! Spruce Meadow Turnout - We stopped here to have lunch. If you walk a little further then where most of the picnic tables are, there's a lone table facing an expanse of stunning mountain. It's a good place to have a good meal with a good friend. Scenic Turnout - There's not much that here, a trio of signs/placards that talk about the area. What a beautiful Maine spot this is!

Old fashioned camping exists! This is a perfect family campground-- kids can ride their bikes,…read morefolks can stroll through the campground or adjacent trails, and meeting and chatting with other campers and rangers is a joy. The beach has the best view of any in the world. Area hiking trails are challenging and breathtakingly beautiful. Coos Canyon is nearby and a super fun day trip. There are flush toilets and showers and a brand new playground. This is a jewel.

Summer review! Get…read morethat Maine State Park Pass out and head to Mt Blue State Park Campground (even if it's just for a day outing)! It's like a smaller, more intimate, more highly concentrated version of everything you love about Sebago and Rangeley. Clear, clean, cold water to swim in; surrounding mountains (like Mt Blue) that ring Webb Lake making it picturesque in every way. There's also some low stakes hiking, including a 1-mile loop (apparently called Hopping Frog Nature Trail) near the Nature Center. The Nature Center is also very cool, offering hands-on exhibits, interpretive programs, and displays about the local flora and fauna. I learned how big my wingspan is and played a round of outdoor checkers. I was extremely delighted by this spot and can't wait to explore it again in the future!

Nice, quiet town beach There is usually a food truck nearby…read more Great for kayaking and paddling

This beach is the reason I moved to Winthrop! Situated on the end of Maranacook Lake, this little…read moretown beach is my favorite local spot for a swim, float, picnic, and family outing! In peak summer days the shore is lined with families, food trucks, kids on bikes, boaters, kayakers, and all other species of lake lovers. The waters of Maranacook Lake are clear, pristine, and brisk! The beach is easily walked to from downtown Winthrop, which is lined with cool shops, a subway, couple of eateries. The town beach is clean, nicely maintained, trash receptacles are available, lots of green space to picnic and chill. The boat launch is nearby as is a lovely park with benches and a community gazebo. On the 4th of July this is THE place to be! Amazing fireworks food trucks, and of course the Winthrop PD regularly patrols so you can take your leisure in a safe, monitored location. As a local I love using the beach in the off season. There's always tons of free parking and the Winthrop peeps are just great, kind, people who don't mind sharing their gem of a beach with out of towners who respect and abide the rules. While at the beach take a stroll, explore the neato downtown area, and soak up the sun and fun vibes! Bring the fam and chill on the shore of the beautiful Maranacook Lake. Oh! And boaters if you put in the lake check your boat and trailers for milfoil (a nasty invasive plant) it's the law in Maine. No milfoil in or out of our water bodies. Enjoy!

Swimming, rocky but nice little spot. Not very expensive, bring a few floats and spend the day.read more

right near my house, but public area is difficult...on a steep hill. entrance into water not safe…read morefor the elderly...no handbars and slippery rock steps. i have never made it into the water so i don't know about that.

We camped at Rangeley for the 4th of July in our pop-up. We had site 20 which was nice (water and…read moreelectric) but we wished we were across the street because those sites have water views and some have access paths through the trees. Try site 19. But no hook-ups over there. The bathrooms were nice and clean, and the dishwashing station was too. The best hike in the area is Bald Mountain. They sell ice and wood at the ranger station.

Edie was so wonderful, she helped me change our reservation when our camp for tonight was…read morecancelled, due to floods. She got us in and we are here for two nights instead of sleeping in the Walmart parking lot.

Outdoor enthusiasts- this is your happy place!! I've never seen so many lakes, streams, and remote…read morehiking trails all in one place!! Absolute heaven!! The Rangeley Lakes region is massive and holds six large lakes, as well as hundreds of smaller lakes, ponds, and streams. I started my adventure driving in on the Rangeley Lakes Scenic Byway which takes you way up on some ridges with vast sweeping views of the valley that holds gigantic Mooselookmeguntic Lake!! You'll have the opportunity to pull off for photos at Height of Land waypoint and I highly recommend the stop - a great way to start your trip! I based myself out of Rangeley and stayed at the quaint Rangeley Inn & Tavern and it was so perfect! Rangeley is right in the heart of the region and sits between lovely Haley Pond (full of Loons!!) and magnificent Rangeley Lake which has spectacular sunsets and seaplane excursions. Apparently modern day fly fishing was born in this region which doesn't surprise me. This is a sportsman's paradise to be sure! Fishing, hunting, ATVing - all very popular here. As well as hiking and tons of birding! In winter it's all about skiing and snowmobiling. I came to this region in search of moose and explored as much as I could - all the way up to the giant Chain of Ponds pushing up to the Canadian border. And while I didn't find any moose, I still had an amazing adventure and will definitely be back!!

Bigelow Preserve is an absolutely gorgeous state-owned nature preserve in Western Maine…read more Established in 1976, this protected land is open to the public for hiking, camping, boating, fishing, fall foliage, snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, and so much more! At over 36,000 acres... you're sure to find something of interest. The flora and fauna are just breath-taking and it is absolutely worth a visit! I visited this vast parcel of land with the intent of climbing four out of the seven peaks of the Bigelow Mountain Range that are contained within the preserve. As some of the tallest mountains in all of Maine, I was excited for the challenge. The mountains are named after Major Timothy Bigelow who summitted the peaks in the late 1700s. There are many trails, including the famous Appalachian Trail, that snake through this forested playground. The Maine Appalachian Trail Club maintains these tracks and provides caretakers at the backcountry camping sites. From the mountains there are impressive views of Flagstaff Lake and the mountain range itself. Open all year round. One of the most scenic hikes I've completed in a while! Breath in the fresh air and get outside.

What a beautiful and serene spot!…read more Echo Lake is approximately 15.7 acres. Two granite ledges called White Horse and Cathedral Ledge surround it. We went later in the afternoon so parking was ample. A short walk leads you to the picnic area and lake. It's about a 1 mile hike around the lake. The water was clear and cold. There were lots of mosquitoes at that hour. We enjoyed seeing the tadpoles in the water. My family enjoyed our time there and can't wait to go back to this picturesque spot!

m a local to the state of NH about 1.5hr drive from this beautiful place…read moreWill recommend Will return Check the bacteria site before heading up to make sure its swim able I have state park plates so I went to New Hampshire State Parks website and made a reservation for this particular day in Wood State Park plates you pay one dollar which is your processing fee Without state Park plates, the entry fee is eight dollars per car I recommend making reservations on the website rather than just rolling up in person. They do have a large parking lot, but it seems to fill very quickly. The beach is very family oriented. You can rent canoes. You can rent kayaks. You can rent paddle boats. The fees are very reasonable. They have tubes. You can also purchase for a small fee of six dollars. The beach was not overcrowded. They have many hiking trails and areas around that area as well. They have charcoal grills that you can use up off the beach with some grassy area that you could also camp at. There is also a bathhouse there that's open as well as a small store There are no lifeguards it's a swim at your own risk Very very clean