Fall in love with Maine State Parks!
For the next couple of weeks, I am going to highlight 8 Maine State Parks we have visited with the goal that, once we visit all 48 parks and historic sites, they make their way onto The Wandering Chickadee blog.
I am by no means the first person to blog about Maine State Parks, nor will I be the last but what I hope to bring to you is a different perspective.
One that has less to do about the trails and descriptions of the Parks, because I am going to share with you 3 bloggers that do a fantastic job with that, and more about the nitty gritty details.
With that in mind, I hope you will have all the information you need to plan accordingly and have a great trip to one of our 48 state parks and historic sites!
Favorite Maine State Park bloggers:
- Ruby’s on the Road: Danielle and Ray Ruby, along with their 2 kiddos, have visited all 34 Maine State Parks and provide a family-friendly guide to exploring and camping in the parks as well as their personal experiences within the parks.
- My Maine: Katherine has visited all 48 Maine State Parks and Historic Sites and gives brief overviews and her experience through the perspective of a dog-owner.
- The Outdoor Movement Project: Jill provides trail insights to some of the Maine State Parks located primarily in the southern Maine region.
You might be wondering why I am not writing my own blogs about the trails and descriptions of the parks or why I would share these bloggers’ content here at all.
And here is the truth:
These 3 blogs are my go-tos for when I’m visiting Maine State Parks. All the details I need about trails, descriptions of key features, etc., I can find through a combination of checking out these easy-to-read blogs but incredibly informational blogs.
However, I think I have something to add to the blogging space of Maine State Parks and that offering details about the accessibility of the parks and other nitty gritty details that are harder to find than with just a simple Google search.
Things like, what are the access features of the park? What does the parking situation look like? Is it gravel or paved? Is it stroller friendly? What’s the proximity of the picnic tables to the beach and the playground to the bathrooms? Where can you find the passport situation to get that next stamp in your Maine State Park passport? And of course, you know I will give you the lowdown on the bathroom situation.
Another important item I will be sharing is the accessibility ratings of the park. These ratings will come directly for the Maine State Park and Public Land’s rating system.
Did you know that only 10 out of our 48 State Parks and Historic Sites are fully handicapped accessible…and that number hasn’t grown since 2017?! But there is potential good news on the horizon!
A recent bill, ME-LD 988, was passed in May 2024 that directs the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry to Conduct an Accessibility Study of ALL Maine State Parks and Historic Sites and to Develop a Plan to Remove Access Barriers.
12% of Mainers identify as having a mobility disability, 7% with a hearing disability, 5% with a vision disability, and 16% with a cognitive disability. These residents require varying levels of accessibility to enjoy our State Parks. And then, there are communities of people, who do not necessarily require certain access features but do benefit from them. Think about your grandparents, the solo parent with 3 kids in tow, a person with a temporary injury, etc.
This study has the ability to impact MANY OF US in Maine! And I’m so for it!
My hope for this series is that it serves as an interim place of resource for those looking for information about accessibility of Maine State Parks and that the outcome of this study will provide crucial and much needed improvements to the parks and webpages that serve as resources for them.
So with that…I hope you enjoy this Maine State Park series on The Wandering Chickadee!
Be sure to drop your email below to get all the Maine State Park blogs in your email every week and follow along on Instagram and Facebook for more content!
Enjoy your adventures!
~Natalie
Thank you for including me in this post Natalie!! And I love how you’re sharing about accessibility at Maine State Parks – thank you!! Jill