Bradbury Mountain has a lot to offer visitors. With a campground and mountain biking trails on the east side of the park and on the west side of the park, hiking trails to summit the mountain itself, picnic areas, and a playground, there is definitely something for everyone in your family at this State Park!
For this blog, we are going to focus on the WEST SIDE of the park.
And here are some interesting facts:
- Bradbury Mountain is one of the original five State Parks in Maine. It was acquired in 1939.
- In the 1940s, it offered downhill skiing with a rope tow.
- And with partnership with the Land for Maine’s Future Fund, there is a goal to eventually connect the park with Pineland Public Land (!!!!).
Parking Details:
There are two paved parking lots on the WEST SIDE of the park. The parking available on the right-hand side of the ranger station is what I would call the main parking lot with access to several trailheads and bathrooms. The parking lot on the left-hand side of the ranger station gives you access to the group camping site and the south ridge trailhead.
If you want to stop at Bradbury Mountain State Park with your camper in tow, I would suggest the parking lot on the left-hand side of the ranger station. It is the less crowded of the two and the parking loop provides easier access to exiting the lot.
Both parking lots are within walking distance of each other.
Playground Details:
There is a good size playground using a wood-chip base on site and it is in pretty good shape albeit not ADA accessible. At the time of this blog, the swings could also use some attention as 3 out of 6 swings are missing. 🙁
Hiking Trail Details:
There are 9 trails available to you for hiking around and to the summit Bradbury Mountain. Unfortunately, none of these trails are ADA accessible. However, if you were wanting to do something with a jogging stroller, the northern trail (up and back) would be it. I would feel really comfortable climbing and descending (with that wrist strap on, of course) with a jogging stroller on this trail.
My preferred loop (without a jogging stroller) is the northern trail to the boundary trail to the south ridge trail. The south ridge trail is really beautiful.
When you arrive at the summit, there is a picnic table and bird count kiosk to check out.
Beach Details:
There is no beach on site.
Picnic Details:
There are several individual picnic spots available with grills. Some are close to the playground in a grassy area with a variety of full sun and shaded options. Others are tucked away between the playground and the left-side parking lot. A larger picnic area near the playground can be reserved for groups.
Location of the Passport Station:
If you are working towards collecting stamps for the Passport Program, you will be able to find the Passport Station at the main trailhead located on the right-hand side of the park.
Fees:
| Adult Maine Resident | Adult Non Resident | Children 5-11 Years Old | Children under 5 & Adults 65 and older | Senior Resident | Senior Non Resident |
| $4.00 | $6.00 | $1.00 | FREE | FREE | $2.00 |
There is a ranger station/entrance station at this Park that is typically staffed. However, plan to bring exact change so if you need to drop your fee into the canister, you can!
*Maine libraries often have free Maine State Park passes available to their patrons. Check my blog to see if your library participates!
If you don’t see the pass listed with your library, don’t hesitate to reach out and ask them. Libraries frequently add museum and park passes to their offerings!
Bathroom Low Down:
There are two privies at Bradbury Mountain State Park. You will find one at the trailhead to the Northern Trail and the other near the playground.
On the current map, there are bathrooms indicated near the western parking lot. However, those bathrooms did not look functional (possible storm damage) when we visited in August 2024.
Visitor Accessibility:
The Parks and Sites are rated on an overall basis with a 1-3 star rating and then individual aspects of the park assessed with a description of accessibility and a 1-5 star rating.
For my rationale for including this in the blog and the definitions for the descriptions of accessibility, head to my State Park Series Intro Blog where I share why it’s important to include this and how you can help make Maine State Parks more accessible for future generations.
Below is the accessibility rating for Bradbury Mountain State Park:
| Individual Aspect | Description of Accessibility | Rating |
| Parking | Accessible | ★★★★★ out of 5 stars |
| Restrooms | Accessible | ★★★★★ out of 5 stars |
| Picnic Tables | Accessible*Several located off path from ADA parking | ★★★★★ out of 5 stars |
| Picnic Area | Accessible with assistance | ★★★ out of 5 stars |
| Playground | Somewhat Accessible*Uneven ground, wood chip base | ★★ out of 5 stars |
| Bay Views | Accessible | ★★★★★ out of 5 stars |
| Trails | Not Accessible*Hiking trails around the Mt. are steep and uneven | ★ out of 5 stars |
| Group Use Area | Accessible with assistance | ★★★ out of 5 stars |
| Group Picnic Area | Accessible | ★★★★★ out of 5 stars |
| Overall Accessibility: ★★ out 3 stars | ||
Overall Impression:
We enjoyed Bradbury Mountain State Park as part of a short weekend camping trip to Durham Leisure Campground in Durham, Maine.
My favorite part of our visit to Bradbury Mountain State Park was when my daughter said, after reaching the summit, “that’s it?!”. She couldn’t believe how quick the trip was to the summit.
If you hike with kiddos, you know how many times things like “are we there yet?” or “how much longer?” can be all full repeat during a trip to a mountain summit. And…if you don’t have kiddos that do that, I’m very envious and need all your parenting tips!
And this is what I love about Bradbury Mountain so much: the kid friendly hikes. Our route for this hike was the northern trail to the boundary trail to the south ridge trail. We do a fair amount of hiking with our daughter and to give her an summit, like Bradbury Mountain, I really think builds her confidence as a hiker
After our hike, we spent some time at the playground and then headed back to the campground for some time in the pool.
If you are looking for a state park with lots of kid friendly hiking trails, then check out Bradbury State Park.
And be sure to check out my recommendations for kids hiking gear below:
- Camelbek Kids Hydration Backpack: This backpack is FANTASTIC for kids! It gives them access to water at all times and there are little pockets to add treasures found along the trail.
- Adjustable Hiking Poles: These hiking poles are especially helpful for our daughter during descents. She can keep her balance and move through rocky sections with less assistance from us. And the bonus, when she is tired of using them, we can adjust to a height that works for us!
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Happy Adventuring! ~Natalie