State Parks in The Maine Highlands

What is truly wonderful about The Maine Highlands is how natural it has stayed and what better way to connect with nature than in an area that was preserved to be forever wild. With a diverse selection of parks featuring a great variety of scenery and wildlife, The Maine Highlands has what you need to start your outdoor experience.

These are The Maine Highland’s state parks:

Gero Island Public Reserve

Located on Chesuncook Lake, Gero Island is over 3,000 acres and a great visit for both anglers and canoeists. The island includes multiple campsites with gorgeous wooded areas, as well as the Chesuncook Village, a popular sight on the mainland.

Location: Chesuncook Lake

Operation Period: Year round
Fee: Yes

Contact: Moosehead Lake Region Chamber of Commerce; www.MooseheadLake.org
PO Box 581, Greenville, Maine 04441-0581;
1-888-876-2778 • 207-695-2702

Lily Bay State Park

Lily Bay makes for a great state park camping trip! With much of the 900+ acres located on Moosehead Lake, Lily Bay State Park invites any looking for a scenic and enjoyable outdoors visit. With leaf peeping, hiking, swimming, fishing and hunting as only a few of the outdoors activities, it’s no wonder that there are 91 campsites among 2 campgrounds for those wishing to admire the beautiful scenery.

Location: East Shore of Moosehead Lake, nine miles North of Greenville

Operation Period: May 15- October 15
Fee: Yes

Concact:Lily Bay State Park
12 Myrle’s Way, Greenville Maine 04401
Park Season: (207) 695-2700 Off-season: (207) 941-4014

Little Moose Publix Reserve Land

In the West of the Maine Highlands is the Little Moose Public Land Reserve, home of both the Big Moose and Little Moose Mountains, as well as multiple secluded ponds. Located on 15,000 acres, Little Moose is an excellent destination for anyone looking for a do-it-yourself camping trip, including hiking, fishing, hunting and for the winter visitors, snowmobiling.

Location: Gravel Road off Route 15, north of Greenville
Operation Period: Year-round

Contact: Moosehead Lake Region Chamber of Commerce; www.MooseheadLake.org
PO Box 581, Greenville, Maine 04441-0581
1-888-876-2778 • (207) 695-2702

Moosehead Lake Public Reserve

Whether it’s hiking, camping or boating, Moosehead has your outdoors experience. Including spectacular hiking trails and multiple boat launch points, Moosehead could be your best hiking trip yet. Moosehead is also part of the Northern Forest Canoe Trail, a beautiful, natural, 740 mile watertrail through New England, New York and even parts of Quebec, Canada.

Location: Piscataquis County, north of Greenville
Operation Period: Year-round

Contact: Moosehead Lake Region Chamber of Commerce; www.MooseheadLake.org
PO Box 581, Greenville, Maine 04441-0581
1-888-876-2778 • (207) 695-2702

Nahmakanta Public Land Reserve-

At 43,000 acres, Nahmakanta Public Land Reserve is the most expansive unit in the public reserve system. With so much area to enjoy, there are few well beaten trails and is an area for the more adept hiker. Also in Nahmakanta is the North of the Appalachian Trail, with an amazing view of Mt. Katahdin. For a unique camping experience, one can camp lakeside, via a canoe trip. Nahmakanta is also the home to a snowmobile trail connecting Greenville to Millinocket.

Location: Route 11 via Jo-Mary Road or Penobscot Pond Road via Second Roach Road.

Operation Period: Year Round
Fee: Yes

Contact: Katahdin Chamber of Commerce; www.KatahdinMaine.com
1029 Central St, Millinocket, ME 04462
(207) 723-4443

Peaks-Kenny State Park

Located outside of Dover-Foxcroft, Peaks-Kenny makes for a great, secluded camping event. With only 56 campsites set far between, Peaks-Kenny is a great choice for anyone looking for a remote, family-oriented camping experience.

Location: Maine Route 153
Operation Period: May 15- October 1
Fee: Yes

Contact: Peaks-Kenny State Park
401 State Park Road, Dover-Foxcroft, Me 04426
Park Season- (207) 564-2003 Off-season- (207) 941-4014

Penobscot River Corridor

For a more aquatic adventure, one should look towards the Penobscot River Corridor. From canoeing to whitewater rafting to fishing, the Penobscot River Corridor begins over 60 miles of river access and 70 miles of possible lakeside, and is also part of the Northern Forest Canoe Trail, a beautiful, natural, 740 mile water trail through New England, New York and even parts of Quebec, Canada. Because this area is managed by many landowners, a visit requires much planning, and should be done so through the Bureau of Parks and Lakes.

Operation Period: Year-round

Contact: Greater Bangor Convention and Visitors Bureau; www.VisitBangorMaine.com
40 Harlow Street, Bangor, ME 04401
(207) 947-5205 (800) 91-MOOSE

Scraggly Lake Public Reserved Land

Based around Scraggly Lake itself is the wooded and majestic Scraggly Lake Public Land Reserve. With much of the 10,000 acres being forest, the area makes for an excellent outdoors adventure, with multiple ponds and bogs. With small marshes in the unit, Scraggly Lake hosts more than 200 indigenous Maine species, with great fishing, as well as hunting and hiking.

Location: Route159 out of Shin Pond to Scraggly Lake Road.
Operation Period: Year-round

Contact: Katahdin Chamber of Commerce; www.KatahdinMaine.com
1029 Central St, Millinocket, ME 04462
(207) 723-4443

Seboeis Public Reserved Land

Nestled south of Millinocket, Seboeis is home to many great camping locations, primarily for anglers, with much shoreline along two lakes. In the winter, snowmobilers make their way through the 13,000 acre area.

Location: Route 11 south of Millinocket to gravel road.
Operation Period: Year-round

Contact: Lincoln Lakes Region Chamber of Commerce; www.LincolnMEChamber.org
256 West Broadway, Lincoln, Maine 0445
(207) 794-8065

Telos Public Reserved Land

A popular visiting point among canoeists and anglers is Telos, a 23,000 acre area that encompasses Telos Lake. Campsites are set along Coffelos Pond, a great fishing sight for those who are looking to get away.

Operation Period: Year-round
Fee: Yes

Contact: Katahdin Chamber of Commerce; www.KatahdinMaine.com
1029 Central St, Millinocket, ME 04462
(207) 723-4443

Wassataquoik Public Reserved Land-

With numerous amounts of shoreline, Wassauquoik makes for great streamside camping excursion, resting both of the Penobscot River and Wassataquoik Stream. There is also a snowmobile trail joining East Millinocket and Shin Pond featured in the winter.

Operation Period: Year-round

Contact: Katahdin Chamber of Commerce; www.KatahdinMaine.com
1029 Central St, Millinocket, ME 04462
(207) 723-4443

For more information on Maine State Parks, visit: www.maine.gov/doc/parks

View all “State Park & Forest” listings