How to Camp on Public Land in Maine
Camping is a great way to get away from the hustle and bustle of daily life and spend time in the great outdoors for a night or a weekend. For those looking to camp on public land in the state of Maine, you are in luck. Not only is there plenty of public land available for camping, but many areas can be visited and camped at for free. Just be sure to be prepared for a rugged camping trip. According to Maine's Department of Conservation, Maine's public reserved lands total over 500,000 acres. Needless to say, there is lots of room to camp. So get your camping gear ready!
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Instructions
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Decide whether you want to camp on public reserved land or in a national park. Please note that public reserved lands do not require cash or reservations. For example, if you plan to camp at a public reserved land in the Maine Highlands, a place like Little Moose Public Reserved Land is open all year and is free. It also is not staffed, so camping at this type of site is more of a risk than a state park in the same region, such as Bradbury Mountain State Park, which requires reservations and is staffed with park employees.
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Consider which area of Maine you would like to camp in. If you want to be near the ocean, pick a public reserved land or state park in southeast Maine. If you want to camp in the mountains, pick a public reserved land or state park in northern Maine or in Maine's interior regions. Use a map if needed.
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Make a list of the type of facilities and activities you would like the camp spot to have. For example, if you want to go to a national park or public reserved land that has fishing, hiking and specified camp grounds, then be certain to make sure the camping ground has these activities before booking a spot or going there. Note that the more specific you are, the more limited your choices will be.
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Search for national parks or public reserved lands in the area of Maine you wish to camp in. This can be done in a number of ways, such as searching online or in phone books or by asking friends and others where they have camped.
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Contact the office of the national park or public reserved land via phone, email or online inquiry. They should be able to answer any questions and concerns you have. If you plan to camp at a national park, you will have to book a spot through their office.
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Prepare all of your necessary camping equipment, get your directions ready and head to the camping site. Have fun!
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Tips & Warnings
Maine's Department of Conservation website (Maine.gov/doc/parks/index.html) has a listing of all public reserved lands and national parks in the state. Note that you have to book a camp spot only if you have chosen a national park.
Keep in mind that state parks are staffed and help is available in case of an emergency; public reserved lands are typically remote and are better left to the more experienced campers.
References
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