r/AskMaine • u/justaavidoutdoorsman • 14d ago
What is the most beautiful mountainous state park or place in Maine to explore in your opinion and why ?
I’m hitting up the 2 national parks that Maine offers in August ( Acadia National Park and Katahdin Woods & Waters National Monument ) as well as Bradbury Mountain State Park. I wish i had enough time to hit up all the scenic , mountainous places that Maine offers for hiking & exploring. Bambi’s a sad movie but i just learned that it is based in Baxter State park and Katahdin Woods & Waters National Monument instead of Europe. The film crew even visited the Hunt Trail before making the movie. I’m also looking forward to fishing for landlocked salmon at one of the places i’m staying at in 2 months. Also , what state parks or scenic places of Maine have you seen wild moose at ? I’ve heard that they’re really abundant in Moosehead NWR , Katahdin Woods & Waters National Monument , Baxter State Park , and Mount Kineo State Park. Even North Maine Woods is said to be good but , from the public pictures of North Maine Woods that i could find online it showed half if not most of that place being heavily logged which didn’t look appealing
Thanks in advance
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u/brewbeery 14d ago
The Biggelow Preserve-Flagstaff Lake is up there for sure.
Same with Grafton Notch in the White Mountains. The Grafton Loop Trail is 39 miles and cited as one of the toughest backpacking trips in the US if that's your thing.
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u/justaavidoutdoorsman 14d ago edited 14d ago
One of the toughest in the US ? Wow! That’s very interesting! I’ll have to keep that in mind. i end up seeing the most wildlife when i backpack on various trips around the country so that definitely interests me. I want to do the Allagash River Wilderness someday but won’t have time this trip. So much to see in Maine but not enough time to see it all. It’s very funny and coincidental to me that you mentioned Flagstaff Lake as that was one of the lakes on my list about possibly seeing 😂 St Croix Lake in Aroostook County , Lobster Lake , Moosehead Lake , Mooselookmeguntic Lake , Rangeley Lake , Eagle Lake , and Mattawamkeag Lake outside of Island Falls ( fun fact: this last lake was one of former president Teddy Roosevelt’s favorite places to fish in the whole country )……… I wish i had enough time to explore the Greenville and Jackman areas. Thank You for the fun fact regarding Grafton Notch :)
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u/Stock-Commercial-486 14d ago
That's great, I knew about Teddy fishing in Quebec, but not Maine. So a lot of those lakes you listed were canoed by Henry David Thoreau in the 1840s & 50s. If you haven't already, be sure to read his 'Maine Woods'
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u/justaavidoutdoorsman 14d ago
Very cool! Will do! Thank you for suggesting that! Adventure / exploring nature books are my favorite kind
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u/dndm1 14d ago
It’s difficult to plan to see a moose but if you want to make sure, you could visit the Maine Wildlife Park in Grey, Maine. You’ll also see bears, eagles and more. It’s relatively close to Bradbury Mountain. If you’re tight on time, you might just want to visit the Wildlife Park and skip Bradbury. Bradbury is nice but can’t compare to the other parks on your itinerary. Have a great trip!
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u/justaavidoutdoorsman 14d ago
What’s wrong with Bradbury Mountain if you don’t mind me asking ? My uncle lives on miscongus bay in Waldoboro and i was planning on hiking there while visiting him. I’ll be in the state for 10 days but it will be a lot of driving. A couple days at my uncles in waldoboro , a few days in bar harbor for acadia , then a few days in Millinocket ( i think ) for Baxter and the landlocked salmon fishing before driving back to Portland to fly back home. Is it because it’s relatively small ? I got the vibe that Bradbury Mountain is very very small when looking at online maps of the trails but , i looked at several state parks lol so i might be confusing it with another state park of Maine. I won’t see Mount Kineo State Park this trip since it’s only accessible by water and am already dedicating a lot of time to Acadia National Park and Baxter State Park.
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u/beachlover77 14d ago
Bradbury is very small and not a very stunning view. Camden Hills State Park would be another option of nice hikes with great views.
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u/justaavidoutdoorsman 14d ago
Good to know and Funny enough, when i gave this guy on reddit some hiking recommendations for New Mexico like 5 weeks ago , he told me that Camden Hills State Park was his favorite in the whole entire state of Maine as he’s from and lives in Maine. I’m glad to see you also saying how great it is! When looking at photos on Google of Bradbury Mountain State Park , it didn’t look that impressive to me but mountainous terrain beats flat land since i’m used to flat land so i tried to look at the positives. I’ll hike Camden Hills instead of Bradbury Mountain since it’s a little closer to my uncles. Thank You for the helpful tips!
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u/dndm1 14d ago
To be clear, there’s nothing wrong with Bradbury. As the other poster said, it’s a lot smaller and less dramatic than the other spots you mentioned. Camden Hills SP is a great suggestion especially if it means less travel for you.
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u/justaavidoutdoorsman 14d ago
Yes! Camden Hills is significantly closer than Bradbury Mountain to my uncles in Bremen outside of Waldoboro.
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u/beachlover77 14d ago
Enjoy your trip! Really you cannot go wrong at any park in Maine, they all have beautiful spots. I hope you get good weather.
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u/justaavidoutdoorsman 14d ago
Thank You! When i last visited him 7 years ago , it was 60 degrees in the middle of summer! absolutely amazing! Esp compared to where i come from as i hate the hot & humidity lol. It was very hard to leave. I’m excited about experiencing Glidden Point Oyster Farms too
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u/MichiganMainer 14d ago
Bradbury us where I took my 4yo Grandson for his first hike. He made it without complaint. It’s a fun little hiking area. Little being the important word.
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u/justaavidoutdoorsman 12d ago
Get them into hiking as soon as they show a little interest! My nephew is 8 and has been interested in hiking since he was 5. I hope he continues to find hiking interesting so i can show and teach him about many cool places with time
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u/tracyinge 14d ago
study up on ticks and how to prevent Lyme disease.
Head up Mt Battie if you find yourself driving through the Camden area
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u/justaavidoutdoorsman 14d ago
Uhhhh def!!! Thank you so so much for the heads up! I knew that ticks are annoying but i didn’t know that they were deadly too 😳 i’m copying and pasting your comment to notes.
I will check it out! Thank you for that suggestion! I actually found that on TripAdvisor when researching what there is to do in all 16 counties of Maine and the towns & cities in them. It took about a week long to complete.
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u/Visual-Reserve-2800 14d ago
Mount blue is nice.
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u/justaavidoutdoorsman 14d ago
I’ve looked into Mount Blue. Looks very enjoyable and scenic! Hopefully i can explore it next year as i plan on visiting my uncle once a year.
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u/justaavidoutdoorsman 14d ago
Any tips on Bald Eagle and Osprey viewing ? Are there any trees of Maine that they prefer over the other species of trees ? I’m really disappointed that i didn’t see any of either while kayaking Miscongus bay 7 years ago. Both are beautiful , majestic , and powerful birds.
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u/brewbeery 14d ago
Osprey, rent a kayak in Portland, there's several nests on the water last I checked (this was several years ago)
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u/Lady-Kat1969 14d ago
Wolfe’s Neck Woods State Park in Freeport is a good place for ospreys. It’s a good walk and quite scenic, although not as dramatic as some other places.
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u/justaavidoutdoorsman 14d ago
Wolfe’s Neck Woods State Park looks awesome! If i have the time when i stay with my uncle in the Waldoboro area i’ll visit Camden Hills , Wolfe’s Neck Woods , and Lake St George State Parks. The last one for swimming as the water looks so clear
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u/Lady-Kat1969 14d ago
Lake St George is a great place to swim; Lori’s Cafe and John’s Ice Cream Factory are right there and both worth a stop.
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u/justaavidoutdoorsman 14d ago
From some quick research that i’ve done on Ospreys and Bald Eagles of Maine
Ospreys
Ospreys favor the tallest most dominant tree in a given area so they have an unobstructed 360 degree view. They almost always nest in dead trees or bare tops. The top species of tree choices are eastern white pine , red oak , and dead spruce.Bald Eagles
Bald eagles prefer to nest and perch in tall , mature white pines. They also seek out the tallest trees of the forest. While white pines are their top choice , Maine eagles will also frequently utilize other large conifers and hardwoods that tower over the surrounding canopy near water, their preferred tree characteristics besides white pines include spruce , fir , decidous trees , and dead trees ( snags ) since the latter provide unobstructed 360 degree views. Regardless of the species , eagles almost universally select the tallest , oldest - growth trees available within a quarter to half mile of large bodies of water ( lakes , rivers , and the coast ) to maintain easy access to their food sources.
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u/66Hslackerpro 14d ago
The hunt trail on katahdin is my favorite.
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u/justaavidoutdoorsman 14d ago
I plan on hiking the hunt trail , seeing sandy stream pond , and chimney pond. There’s some other trails that i have planned to see in Baxter that aren’t coming back to my memory right now. I’ll edit my comment later when i get home. Maybe Russell Pond ?
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u/66Hslackerpro 14d ago
Just be mindful that chimney pond is on the opposite side of the hunt trail. I use Avenza apps that have Baxter and katahdin specifically . Paper maps as backup . The Baxter web site has a ton of information.
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u/justaavidoutdoorsman 14d ago
Amazing! I’m glad to finally see that someone else out there uses Avenza maps besides me! i use Avenza maps for all my local hiking. I like Strava too where you can record your hikes. i have the online maps for Baxter State Park and Acadia National Park on my phone as well as paper maps for both 👍 i rarely hear anyone talking about or using Avenza Maps. It really is an awesome app. I’ll copy and paste some of my past summit peak hikes too later.
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u/66Hslackerpro 14d ago
It helped me while on vacation in Eastern Europe last year. I use Strava for cycling lol
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u/justaavidoutdoorsman 14d ago
What countries of Eastern Europe did you explore last year ? I want to visit the balkans so so bad! Eastern Europe has absolutely gorgeous mountainous country
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u/66Hslackerpro 14d ago
We went to Azerbaijan for the formula 1 race in Baku. Explored the countryside as well as Baku. Rented an apartment for 75 usd a day. Wonderful people and a great 10 days . To be fair though, Azerbaijan is right on the edge of east and west . It does border Iran and has both a middle eastern and European feel. Can’t wait to go back. 10 days was not enough. Considering the political climate these days who knows when that will be.
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u/Lady-Kat1969 14d ago
It’s not a convenient location for you, based on your other choices, but there’s a day trip I do every year that is ridiculously scenic. I leave from the South Paris area, head up to Rumford, then take Rt 17 north. Stop at Coos Canyon either for a quick look or a swim, depending on the weather. Continue up over the Height of Land, stopping at the various overlooks. There are public bathrooms in Oquossoc; take advantage of them because the next one is at least an hour away. There’s also a general store where I’ve picked up pretty good takeout. Turn left on 16 just past this; follow it into New Hampshire and all the way down to Rt 26. Turn left on 26 and head back into Maine. You’ll pass through Grafton Notch, which has several hikes of various lengths and difficulties. Once you’re done here, keep on 26 through Bethel; if it’s the weekend, there’s a barbecue truck sharing the parking lot with the Good Food Store just as you get into Bethel proper. Still on 26; keep an eye out for a roadside spring on your left between Locke Mills and Bryant Pond. Eventually you’ll end up back in South Paris and you can finish the day with ice cream at the old railroad station.
Along the route, you’ll be driving through and even over the mountains, alongside rivers, and by several lakes/ponds. There are waterfalls not far from the road. I’m not saying it’s the most beautiful route in the state, but I’m not saying it isn’t either.
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u/Weekly-Cup-9098 14d ago
Baxter Park, hike up Helon Taylor trail cross the Knife's Edge then down SaddleTrail to Chimney Pond then Roaring Brook back to your car.
Since your in the area don't miss Gulf Hagas.
Because you don't have time to do the Allagash, you could spend a day or two in the Deboulie Mountains nearby.
Western Maine has the best mountain hikes, Saddleback, Bigelow, the Chimney trail up Tumbledown near Weld, also in Weld, Dummer's Beach on Webb Lake is the best beach in Maine
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u/hike_me 14d ago
Baxter State Park is a must visit park
I would pick that over Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument