The Wandering Chickadee

Experience Pleasant River Campground in Bethel, Maine

Looking down the one-way campground loop road

General Information:

Pleasant River Campground is a family-owned campground located in Bethel, Maine and is about 1.5 hours northwest of Portland.

We have been wanting to get up to western Maine with the camper for a while, so when Pleasant River Campground reached out to see if I wanted to come up and check out their campground, we jumped at the opportunity!

This campground gives you easy access to Sunday River Ski Resort, Grafton Notch State Park, and so many trails through the Mahoosuc Land Trust.

This is a roughly 60-site campground with a variety of sites that include full hook ups, water/electric sites, and rustic sites including a group tenting one. Most of the sites will give you a perfect balance of sun and shade. Sites are mostly a combination of grass and gravel. A few I found to sometimes have gravel that was a sandy-like consistency…and we all know how I feel about sand. 🙁

Pleasant River Campground is also in the process of expanding! The new owners have purchased some park model cabins that will be sitting on the alphabet sites. If you look at this campground map, the cabins will be calling home on the sites on the right-hand side of the map that look “2 rows of 6”. Note: There are no site numbers on the campground map until you go to the booking option.

And skiers, listen up! Pleasant River Campground hopes to have these cabins available year-round!

They also have even bigger goals to expand the campground to the east in the coming years. Think more camping sites, glamping options, etc.!

And this is GOOD NEWS because while growth projections continue to be variable for campgrounds (aka more new campgrounds are projected to open in the next 5 years), there has only been a 1.1% increase in new campgrounds that opened in the United States from 2022 to 2023(IBIS World, 2024). And…according to the Dyrt 2023 Camping Report, the camping community continues to grow with 22.7 million new campers in 2022 and 2023 combined!

This is all to say that campsite scarcity is a real thing, folks and I’m really excited to see a campground in Maine with new owners and new expansion plans! 🙂

Ok, I digress…back to general information on Pleasant River Campground!

Upon arrival, you will check in at the front office; if the manager is not there, you are directed to call the cell phone number provided through our reservations (and it’s also posted on the office door).. For our stay, we had to call and had no issues with check in!

Reservations are made through CampSpot. A huge bonus is that it has pictures of their sites on this reservation platform!!

Pleasant River Campground does have quiet hours but I accidentally threw away our check in paperwork before I could note the times. When we went in the middle of October, the campground was about 25% full and it was very quiet. However, even at full capacity, I don’t get the feeling or vibe that this would be a very party-esque campground.

So..if you are looking for a quiet place to escape to in western Maine, you will find it at Pleasant River Campground.

As you know by now, I like to get out and walk in the morning. I wasn’t able to get out on the first day due to incredible winds (more on that later). However, on subsequent days, I was able to walk around the campground; which is essentially just a big loop. A couple of times around and you will get about 1.5 miles in.

There is a trail (not marked) on the property that you can venture through. It is where Pleasant River Campground will expand eventually. The previous owners had the best intentions to expand the campground and cut the roads through the forest a bit of time ago. With some growing back, they have become what feels like abandoned carriage roads…Spooky and neat all at the same time.

There is an in-ground pool that was closed up for the season.

An older playground (horseshoes and volleyball too) is available within the circle of the campground. This was probably my FAVORITE feature! It was very nice to sit around the fire and have a playground so close to our campsite! The playground equipment is a bit dated, and some might say, old-school risky, but my daughter didn’t notice or mind.

Cleanliness of Site/Site Details:

With mature tree growth, most sites have a good portion of shade for the day. The sites are very clean with a combination of grass and gravel. As I shared earlier, some of that gravel leans a bit toward a sand-like consistency, which we know isn’t my favorite ground cover.

Each site is pretty spacious and comes with a picnic table and fire pit. The rustic sites (no hookups) along the perimeter of the campground have more space between them than those inside the loop. You are by no means on top of each other on those inner sites but close enough that we were mindful of our noise in the morning before quiet hours were over.

I love that our site was close to this playground

Here are my recommendations for sites:

Sites #1-4, & 7A are full hook up and in close proximity to playground
Sites #5-6 are water/electric and in close proximity to playground
Sites #13-18 are water/electric and are the furthest away from playground with a bit more sun
Sites #51-57 are rustic sites with a good amount of vegetation and trees between neighbors

Site Costs:

We stayed at a full hook-up site for $52/night. A water/electric site will run about $48/night and a rustic site $36/night. You will be able to lock-in your site for an additional $5 per reservation. These are the cheapest nightly rates and lock-in fees we paid all year!!

There are no nightly minimums either, including on holiday weekends!

I think the value you get for these nightly rates is truly AMAZING! To have so many outdoor activities at your fingertips in the greater Bethel area and then to come back to a very clean and quiet campground to relax without having to pay an expensive nightly rate…nothing better!

Rates for 2025 look to be the same as 2024. As always, these are subject to change so reference Pleasant River Campground’s website for the latest rates.

Amenities:

Playground
Outdoor Pool
Volleyball
Horseshoes
Pavilion Rental
Hiking Trail
Kayak and Canoe Rentals
Boat/Trailer Storage
Wi-Fi
River Frontage
Campstore (really well stocked with camping essentials and more!)
Dedicated Bathrooms and Free Showers within the Campground (more on that later)

Kayak and Canoe rentals are available at here

Bathroom Low Down:

There is one bathroom location and it is on the inner circle of the campground. There you will find sex-separated bathrooms with FREE showers. Inside you will find benches and places to hang towels and toiletries. These are VERY clean bathrooms!

The bathhouse is located on the inner circle of the campground

Bathroom Rating: A-

The bathrooms and shower rooms are very clean and appear to have recently been renovated!

Overview of our Experience:

We headed up to Pleasant River Campground for Indigenous Peoples Weekend and it was our last camping trip of the 2024 season. It was great to be back out camping after what can only be described as the chaos and unsettledness that comes with the start of being back in school. We really looked forward to having a couple days away and being outside in nature. And boy, did the foliage season ever deliver! We got to be in the Bethel-Newry region for PEAK foliage season! There is nothing more dreamy than spending a few days exploring the beautiful Mahoosuc mountains during PEAK foliage!

The site I picked out for our stay ended up being between what appeared to be two seasonal or long term rental sites. Upon arrival, and conferencing with my husband on the best spot to place our camper, I noticed several piles of dog poop. First, I thought it was from the previous campers but soon realized it was from a seasonal site next door. Long dog leashes and dog bowls at the steps of their camper were kind of a giveaway. After noticing a shovel on their site (and determining no one was home), I grabbed the shovel and started to collect the piles of dog poop and placed them near a tree on the boundary between our sites.

During our first night, our neighbor with the dogs tethered a small puppy to one of those rather long leashes and it managed to get caught up around our camper. I notified the woman residing in the camper of their dog’s quandary and she kindly came to collect her dog and get the leash free from being wrapped around our camper’s tires. She did apologize and put the dog on a smaller leash.

*A little note about the above situation:

This experience was truly a one-off kind of thing and NOT a representation of how the campground carries on business. I really believe these seasonal renters were carryovers from the previous owners. Meaning, I think they already had locked in their seasonal site prior to the new owners coming on board (during the middle of the 2024 season). And in looking ahead at the 2025 reservations, it appears that these once seasonal sites will be available for all.

I debated sharing this with you all because it was the only crappy (pun intended) experience we had on our trip. I always want to share what we encounter on our camping trips because, well…that’s life. And while I LOVE sharing the amazing parts of camping, there are these parts too..the stuff that sometimes isn’t glamorous, fun or Instagram-worthy but they happen and deserve a spot here on the blog.

Ok..back to our weekend!

On our first night, a wind and rain storm that can only be described as something wicked (in that Maine accent of course) rolled in.

FYI: Storms like this are an excellent reminder to always pull your awning in on your camper. We saw extensive damage to a camper at the campground who failed to pull theirs in.

A nearby camper with wind damage to it’s awning

With the 40 mph+ winds, our hopes for enjoying a chondola ride at Sunday River’s Fall Festival were dashed. However, that didn’t stop us from heading up to Sunday River that morning to check out the North American Wife Carrying Championships, picking up some goodies at the craft fair, and exploring the covered bridge that was nearby.

Our second day, we spent the morning exploring Valentine Farm and Grafton Notch State Park (more to come on both of those in a later blog) thanks to recommendations from Rubys on the Road!

And…we made sure to stop at the roadside stand of Puzzle Mountain Bakery. We picked up some goodies for our hikes as well as jams for some gifts for Christmas.

Grafton Notch State Park showing off it’s PEAK foliage

We returned to Bethel and while my daughter and husband checked out the Maine Mineral and Gem Museum, I headed to one of my FAVORITE places in Bethel..Philbrook Place. It is a collection of stores and there are 3 (!!) Consignment stores in the building: Little Bits Consignment (childrens clothes and footwear), Revival Boutique (men’s and women’s clothing and accessories), and Community Sports (pre-owned recreation, sports gear, and clothing related to sports). Other stores include a new/used book store, an artisan store, and a toy store.

I always make it a point to stop in Philbrook Place and check out the consignment stores when I am in Bethel. I can always manage to score huge deals on clothing for my daughter and some items for myself. On this visit, I managed to store 5 base and mid-layer pieces for her, all for under $40 bucks at Community Sports! Community Sports has a TON of clothing related to all kinds of sports and footwear to match!

Just think..all those, ahem, Massachusetts visitors, dropping off their winter clothing at the end of the season. Minimal use and excellent prices equals your gain! If you are in the area, add this shopping mall (really, it’s an old farmhouse and barn) to your list!

We returned early to our campsite and spent the rest of the day relaxing by the fire while my daughter adventured with some other campground kids around the campground and at the playground.

On our third day, we made for a quick departure as the responsibilities of our everyday life were calling us. And of course, our camping season wouldn’t be complete if we didn’t have a few showers on departure day! 🙂

Pleasant River Campground was such a great place to wrap up our 2024 camping season. We spent so much time outdoors during peak foliage season, hiked some trails, checked out recommendations of fellow outdoorsy people, and scored some consignment store finds. All in all, it was a fabulous weekend and we look forward to returning next year.

One of the many water falls of Grafton Notch State Park

Exciting Disclosure: The Wandering Chickadee was graciously #hosted by Pleasant River Campground. However, the thoughts and opinions of this campground are my own…as you can tell. Whether this is my only #hosted campground review or just the start, my feedback will always be authentic, honest, and in alignment to everything that is The Wandering Chickadee!

For more on our trip to Bethel and western Maine as well as all of our other adventures, check out my stories and reels on Instagram and Facebook.

Happy Adventuring!

~Natalie

Camping Essentials: Enhance Your Outdoor Experience

As I shared in the Top 5 Interior Essentials blog, we have found some really terrific products that work for us in our camping journey. Today, I am going to share 5 EXTERIOR essentials to help us a ton.

But before you do…please consider subscribing to this blog! All this month I am going to be sharing about our camping journey and dropping new campground reviews in anticipation of campground reservation systems starting to open up for the 2025 camping slots!

Having you follow along on my blogging journey means the world!

Ok, back to the essentials. These exterior essentials are less about the towing and hauling of our camper (more on that in a future blog) and more about how we set up the outside of our camper (which is really just an extension of the interior, in my opinion).

Exterior Essentials

Griddle Accessories: We have a camp kitchen attached to our camper and griddle accessories are a MUST! In my personal opinion, I find griddles to be messy and if you don’t immediately clean them, they can just get down right gross. We use dedicated tools for our griddle and always travel with a griddle scraper. On travel days these get their own travel bucket that is kept in the sink inside our camper.

Portable Propane Grill: We spent one season cooking everything on the griddle and it just got super dirty, and to be honest, there were foods that we didn’t particularly enjoy on the griddle..mostly meats. I scored this exact grill on Facebook marketplace and it was a splurge item. It’s pretty bulky so we store this grill in the garage when not camping and it travels in the truck bed with us. And yes, because it’s not stored full time in the camper, we have forgotten it at home. However, we really love having the option to grill meats and veggies instead of using the griddle. We have two propane lines on our camper so if you end up purchasing this grill, double check how you want to set it up. Do you have two lines? If just one, do you need a longer line? If you can’t hook up from your camper, you will need to bring a dedicated propane cylinder for it. We really like the propane growler from LL Bean. It is refillable and has its own storage bag. And because it’s refillable, cuts down on those single-use cans.

Bamboo Cutting Board: With our small space and limited storage, I really love to have items in the camper that can have dual purposes. This board is great for its primary purpose of slicing and dicing food but also serves as a great snack tray, s’more maker board, etc. I also love a good bamboo cutting board with non-slip grippers on it; making it a safer option when chopping veggies and other foods on slippery picnic table covers.

Food Covers: We love to eat outside whenever possible and snacks are always more of an afternoon graze. Food covers are ESSENTIAL when camping. I love these food covers because they fold up and take minimal space in our camper.

Picnic Table Covers: Picnic table covers are an ABSOLUTE MUST for us! This was another trial-and-error journey. We started our first camping season with a more traditional picnic table cover. You know the one..the checkerboard cloth with the table clips. Yup, that one. But..sometimes it was the wrong size or the table was too thick to fit the clips. But we changed that last year and ordered these picnic table covers that include seat covers! We do have them in two sizes..both the 6 foot and 8 foot covers. I ordered two different colors to help distinguish between the different sizes.

As always, every time you click on any of the links above and purchase from Amazon, I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

For more on our camping adventures as well as all of other activities, check out my stories and reels on Instagram and Facebook.

Happy Adventuring!

~Natalie

Top 5 RV Interior Essentials for Camping

We had a wonderful camping season this past summer and I can’t believe that we are going to embark on our third season of camping next year! It feels like yesterday that we were just going to go pick up our camper.

While we will always be learning about how to do things more efficiently and effectively, we have picked up a couple of essentials that I wanted to share with you.

But before I share our essentials with you, make a list (it will be long at first) of everything you need for the interior. If looking for sample lists, I follow the Keep Your Daydream couple, Mark and Trish, and they have some great lists on their website.

Sometimes people can forget the start-up cost of getting into a camper. All those items on the lists you have created add up. And anything you can do to reduce that start-up cost is going to pay off for you!

First thing you will want to do, is ALWAYS consider what you have around the house. Do you have bedding that you no longer use taking up space in a blanket chest? We have a queen short (five inches shorter than a typical queen) and I REFUSE to buy the expensive sheets for those mattresses. Instead, I took a sheet set that was I ready to upgrade in our bedroom and shifted it to our camper. And to accommodate for the size difference, I used a…hair elastic to gather up the extra bulk of the sheets.

Next, consider those “Buy Nothing” or “Community Gifting” groups on Facebook. Check them daily or put out an ISO post (In Search Of).

After that, look at places like thrift stores. I scored all of our dinnerware and cookware at Goodwill and thanks to those 50% off colored tags, I got it all for under $30.

Finally, after you have exhausted all those options, it’s time to consider buying new. For example, the vacuum mop you will see below. It just made sense to buy that new. It was a very specific item and we preferred to buy it new (think… return policy, warranty, etc.)

The essentials below became our essentials through trial-and-error and frustrations of spending money on things that didn’t end up working out. So…I wanted to pass them along to YOU in hopes to minimize any of your frustrations, especially if you are just starting out. Or, if you are seasoned pro at camping, to peek at what works for us.

OK, here are my top 5 INTERIOR essentials we use every time we go camping! Let’s jump into them!

Interior Essentials

Label Maker: Label, label, label! It might be the teacher in me or my type A personality, but with everything labeled, it just makes things easier to locate! While the label maker does not go on our camping trips with us, we label every tote, bag, and containers that holds anything related to camping.

Plastic Spice Jars: Camping can produce a LOT OF WASTE. One of the ways that I try to cut down on that waste is at the beginning of each camping season, I pour some of our essential spices from our spice draw into these mini jars. I use the label maker to write which spices are in what jars. I travel with about 5-6 jars each season. And then, at the end of the camping season, I pour the unused spices back into their respective home-based jars. Plastic jars help during travel days too; no need to worry about breakages.

Portable Sound Machine: Even though those baby years are long gone, my daughter continues to use one to sleep. We picked this one up a long time ago for those nights away at hotels, grandparent sleepovers, etc. The sound machine is rechargeable and therefore doesn’t need a direct electrical connection to run. It is also compact and easy to store for travel days. We find it helpful especially because it cuts down on the noise coming from campsites at night and in the morning helps reduce any noise I may make when I’m getting ready for my morning walks.

Yeti Mugs: If you have been following along for a while, you know that our camping coffee journey. First, a french press followed by a compact 4 cup coffee maker, and now, despite the waste it produces, we have landed on a single-cup Keurig. Well, the same kind of goes for our journey with coffee mugs. First, we brought some ceramic ones from our house (again to reduce waste) but..they didn’t travel well (hello, ceramic!), and then we tried enamel mugs. Loved the designs but they were hot to the touch and cooled off quickly. So…we landed on Yeti Mugs. While the Yeti Mugs are somewhat bulky, they travel well because they are stackable, keep our coffee warm and our hands not burned.

Shark Cordless Mop: This cordless vacuum is a god send! Again, we have been on a journey to find something that works for our camper. We have tried cordless dusters and a Swiffer wet jet. We have gone with nothing and just waited until we were home to do a deep floor clean. But nothing was really working…until we found this. This Shark device is a vacuum and sprayer in one so…perfect for dirt and spills! We are storing this bulkier item in our underbed storage.

As always, every time you click on any of the links above and purchase from Amazon, I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

For more on our camping adventures as well as all of other activities, check out my stories and reels on Instagram and Facebook.

Happy Adventuring!

~Natalie

Explore Wolfe’s Neck Woods State Park: Picnic Spots & Scenic Trails

Wolfe’s Neck Woods State Park is located in Freeport, Maine and is about a 5 minute drive from the bustling outlet shops and the LL Bean flagship store. This park was created by the generous donation from Eleanor Houston and Lawrence Smith in 1969, who donated more than 200 acres of land that contains pine and hemlock forests, a salt marsh estuary, and beautiful shorelines on Casco Bay and the Harraseeket River.

The highlight of this park, however, is its resident OSPREYS! These ospreys nest on nearby Googins Island, which is off limits to visitors, and sometimes, there is a Park Naturalist on site who can help you spot the baby ospreys with some telescopes.

Osprey Fact: Osprey summer in Maine and then make an annual trek to South America each fall.

Continue reading below for great information on the many trails of Wolfe’s Neck Woods State Park including… an ACCESSIBLE one! And why this is another one of our favorite picnic spots!

Parking Details:

You can access Wolfe’s Neck Woods State Park by heading out on Bow Street/Flying Point Drive and turning right on Wolfe’s Neck Road and driving for about 2 miles. Entrance to the park will be on your left hand side.

The parking spots are plentiful here and the lot itself is a one-way lollipop connecting back up with the main entrance road.

If you are coming with a camper or RV, you should have no problem parking here. I suggest by-passing the first parking spots you see and parking your rig on the backside of the lollipop. It’s always less crowded there!

Playground Details:

There is no playground at this park.

Hiking Trail Details:

Great trails for kids! Credit: Maine Bureau of Land Management

Hiking trails are plentiful here at Wolfe’s Neck Woods State Park and there is something for EVERYONE here! What makes this trail system so inclusive is connecting/side trails along their hiking trails so that you can really tailor your hike to fit who is in your hiking group and your time constraints.

I would also describe these hiking trails as more…nature walks. The lack of any real elevation change or difficulty makes it hard for me to classify these as hiking trails but…for the sake of how they are identified as hiking trails on the Wolfe’s Neck Woods State Park map, we will call them that for today!

Accessible Trail: The White Pines Trail is a FULLY HANDICAPPED ACCESSIBLE trail and provides access to osprey overlooks and interactive panels. When my daughter was a baby and I was still on maternity leave, this was the trail I would frequently come to and I would just do loops with the stroller on this trail. It was a place I felt safe being a new parent, and the fresh air and being in nature did wonders for my postpartum emotions. It’s also close to the bathrooms and that’s always a win for me!

Easier Trails: Just looking to do a short hike or have young ones with you? I recommend, in addition to the White Pines Trail, the Casco Bay, Casco Bay Connector, Northern Loop and Ledge trails. If you did all of these trails, the mileage is about 2 miles so you can definitely pick and choose to make your hike work for you and those with you!

Notes: The Casco Bay Trail is bookended by some stairs making it a bit of a challenge if bringing a jogging stroller but my Bob jogging stroller has handled the other trails with no issues!

One of the trail stairs that bookend the Casco Bay trail

All the other trails are the same difficulty as the ones I recommended as “easier” it’s just that their lengths are longer. I have personally enjoyed the Harraseeket trail with my girlfriends and would recommend this one for any group that is looking to do 3+ miles on their hike.

I wouldn’t recommend doing the longer trails with a jogging stroller. These trails have a bit more roots and some climbing via rock stairs.

Be sure to grab a trail map (as we always should). The trail signage could use some improvements and the mileage stated on the maps and my Garmin watch are always a bit off here.

Beach Details:

Visiting at low tide is BEST for treasur h

While there is no beach in the traditional sense, there are several access points along the White Pines and Casco Bay trails to explore the rocky coastline. If planning on coming with kiddos, come for low tide as this is definitely a MUST DO. With rock scrambling, low tide treasures, and osprey coming and going, it makes for a pretty idyllic day on the coast.

Save beach exploration for last and bring water shoes and buckets for treasures! 🙂

Picnic Details:

Another great feature about this park is the various picnic options! Similar to how I felt about Two Lights State Park, Wolfe’s Neck Woods State Park offers wonderful locations for their picnic tables; many come with charcoal grills too! You have a lot of privacy, which I can only describe as feeling very campsite-like.

We love a charcuterie-style lunch courtesy of Hannaford

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 on the building of the bathrooms. I owe the Park Ranger at Wolfe’s Neck Woods State Park a HUGE thank you! It was this wonderful ranger who introduced us to the Passport Program!

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 and it is usually staffed during the season. 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:

Actual bathrooms are accessible at Wolfe’s Neck Woods State Park! Adjacent to the bathrooms are privies that are accessible after the Park transitions to the off-season. In the bathrooms, there is a handicapped accessible stall that also includes a baby-changing station.

The baby-changing station has seen better days but it works. Here is a tip: Always have dedicated adventure bath towels in your car. Whether they are towels that are done in your home and are ready for semi-retirement in your car or brand-new towels that are dedicated to adventuring, you won’t regret having a stash in your car.

I have used mine for baby changing stations, playground equipment drier, picnic table covers, and for those unexpected beach days!

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 Wolfe’s Neck Woods State Park:

Individual Aspect	Description of Accessibility	Rating
Parking	Accessible	★★★★★ out of 5 stars
Restrooms	Accessible	★★★★★ out of 5 stars
Picnic Tables	Accessible	★★★★★ out of 5 stars
Picnic Area	Accessible with Assistance	★★★ out of 5 stars
Bay Views	Accessible	★★★★★ out of 5 stars
Trails	Accessible with Assistance *White Pines trail is ACCESSIBLE	★★ out of 5 stars
Group Picnic Shelter	Accessible	★★★★★ out of 5 stars
Overall Accessibility: ★★★ out 3 stars

Overall Impression:

I have visited Wolfe’s Neck Woods State Park many times. My very first visits were in my early nannying days when I had the privilege of hanging with some great kids during the summer. I love the solo time with friends in the woods here as much I love exploring it through her eyes.

View of Googins Island. Credit: Kayli Primiani

I also think I’m a little biased to this park because of the special place it holds in my heart. It was a place where in those early days of sleep deprivation and needing to be outside to regulate both of our bodies (and my emotions), to have a fully accessible trail where I could put her in the stroller and walk…it was a game changer for me in those early days of parenting.

This is why accessibility matters.

Entrance the White Pines handicapped accessible trail

There are a group of people who need these trails to be accessible to enjoy them and another group of people who benefit from their accessibility. My situation falls into that second group and is just one story why improving accessibility to our state parks matters.

Ok, I digress..

If you are looking for a place to help your child build some stamina with hiking, I think Wolfe’s Neck Woods State Park is a great place to do this! The connecting/side trails off of those main ones make it easy to extend your hike if things are going well and ….bail when they are not.

With beautiful picnic spots and access to the shoreline, you can easily spend 3+ hours enjoying all that this state park has to offer!

If you love the content of The Wandering Chickadee follow along on social media.

And…drop your email below for subscriber exclusive content!

Happy Adventuring

~Natalie

Explore the Scenic Owls Head State Park

Owls Head State Park is located just a couple of miles off of Route 73 in Owls Head, Maine. It is operated in partnership with the United States Coast Guard (USCG) who maintains an 1852 lighthouse on a granite ledge overlooking Penobscot Bay. The park will provide you access to a picnic grove, a small rocky beach, and opportunities to walk the grounds around the lighthouse.

Read more below for details about the Park including what I think about the lighthouse, beach, and a reminder for off-season visits to State Parks!

Parking Details:

You can access Owls Head State Park just a couple of miles off of Route 73. The access road to the park is a dirt road with many potholes so definitely take it slow heading into the park.

Upon entering Owls Head State Park, you will notice on your left-hand side, a cemetery. This is the Lighthouse/Merriman Cemetery and you can find a bit of history about the cemetery here.

If you are coming in with a camper or RV, there is definitely room to fit and turn around within the parking lot of the park. However, the potholes at the entrance would need to be taken into consideration.

Playground Details:

There is no playground at this park.

Hiking Trail Details:

There are no hiking trails at this park. It is a little walk up to the lighthouse on the USCG access road and to the beach on a smaller utility road.

Beach Details:

You can access a small beach by heading left at the kiosk at the head of the parking lot. The storms of 2024 have appeared to have caused some erosion/destruction of the beach. This is a rocky/pebble beach with great views of Penobscot Bay and the ferries going in and out of Rockland.

If your kiddos are into filling their beach buckets with treasures of rocks, shells, occasional sea glass, and driftwood, this little beach offers a world of exploration. If planning to spend some time at the beach at Owls Head State Park, plan to come around low tide for the best beach access.

While I wouldn’t choose this beach for a beach day, especially when the sandy, dreamy beach at Birch Point State Park is just down the road, there was a family who set up for the day there.

Picnic Details:

There is a small picnic grove off of the parking lot.

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 off to the side of the parking lot. You will be able to find this station near the kiosk and privy at the head of the parking lot.

Fees:

There are no fees charged at this location!

Bathroom Low Down:

You will find one privy at the kiosk station at the head of the parking lot. Off season reminder: While the bathrooms are usually stocked with toilet paper and hand sanitizer, it is usually a good idea to have some readily available in your car. Check out my favorite biodegradable toilet paper and hand sanitizer!

Visitor Accessibility:

Again you will find that Owls Head State Park is not listed on the accessibility guide and does not have any accessibility ratings.

Accessibility at the lighthouse is pretty limited due to stairs and the high ledge.

From my experience, a stroller and/or a beach wagon will be able to traverse the USCG access road and the utility road to the beach. However, both the lighthouse and the beach are pretty inaccessible for anyone with mobility concerns. The lighthouse has a series of stairs (A LOT of them!) and the beach has a small drop down (due to storm erosion, I would guess) in order to actually access the beach.

LOTS of stairs in order to access the lighthouse

For my rationale for including this in the blog and why I think including official accessibility documents for all Maine State Parks is essential, head to my State Park Series Intro Blog.

Overall Impression:

We visited Owls Head State Park as part of our week-long camping trip around the midcoast. On previous days we had visited Moose Point State Park as well as Birch Point State Park. Owls Head was our last stop on the “State Park tour” for this camping trip. Our daughter is working on collecting stamps as part of the Passport Program for Maine State Parks and a stop at Owls Head was a must!

The views around the lighthouse are great, the history of the lighthouse is great, the free access is AWESOME but, in my opinion, this isn’t a great park for young kids; especially when Birch Point State Park is just down the road.

I will say that my daughter’s favorite part of our trip to Owls Head State Park was the beach. It was a good exploring beach and she definitely wanted to stay longer and let her imagination run wild with the large pieces of driftwood, shells, rocks, seaweed, and the occasional seaglass that we found on the beach.

My tips for this park are pretty simple: a quick trip to the lighthouse, give time to explore the beach, and be sure to bring the essentials if visiting during the off-season: biodegradable toilet paper and hand sanitizer!

Are you a subscriber to The Wandering Chickadee? If not, drop your email below for exclusive subscriber-only content.

Happy Adventuring! ~Natalie

For more content, follow along on Facebook and Instagram.

Two Lights State Park: A Perfect Picnic & Exploring Spot

Picturesque Views from Two Lights State Park

Two Lights State Park is a 41 acre park that offers sweeping views of Maine’s rocky coast and the open Atlantic Ocean located in Cape Elizabeth. Prior to becoming a park, this land was once home to a coastal defense installation and you can see remnants of an observation tower and several bunkers within the park’s boundaries.

If you are looking for the perfect southern Maine picnic spot, this is it! With numerous picnic tables and grills in all the perfect places, this is one my favorite spots to bring the family and enjoy those quintessential views of the Maine coastline!

Read more below for details about the Park including what I think about the bathroom situation, hiking trails, and playground!

Parking Details:

You can access Two Lights State Park from the Two Lights Road off of Route 77 in Cape Elizabeth. With four rows of angled parking, you are guaranteed to find a spot to park here! Even on it’s busiest days, I have never found the parking lot to be full.

If you are coming in with a camper or RV, I would recommend parking near the treeline.

Playground Details:

Great playground with bathrooms close by!

There is a playground at this park and it’s in good condition. There are several slides, swings (baby swings, too!), monkey bars, and a wobbly bridge. There are picnic tables nearby and its proximity to the bathrooms is much appreciated.

Full disclosure: This is a pretty sunny playground! My favorite find of this year (thanks to my friend, Aimee!) is a great sunscreen applicator! I love Solar Buddies as I find it encourages my daughter to self-apply!

Hiking Trail Details:

There are several trails available to you at Two Light State Park and they are all very kid-friendly. The trails total about 1.9 miles of paths available. A good portion of the trails are on the ocean-facing side of the park. However, my favorite paths are those in the woods!

Taking the pass less travelled…to the Fire Watch Tower!

As you can see from the trail map, there are many different loops in the woods and our favorite is the long loop that leads you past the historical fire tower. These trails, though not well marked, are well traversed and you can easily find your way. I would even be comfortable taking my jogging stroller on these trails (reminder-I loved “off-roading” with my jogging stroller!).

*Two Lights State Park uses Maine Trail Finder as the official trail map for the park.

Beach Details:

There is no beach access at Two Lights State Park. However, you do have access to scramble along the rocks that make up this beautiful section of our coastline.

Reminder: The ocean is no joke and the waves are extremely powerful and unpredictable here. Always face the ocean with at least 20 feet between you and the surf.

Picnic Details:

This park is my FAVORITE picnic location because of all the cute, semi-hidden, picnic spots that are dotted along the ocean-facing side of this park. Finding a table close to the ocean or tucked away under the shade of the tree with the sound of the surf will NOT be a problem here! Many of the picnic tables also have accompanying charcoal grills.

Picnic tables are in abundance at Two Lights State Park

A group site can be reserved and is located on the wooded side of the park.

Location of the Passport Station:

Fees:

Adult Maine Resident	Adult Non Resident	Children 5-11 Years Old	Children under 5 & Adults 65 and older	Senior Resident	Senior Non Resident
$7.00	7.00	$1.00	FREE	FREE	$2.00

There is a ranger station/entrance station at this Park and it is sometimes staffed. 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:

The bathroom situation at Two Lights State Park is sooooo good! You will find a large building near the playground that houses 12 individual bathroom stalls (12!!) with flushing toilets. On the outside of the building you will even find water fountains and spigots for filling up those water bottles and water dishes for the pups.

The bathrooms are usually closed up during the off-season. However, don’t worry! You will still have bathroom access during the off-season by accessing the privy near the group picnic area.

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.

Below is the accessibility rating for Two Lights State Park:

Individual Aspect	Description of Accessibility	Rating
Parking	Accessible	★★★★★ out of 5 stars
Restrooms	Accessible	★★★★★ out of 5 stars
Picnic Tables	Accessible	★★★★★ out of 5 stars
Picnic Area	Generally Accessible	★★★★ out of 5 stars
Playground	Somewhat Accessible*Uneven ground	★★ out of 5 stars
Bay Views	Generally Accessible	★★★★ out of 5 stars
Trails	Accessible with Assistance	★★★ out of 5 stars
Group Use Area	Accessible	★★★★★ out of 5 stars
Group Picnic Area	Accessible	★★★★★ out of 5 stars
Overall Accessibility: ★★★ out 3 stars

Overall Impression:

So many places to explore at Two Lights State Park

We have been to Two Lights State Park countless times. The views along the trails that dot the coastline here are quintessential Maine rocky coast and absolutely breathtaking!

As I shared earlier, this is my favorite picnic spot in Southern Maine! Each picnic spot gives you some privacy while being picturesque. Whether you are looking for views of the ocean or a little spot in the shade or spots with multiple tables, you will be sure to find a picnic table that fits your situation!

With the wooded trails, historical features, playground, and scrambling over the rocks near the coastline, there is so much to do at Two Lights State Park that you could easily spend half a day here.

My tips for this park are pretty simple: pack a fabulous picnic lunch, some sunscreen, and enjoy! It’s not hard to fall in love with this park! Happy Adventuring!

For exclusive subscriber-only content, drop your email below to never miss a blog from The Wandering Chickadee.

And follow along on Facebook and Instagram for more daily content!

Mackworth Island: Must-See Trail and Beach Insights

In 1946, Governor Baxter donated Mackworth Island, located in Falmouth, Maine to the State of Maine for public purposes and to be a sanctuary for wild things.

On the island, you will find a 1.25 mile trail that encircles the island with terrific views of Casco Bay and Portland. The trail will give you access to small, rocky beaches, a fairy village, Governor Baxter’s pet cemetery, and some wooden swings to take in the beautiful scenery.

It’s a must visit!

Mackworth Island is also home to the Maine Educational Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing which is not open to the public.

During 2024, the spring storms did significant damage on the Island. At the time of this writing, one of the beaches is off limits and the jetty is closed.

Keep reading, but don’t miss my overall impression of Mackworth Island at the end—I’m sharing an unpopular opinion!

Parking Details:

You can access Mackworth Island via Andrews Avenue off of Route 1 in Falmouth. There is a small parking lot on the Island dedicated to the Park. It can fill up VERY QUICKLY so I recommend planning to check out this state park around non-peak hours. All other parking on the Island is reserved for MECDHH.

If you are a Falmouth resident, there are several parking spots available on Andrews Avenue you will have access to.

Playground Details:

There is no playground at this Park.

Hiking Trail Details:

Headed out on the Mackworth Island trail

There is one trail available to you for walking around the Island. I prefer to go clockwise on this trail. By doing the trail this way, you will come upon my favorite beach access point first and then the fairy village. These two things are usually my daughter’s favorite parts of our walk around the island. With the trail being only 1.25 miles long and more walking trail than hiking trail, this is a PERFECT trail for kiddos.

You will also come upon Governor Baxter’s pet cemetery and some wooden swings that offer terrific views of Casco Bay doing this trail.

Mackworth Island trail is not listed as an ADA accessible trail even though descriptions on the State Park website indicate that those with wheelchairs would not experience any barriers on the trail.

I would DISAGREE with the description on the State Park website that states wheelchairs would not experience any barriers.

The Patriot Day storm of 2007 and the two recent spring storms of 2024 have drastically changed the landscape of the trail and there are tricky sections of the trail that I would have to maneuver my jogging stroller; particularly around fallen trees, water ruts, and exposed rocks.

Sidenote: Two great resources for finding accessible trails in Maine are: Trail Link and Maine Trail Finder. If using the Maine Trail Finder, click the ‘Accessible Adventure’ to pull up ADA accessible trails.

Beach Details:

There are three beach access points on Mackworth Island. Here are the small beaches you will come to when walking clockwise:

Beach #1: This is our FAVORITE beach with rocks to climb, tide pools to explore, shells to find. An un-level staircase of stones from the trail will get you here. Note: The “Beach Access here” sign was missing at the time of this post.

Beach #2: Located to the left of the Jetty. This is best explored at low tide. Expect to find plenty of shells and neat rocks. At the time of this blog, this beach and jetty was CLOSED due to storm damage. Credit: James Anderson, All Trails

Beach #3: This beach is very close to the parking lot and gives you views of Route 1 and the mouth of the Presumpscot River. The wet sand exposed at low tide can be deceiving…it is clam flat sand aka, you will sink and it’s more like a mud than sand. If planning to explore here, bring a change of clothes! Credit: Vera Gisin, All Trails

Picnic Details:

There are 2 picnic tables available near the end of the trail (when going clockwise). Oppositely, they are not too far from the parking lot if doing the trail counterclockwise. 🙂

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 off to the side of the parking lot. As of August 2024, there was NO STAMP in the station but if the ranger station is staffed, Park staff will be able to stamp it for you.

Fees:

Adult Maine Resident	Adult Non Resident	Children 5-11 Years Old	Children under 5 & Adults 65 and older	Senior Resident	Senior Non Resident
$3.00	4.00	$1.00	FREE	FREE	$1.00

There is a ranger station/entrance station at this Park and it is sometimes staffed. 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 is one privy at Mackworth Island and is accessible directly from the parking lot. I don’t love the privy situation here…it is well used so I’m always packing my two-in-one Oxo Travel Potty and liners for this trip!

Visitor Accessibility:

I am again disappointed to share that the Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands does NOT have accessibility ratings for Mackworth Island.

Here is an excerpt from the Maine Bureau of Parks of Lands that I can only surmise is an attempt to provide some guidance on the accessibility of the park:

“The trail surface is packed soil which may be slippery when wet, and the terrain is generally level with slopes not exceeding 10%. There are no steps or other barriers to wheelchairs on the main loop except for rocks, roots, and a few waterbars, but some of the small side trails down the steep slope to the shore may be inaccessible to some visitors. Please watch children carefully around steep rocky areas.” ~ Maine State Parks and Land website (2024)

As I discussed earlier, I would disagree with this description as I think the landscape of this trail has changed significantly with the recent storms.

I shared my rationale for including accessibility ratings in the Intro Blog to Maine State Park series and the fact that Mackworth Island does NOT have official accessibility ratings just continues to highlight the need for our State to do better.

Overall Impression:

We have been to Mackworth Island countless times. The views along the trail are truly breathtaking and we really enjoy the small, rocky beaches on the back side of the island, especially at low tide. We could spend a fair amount of time collecting shells and looking at the interesting rocks on these beaches. The fairy village and the wooden swings are also things my daughter enjoys doing. If you haven’t been to Mackworth Island, it is definitely something to add to your itinerary, especially if you are in the Portland area!

While there are lots of 5-star reviews out there about Mackworth Island, I think there are two things worth mentioning here:

The trail is a very popular trail and as a result, you will see where people have made their own trails and then others who have come after them also use those side trails. Now, these unofficial parts of the trail look very much like they belong. Signs have been put up to deter walkers from going rogue but..it’s sad to see. Additionally, the fairy village has quite expanded from its original home and you can see fairy houses all around the trail (and often made with nonbiodegradable materials).
The parking lot. People can be very aggressive with grabbing the limited parking spots and have personal experience of being cut off from a parking spot and getting honked out for taking too much time leaving a spot (solo parent with toddler, stroller, and 128 items to pack into my car).

I don’t like to be negative about a trail, especially one as beautiful as Mackworth Island, but it’s sad to see some of the pillars of Leave No Trace really disregarded here.

We are halfway through the Maine State Park series with the final blogs to drop in November! Be sure to subscribe to get all the Maine State Parks featured in the series in your email each Monday!

And be sure to follow The Wandering Chickadee on social media!

Happy Adventuring! ~Natalie

Top Family Activities at Bradbury Mountain State Park

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:

A centrally-located playground with some recent upgrades

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 LOTS of picnic tables in various areas. Our favorite on those with fire pits near the left-side parking lot.

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.

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:

Love this “camping style’ picnic set ups on the West Side.

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!

Thanks for following along! Another blog from the Maine State Parks series will drop in your inbox next Monday! Don’t subscribe yet? Add your email below and never miss a blog from The Wandering Chickadee!

The Wandering Chickadee is on Facebook and Instagram! Follow along on those platforms for more content!

Happy Adventuring! ~Natalie

Birch Point State Park: A Hidden Sandy Paradise

With an expansive sandy beach, calm waters, gorgeous views, and not a whole lot of people around, Birch Point State Park is a serene and downright dreamy beach spot just a short drive from Rockland, Maine.

We loved finding such a sandy beach in the heart of the rocky coastline of Maine and if you are a sea glass collector, this beach is for YOU!

Parking Details:

There is one centrally located gravel parking area where you will have access to the shore and bathrooms (privies).

I would NOT recommend taking your camper with you when you plan to check out this Maine state park. Parking is somewhat limited and you have to drive down a somewhat long dirt road to get to the entrance of Birch Point State Park. When we went, there were a lot of potholes and washed out sections of the road that might make it difficult to navigate with a camper.

Playground Details:

There is no playground on site.

Hiking Trail Details:

There are no hiking trails on site.

Beach Details:

This pocket beach is absolutely stunning!

Note: A pocket beach is usually a small beach that is isolated between two headlands or points.

The beach is completely sandy with the exception of the cobble rocks that are essential components to the dunes here. In addition, there are smooth rock structures on the left hand side of the beach (when looking out at the ocean).

The waves are calm and gentle, making this a nice beach to romp in the water. I am not a fan of ocean swimming (#sharks) but if that’s your thing, currents are reported to be calm here.

There is no lifeguard at this beach so please take measures to always monitor children in your care when they are in the water.

To access the beach from the parking lot, you do have to maneuver over some small to medium size rocks. If bringing a stroller or beach wagon, plan to lift these over about 15 feet of rocks.

Picnic Details:

There are several individual picnic spots available with grills. They are tucked up on some grassy and shaded spots on the left hand side of the beach.

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 entrance to the beach. Can’t miss it!

Fees:

Adult Maine Resident	Adult Non Resident	Children 5-11 Years Old	Children under 5 & Adults 65 and older	Senior Resident	Senior Non Resident
$3.00	$4.00	$1.00	FREE	FREE	$1.00

There is no entrance station at this State Park so bring exact change and plan to drop your fee into the canister that you will come upon when driving into the park.

*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 Birch Point State Park. You will find them adjacent to the parking lot. Both privies have a small step that visitors will need to manage in order to access the privies. I am unsure, at the time of this posting, if the privies, themselves, are handicap accessible.

Visitor Accessibility:

I am disappointed to share that the Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands does NOT have accessibility ratings for Birch Point State Park. They also do NOT have a beach wheelchair available.

I shared my rationale for including accessibility ratings in the Intro Blog to the Maine State Park series and the fact that Birch Point does not have accessibility ratings just highlights the need for our State to do better!

Overall Impression:

We enjoyed visiting Birch Point State Park! It has a great beach that easily feels like it’s a secret beach that only the locals know about!

We were doing lots of exploring on the midcoast that day and only stayed for about an hour but we all wished that we brought our beach gear in the truck. The beach was just so serene! I really regret that we didn’t plan better for a stop at this State Park.

If you are looking for respite from the sun while there, you can find it along the left side of the beach where you will find a rocky knoll with some tall pines and picnic tables placed in great spots.

The water was incredibly calm and there were more than a few adults enjoying a swim.

There are no showers or rinse stations for sand so plan accordingly. I love using Burt’s Bees Dusting Powder. I learned several years ago that using dusting powder on sandy parts of your body is a GAME CHANGER!

Speaking of planning, here are the three things you will find in my beach bag!

Solar Buddies Sunscreen Applicator: Pick your favorite lotion sunscreen and add it to this applicator. This applicator works a little better with thinner lotion sunscreens than their thicker counterparts.
Snack Boxes: I have a good charcuterie board and these boxes are a perfect beach substitute!
Wet Bags: I love being able to throw wet bathing suits into separate bags for the car ride home.

Happy Adventuring! ~Natalie

Family-Friendly Adventure at Moose Point State Park

Moose Point State Park is located in Searsport and is just north of Belfast on Route 1. With great ocean views, access to the ocean, easy hiking trails, and a playground, this is a great spot for some exploring and a picnic lunch.

We had a great time exploring their trails and checking out their playground!

Parking Details:

There is one centrally located parking area where you will have access to the shore, trails, playground and sex-separated bathrooms. It is a gravel parking area with a one-way loop directing traffic.

The other parking area is near the group picnic area.

If traveling with a camper, you should be able to easily park your vehicle and camper perpendicular to the parking spots and navigate the one-way loop through the parking area with relative ease. There are no tree/limb issues of concern around the loop. The main road in and out of the park does have small speed bumps.

Playground Details:

A playground is on-site at Moose Point State Park. It is near the trailhead for the Big Spruce trail and bathrooms are close by. It has a rather large play structure (5 slides of varying lengths and difficulties) and some swings situated on woodchips.

The playground is surrounded by a good amount of large trees i.e. there are some nice sections of shade here.

Be sure to check out My Maine and Rubys on the Road blogs of Moose Point State Park for pictures of the playground.

Hiking Trail Details:

There are three trails at this State Park with two of them, Big Spruce and Moose connect for an easy 1.2 mile loop around the park.

A jogging stroller should be able to handle the trails as they are gravel and wide enough for others to pass by and our 6 year old did this trail with no complaints. The Meadow Trail takes you over the grass and again, I don’t think a jogging stroller would have issues with this trail.

Interesting fact about the shoreline visible from the Big Spruce trail…The rocks along that shoreline are over 450 million years old!

Beach Details:

While you can access the ocean via stairs, there is NOT a beach here. The water’s edge is that quintessential Maine rocky coastline. Perfect for photos, not so much wading in or swimming. High tide comes up..well..pretty high, so if scrambling over rocks is your jam, try to time your visit with low tide.

Picnic Details:

There are several individual picnic spots available with grills. While most of them are in full sun areas, I did spot a few tucked into the woods near the Big Spruce trail.

A larger pavilion/group picnic is available with separate parking and restrooms nearby.

Picnic tables can always be a gamble on whether they are clean enough on their own. If you don’t want to risk it, I LOVE these picnic table covers! I have them in both the 5-foot and 8-foot sizes.

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 trailhead for the Big Spruce trail.

Getting another stamp in the Passport Book

Fees:

Adult Maine Resident	Adult Non Resident	Children 5-11 Years Old	Children under 5 & Adults 65 and older	Senior Resident	Senior Non Resident
$3.00	$4.00	$1.00	FREE	FREE	$1.00

*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!

When paying the fees, only a handful of Maine State Parks accept credit/debit. Also, expect that the Ranger Station may NOT be staffed and bring exact cash/change for your park fees.

Bathroom Low Down:

There are two sex-separated bathroom facilities at Moose Point State Park. One is near the trailhead, picnic area, and playground area. It is probably actually closest to the playground; making it easy for those playground/bathroom emergencies!

The other is near the pavilion/group picnic area.

There are no privys on the trails so if you are worried about a mid-trail emergency, plan to pack a travel potty. And…you know my favorite..the Oxo 2-in-1 Travel Potty with liners!

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.

Below is the accessibility rating for Moose Point State Park:

Individual Aspect	Description of Accessibility	Rating
Parking	Generally Accessible	★★★★ out of 5 stars
Restrooms	Generally Accessible	★★★★ out of 5 stars
Picnic Tables	Generally Accessible*One table is fully accessible	★★★★ out of 5 stars
Picnic Area	Generally Accessible	★★★★ out of 5 stars
Playground	Generally Accessible	★★★★ out of 5 stars
Beach	Not Accessible*Rocky shore, no sand. Path to overlook is accessible	★ out of 5 stars
Bay Views	Accessible	★★★★★ out of 5 stars
Trails	Generally Accessible	★★★★ out of 5 stars
Group Use Area	Accessible with assistance	★★★ out of 5 stars
Group Picnic Area	Accessible with assistance	★★★ out of 5 stars
Overall Accessibility: ★★ out 3 stars

Overall Impression:

We enjoyed visiting Moose Point State Park!

It is VERY quiet. There were only 2 other cars there when we pulled in and we saw 3 people on the trails and one other family on the playground during our visit.

We easily found the passport station for this park and then headed out for a walk on the trails.

The Big Spruce and Moose trails were nice, flat trails and very easy for our 6 year old to walk on. After we completed the 1.2 mile loop on those two trails, we headed to the gazebo for a shaded snack break and to check out the group picnic area.

The group picnic area has larger grills, a sink, and a really nice pavilion area that can fit a lot of people. Rumor has it you can rent this group picnic area for a wedding!

Finally, we made our way over to the playground so my daughter could play. I was impressed by how large the play structure was and loved the shade cover that was provided by the surrounding tall trees.

Given that Moose Point is right on Route 1, it will be a nice park to revisit/stop at again when we are making our way up or down the Maine coast and need a place to stop for a lunch break or a leg stretch…and the fact we could swing into this park while towing our camper, is a plus!

Overall, this is a really beautiful, quiet, and well maintained Maine State Park. From the easy trails to the playground and numerous picnic spots, this is a great spot for families!

Do you love The Wandering Chickadee blogs?! Be sure to subscribe for access to subscriber-only content!

Thanks for reading and if you want more content, please follow The Wandering Chickadee on Facebook and Instagram.

Happy Adventuring!

~Natalie