Day Hiking
Trying to choose the greatest Maine hiking spot is as pointless as trying to pick the prettiest Maine tree in autumn. There are just too many good ones. Here are some great places in each of Maine’s Tourism Regions. We’ve had help from Maine Trailfinder and its list of popular recent hikes.
Aroostook County
The Fort Kent Outdoor Center hosts a network of terrific trails groomed for Nordic skiing and snowshoeing in the winter. Those same trails open to hikers in warmer months. They range from easy strolls to more difficult hikes.
DownEast & Acadia
Acadia National Park is renowned for its hiking. The 9.5-mile Penobscot and Sargent mountains loop, among its most popular, takes hikers through forests and up two peaks. And for an easier, more accessible hike, the Jesup Path and Hemlock Path Loop is wonderful.
Greater Portland & Casco Bay
Wolfe's Neck Woods State Park, just minutes from the crowds and bustle of Freeport’s shopping district, offers quiet walks through woodlands and offer trails that pass close to Casco Bay. For an enjoyable accessible hike, head over to Mackworth Island where the main loop around the small island has no steps or other major barriers to wheelchairs.
The Kennebec Valley
An easy walk through the woods and over a boardwalk leads you to Moxie Falls, a spectacular waterfall dropping almost 100 feet. It’s one of the state’s most accessible waterfalls.
Maine’s Lakes & Mountains
Hikers and other outdoor folk love the Bigelow Preserve. Central is the Bigelow Range, a tall, compact group of mountains with some of the tallest peaks in the state. The Firewarden's and Horns Pond Trails Loop will take you up – if you’ve got the legs for it.
Maine’s MidCoast & Islands
Camden Hills State Park is webbed with routes, many with terrific views of the surrounding ocean and of the nearby coastal town of Camden. The trails to Maiden’s Cliff and Mt. Megunticook always draw hikers.
The Maine Beaches
Once a landmark for Colonial sailors, Mount Agamenticus is now the center of a preserve with thousands of acres. Trails lead through forests, glades and even an abandoned ski run. A wonderful accessible hike is the 2.4 miles round-trip walk along Ogunquit’s Marginal Way, a paved trail that follows the shoreline.
The Maine Highlands
Katahdin, in Baxter State Park, is Maine’s tallest mountain and a formidable climb – too formidable for some. But Baxter is filled with other wonderful and more approachable trails leading through some of the wildest sections of the state.
Look Out for ME Hiking Tips
- Stay on established trails & roads
- Pack any garbage & waste out with you when you leave
- Don’t cut, mark or damage trees
- Always recreate within your personal limits
- Be weather wise & dress appropriately
- Bring a basic first aid kit & travel with a friend
- Bring a waterproof map & compass
For more info on how to enjoy the outdoors responsibly, visit our Look Out for ME page.
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