The 2019 Maine State Park Pass will go on sale on August 15th. It is a great deal because the 2019 Park Pass is good for the remainder of 2018 and all of 2019; that's sixteen months for the price of twelve months!

Purchase Your 2019 Park Pass:

• At a Maine State Park

Please note that Maine State Park Passes are:

• Not accepted at Acadia National Park, Allagash Wilderness Waterway, Baxter State Park, Maine Wildlife Park, Peacock Beach, Penobscot Narrows Observatory, Penobscot River Corridor, Scarborough Beach, the Songo Lock, or Swan Island. View a list of participating parks and fees.
• For day-use only and does not include camping.

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Maine has a long camping tradition history. Camping first began out of necessity for those living and working off the land, and then later for pleasure. 

At left is a circa 1895 photograph of a lakeside campsite in the Aroostook woods. Connect to the full-size original and details on the Maine Memory Network. 

In the late 1800s people started camping for fun. As the popularity of camping grew in North America campgrounds were established, beginning in the 1920s. 

Cars became a regular addition to the camping scene in the 1940s and 50s along with the increase in families camping and having enough free time to traverse the country on sight seeing trips. 

If you plan to move from traditional tent camping to a pop-out camper or RV, please note that while all Maine State Park Campgrounds, except Warren Island, allow Campers & RVs, there are size restrictions and a limited number of available sites at each campground.

The RV and Campers webpage provides information about: 

• Campsite size designations and locations.
• RV dumping stations and hookups (electricity and water).
• Accessible campsites.

Maine State Parks are dog friendly. Here are a few tips to remember:

Dogs:

• Are welcome at all campgrounds except the Sebago Lake State Park Campground.
• Must be on leash, attended, and under the physical control of the handler at all times.
• Must be cleaned up after immediately; no fecal deposits may be left.
• Owners may be assigned picnic or campsites in a less congested area of the park.

Read more about pets in the parks.

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Help protect Maine's Forests. Leave your firewood at home; do not bring out-of-state wood into Maine. Out-of-state wood is banned.

Even if you live in State, leave your wood at home. Our campgrounds have wood available for purchase when you camp with us. It is easier and more convenient to get your wood where you camp than have to load and haul it with you. More importantly, you will be protecting the health of Maine's forests.

Out-of-state wood is banned due to the risk of importing exotic insects and diseases that will harm Maine forests. While an invasive pest may spread a few miles on its own in a single year, moving infested wood can spread the same pest hundreds of miles in a single day! The wood may look okay but you cannot often see the pests that are there. They can be in, on or under the bark of firewood or even in the wood itself.  So buy it where you burn it to protect Maine's forests.

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Multiple studies and throughout the world have shown that a walk in a park or natural green space is good for you, and better than a same-duration walk in an urban/man-made environment. 

And you do not have to make a whole day of it, or even a whole hour. Even a brief 15-minute park walk is beneficial to overall health:

• Sense of well-being is increased (Anxiety and negative emotions are reduced).
• Relaxation increases and includes a feeling of being:
• Reinvigorated and rested.
• Heart rate is improved/lowered (a lower heart rate is experienced on a walk through a natural setting than a comparable walk through an urban man-made neighborhood.)

 Visits to parks and immersion in nature has been also shown to improve immune function, the ability of the body to fight off infection and disease.

Some studies report less crime and higher levels of trust in neighborhoods with access to parks and views of green spaces. Read Smithsonian article "Going to the Park May Make Your Life Better."

Children who play in natural setting develop more healthily than children who only play in urban areas and on man-made playgrounds/jungle gyms. The evenly measured stairs, pathways, and play structures of urban settings may increase safety in the short term. In the long term, they do not help children fully develop their hand-eye and balance coordination. Uneven surfaces of natural play areas constantly challenge the child to engage their brain and pay attention to where they are in relation to a rough trail, a natural rock step, or a downed log. They become more adept at managing balance on changing surface types and angles, adjusting and moving on in one fluid motion as they gain experience. Their muscles, both brain and body, become better developed as a result. Read more about the benefits of parks and play in natural surroundings for children in Last Child in the Woods by Richard Louv.

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Clapboards in salty air.

Ebb and flow two-step together;

Island’s lone eye flashes red.

The short yet scenic and historic footpath on Perkins Island brings visitors face to face with the island setting experienced by lighthouse keepers. Though the light was automated in 1959, this island site in the mouth of the Kennebec River is a great example of the historic facilities established to support light house operation. Access is via boat only, and kayakers in particular should appreciate the strong tide cycle and associated currents at play here. The island is owned by the Bureau of Parks and Lands and collaboratively managed with the Maine Island Trail Association and the American Lighthouse Foundation.

For online map and trail details visit Maine Trail Finder’s Perkins Island webpage.

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