Camden Hills State Park

Spectacular views! Hiked the seaside trail and picnicked at the overlook. Our pup decided to jump up on a rock & pose for a picture. A picture perfect memorable day in Camden ! Can’t wait to return and stay for a longer visit.

Highly recommend this park for the walking trails. The park ranger that we encountered purchasing tickets was very coarse. Totally surprised by her attitude. Nevertheless we enjoyed this state park tremendously. A little disappointed that the castle was under construction but future visitors coming to the park will totally enjoy the renovations. The views are spectacular overlooking the harbor and downtown Camden.

This is a great place to camp, only 2 miles from town so great for walking to. Showers could be a little hotter and basically upgraded. Across the highway is the rest of the park, but there is really not much access to the beach from there. But beautiful views 😍

Beautiful park. Great place to camp. Close to Camden downtown. Mt Battie is there with a beautiful view of the harbor.

Camden Hills State Park in Maine is a stunning destination that beautifully showcases the natural beauty of the region. Nestled along the picturesque coast, this state park offers a perfect blend of outdoor activities, breathtaking landscapes, and serene tranquility, making it a must-visit for nature lovers and adventure seekers alike. One of the standout features of Camden Hills State Park is its impressive hiking trails. With over 30 miles of well-maintained paths, there are options for hikers of all skill levels. The most popular trail leads to the summit of Mount Battie, where you’re rewarded with panoramic views of Camden Harbor, Penobscot Bay, and the surrounding islands. The ascent can be challenging, but the stunning vistas at the top make every step worth it. On a clear day, the sight is nothing short of spectacular. The park is also home to a variety of ecosystems, including dense forests, rocky shorelines, and open fields. This diversity makes it a great spot for wildlife watching, and visitors may be lucky enough to see deer, birds, and other local fauna. For those interested in photography, the park provides countless opportunities to capture the beauty of nature, especially during the fall when the foliage transforms into a vibrant tapestry of colors. In addition to hiking, Camden Hills State Park offers other recreational activities, such as camping, picnicking, and cross-country skiing in the winter months. The campgrounds are well-equipped and provide a peaceful retreat for those looking to immerse themselves in the great outdoors. The picnic areas are also inviting, making it a great spot to enjoy a meal surrounded by nature. While the park is generally well-kept, it can get busy during peak tourist seasons, especially in the summer and fall. Parking can fill up quickly, so arriving early is advisable if you want to secure a spot and enjoy the trails without the crowds. Additionally, some trails can be steep, so proper footwear and preparation are essential for a safe and enjoyable experience. In summary, Camden Hills State Park is a gem in Maine that offers a perfect escape into nature. With its beautiful hiking trails, stunning views, and diverse landscapes, it’s an ideal destination for outdoor enthusiasts and families alike. Whether you’re seeking adventure or a peaceful day in nature, Camden Hills has something to offer everyone. Don’t miss the chance to explore this beautiful park—you’ll leave with lasting memories and a deep appreciation for Maine’s natural beauty.

750 feet up and the bay below was visible. Awesome view. I understood our guide to share some interesting tidbits, a 5 minute seen was filmed at the top for the movie Payton place, had cannons there to ward off ships

Go to the top of Mt. Battie! Beautiful view of the bay and surrounding Islands. Trails to hike on both sides of the street within the park and covered by admission. Beautiful place. $2 admission per person for non residents but worth it.

We spent 2 nights here. The staff is amazing, friendly, and engaging, and our tent site was perfect. Clean and raked with water and power on site. Bathrooms and showers were close by and there was lots of hot water.

Spectacular view of Penobscot Bay, the surrounding islands, and the Town of Camden. Well maintained and clean park, we walked a few of the trails on our visit today. $6 per person for non residents of Maine. That pretty much says it all, a short review, but this is a "must visit" if you are in the area.

I always try to visit a park when I'm traveling. Camden Hills State Park is a must see while visiting Maine. There is a small $6 fee for entry. You can camp, walk, bike or drive the park. The park guides are very helpful. We went straight to Mt Battie Rd for a beautiful scenic view of Camden Harbor. Penobscot Bay and Megunticook Lake. The views are out of the world! We spent 2 days going in and out of the park to see daytime versus sunset across the bay. We actually had a small picnic while visiting. This was a very calm relaxing experience. I highly recommend especially if you like wandering and hiking in parks. There is two sides to park, so dont forget to drive across the street.

Before we arrived for a brief stay in Camden, someone we met in Bar Harbon recommended we visit Camden Hills State Park and 1) drive or bike up Mt. Battie Rd. for a beautiful, scenic view of Camden Harbor, Penobscot Bay, and Megunticook Lake; and 2) walk the shoreline trail and soak in the beautiful views of Penobscot Bay up close and personal. Well, it was just our luck that it rained and misted during our two-day stay in Camden--and the bay was fogged in nearly all the time we were there--but we followed their advice and visited the park anyway. We like to camp, so we also took advantage of the opportunity to check out the campsites and public facilities for showering, etc. They were very much to our liking. The weather preempted any scenic views, but it was peaceful and fun nonetheless. This visit whetted our appetite for this park, and we both agreed that we'd return sometime soon.

You can find Camden Hills State Park at 280 Belfast Rd, Camden, ME 04843. It's between Camden and Belfast if you're traveling on US1 (this stretch is called Belfast Rd). There are entries to the East and West with parking but the main trail is on the western side. You'll drive in , park and walk to a trailhead. Camden Hills State Park wraps around Mount Battie - you can either hike to take a road that takes you near the summit. We hiked a variety of interconnected trails making up a few miles before making it to the summit where the real prize is - the Mount Battie WW1 Memorial Tower (I've added images to the separate Yelp listing for the tower). The trail up was fairly strenuous - I think it's rated "Moderate" but there are a few points where you're climbing over boulders on the ascent and have to navigate fairly rough terrain - it got me sweating and stopping often for water. Coming down it was a gentler slope. In all a pretty decent hike with mostly woodland scenery (the day we did this hike there was fog so the summit view was limited - normally you can see the coastline and I believe a nearby river.

$6 per person for non-residents of Maine. Enjoyed climbing the tower and watching the boats go by. Met a great couple (Kevin and Joann) who gave us recommendations. Calming experience, I could imagine couples or families going there for a lunch or dinner picnic.

Early Fall. Changing colors of leaves. Instead of the 45-minute hike, I chose to drive up this time to the beautiful scene of Penobscot Bay & Camden, Maine. Early morning. Serene and calm. Deep in thoughts and memories of summers past here. Up went my backpack and off to a tree-lined trail thereafter. CHEERS!

I feel the need to preface all of my nature reviews with this: being 90% forested and having around 3500 miles of coastline, Maine has a tremendous amount of spaces, walkways, paths, and trails of all kinds and of all levels. There's something for everyone. What I'm reviewing is how a spot compares to similar outdoor spots in my personal opinion. Being in nature - and remembering to carry in, carry out - is always five stars! :) Parking? Yes. Loop trail? Yes. Well marked signs? Yes. Element of surprise? Yes. There are so many places in Maine that are absolutely breathtaking, and Camden Hills State Park is one of them. One of the best ones, if I'm being totally honest! Much like Cadillac in Acadia, if you want to hike to scenic views... you can. If you want to drive right to the top for those same scenic views... you can. Either way, CHSP is renowned for its panoramic views of Camden Harbor, Penobscot Bay, and the surrounding islands from the top of Mt. Battie (we watched the ferry go Rockland to Vinalhaven the last time we were here too!). The state park is 5,700 acres and offers a 30 mile network of multi-use trails. Mt Battie rises about 800 feet above sea level (side note: you can hike Mount Megunticook [which connects to Adams Lookout Trail ad Tablelands Trail] - a Natural Heritage Hike and the highest of the Camden Hills - which is closer to 1,400 feet for more of a challenge; there's also Maiden Cliff Trail - a natural rock outcropping formation - which will bring you over Megunticook Lake and ends with a cross monument dedicated to 12-year old Elenora French who fell to her death in 1864 when trying to catch her wind-blown hat). There's a stone tower at the top of Mt Battie (as well as some outhouses) built in 1921 that you can climb, and there's lots of surrounding area on the rocks nearby to enjoy a picnic from while overlooking Camden Harbor below. From the abundance of blossoms in the spring, the thousand shades of green in summer, and the vibrant foliage of autumn... whenever you come it is sure to be spectacular.

You may drive to the top, or walk the lovely well marked and maintained trail from the hiking parking lot--about 45 minutes to 1 hour walk. Some parts are steep, but there are many level areas to catch your breath before letting the spectacular view from the tower at the summit take your breath away again. Postcard views of Camden from the summit and the various islands identified with the help of a useful map. Price per entry is very affordable for this state park at $4 for adult resident, $6 for non resident adult.

First time in the U.S. camping with Wifi. Also there is hot shower available with unlimited time. There is a picnic table set, and a fire pit for each site. Spacious and cozy. It is price for car camping but considering the points listed above, it might be worth it.

Excellent park and campground. We spent 2 nights at the campground in small tent Site 80 and loved it! A campground reservation gets you admission to the mountainside and oceanfront portions of the park. Site 80 had an awesome pull thru driveway (no difficult backing up required!) and plenty of flat space to pitch our 6 person tent. The campground has warm water showers (available at both portions of the park on either side of Route 1), clean bathrooms, and plenty of water spigots. We're tent campers, so we look for quiet campgrounds and this campground didn't disappoint. Just inside the main park gate is the paved road up to Mt Battie providing gorgeous views of the town of Camden and Penobscot Bay. On the north end of the campground is one of several trails to Mt Megunticook and the surrounding mountains. We took the hike up to Mt Megunticook (about 1.25-1.5mi from the trailhead adjacent to Site 81 to the Ocean Overlook) and while moderately difficult, it was so worth it for the views!

Camden Hills Family Campground has contaminated water. No showers. No water at dump station to clean hoses. No notification before arrival. Every day they said "tomorrow should have water", but they had to keep bleaching the system. Also, No free Wifi... that was an additional charge. No partial refund for no water. Second day there, when I requested free wifi since no water was being provided, I was told "no". At that time I was told I could cancel and get a refund... not before my 5 hour drive to the campground, nor when we checked in the day before. Campsite Flooded out during heavy rainstorm. I do not recommend this campground.

Beautiful park. If you like hiking it's for you. It's quite a hike to the summit that overlooks the bay. Be careful if you take a different trail as we did and hiked an extra hour to get back to the road. The trails are challenging. Lots of roots and rocks. If you have knee or Ankle problems I would not recommend the hike. Bring water and snacks. One outhouse on trail back. It's at least a three hour round trip hike.

Great park to take a drive (or hike) up Mount Battie to see the views of Historic Camden and the Penobscot Bay. It's well worth the $6pp. There are clean bathrooms at the top (vault toilets) and plenty of parking. There's a WWI monument that you can climb stairs to the top (not very high) and get a bit of a better view ;-) Very cool structure. Would highly recommend for anyone visiting Camden.

What a gorgeous spot!!! I see it as a mini Acadia :) there are hiking trails all over and the view is breath taking. You can also drive up and park if your not up to hiking!! Be sure to take a drive through Camden such a cute little town!

This State Park offers several trails, some of which are perfect for beginners and children alike. Mt Battie offers gorgeous views of Camden Harbor and Penobscot Bay. You have the option to drive to the summit of Mt Battie as well. Camden is a charming little town where the mountains meet the ocean. It's definitely worth a stop to stroll around after for lunch and shop.

We loved hiking Mount Battie! We started at the trailhead which was on a side road in a neighborhood. Can't remember the name of the road but type Mount Battie trailhead into Google Maps and it'll come up. Parking lot there is small but free. The hike was moderate with lots of scrambling. DEFINITELY wear hiking boots or sturdy sneakers and be in somewhat good shape. The trail is .5 miles to the top but feels like much longer with all the climbing you have to do. We took our time and made it to the top in about 45 minutes (that including rest breaks and stops for pictures). There was fresh blueberry bushes towards the top of the mountain. You must look low to the ground to find them. The views were amazing! Depending on where you were standing at the top of the mountain, you could see almost 360 degree views. The mountain overlooks the bay. Tons of people were around the tower when we arrived and we learned we could have driven up (but what's the fun in that). We sat, rested, and took in the views before making our descent. Overall, incredible hike! The views are well worth the hard work needed to get to the top! Highly recommended!

Stopped in here for a little rock climbing during the week on our road trip. It's worth the stop for sure and next time I'd like to hike and explore more. We did go up to Mt. Batte and the views are amazing. I'm sure the views from other lookouts are great as well. Ranger station folks were as helpful as they could be, but didn't know much about the climbing areas or how to access. So you'll have to do some research on that if that's why you're going. There is an extensive hiking trail system that looks fun to explore. It's dog friendly too, but they must be on leash. The Rampart area were we climbed wasn't too hard to find, but someone had knocked down the cairn (so I replaced it) and it's pretty dirty (not climbed often). I knocked down plenty of spider webs, so hopefully the next person to climb there won't have them up in there face LOL.

Excellent State park here in beautiful Camden. You can enter from either side of the road. One side has a bunch of picnic table with an amazing view right on the ocean and the other side is for hiking. There is an entrance fee. I think it was 4 bucks for residents of Maine and 6 bucks for non residents. Well worth it. They give you a receipt too so if you want to leave and come back you just show your receipt. Only for the same day of course. There's lots of different ways to hike up the top. I took the fairly easy one. Battie trail. You can drive to the summit as well. Bathrooms at the lot I parked in and at the top too. The view is spectacular!! I can't say enough about it that could describe the incredible beauty. This was one of the main reasons for my visit to Maine and it did not disappoint!

Always a pleasure to view the coast of Maine atop Mt Battie Tower.

This was a great place for a day hike in Camden. They also offer camping. I was expecting crowds and lots of rules and regulations, being a state park and all... but we were pleasantly surprised that we still felt secluded in the woods. The trails are well marked and there are multiple parking spots and overlooks to choose from. What we did was hike to Ocean overlook and back down on a different trail (love that there are loops), and then drove to the top of mount Battie for lunch. Beautiful views! We saw multiple people in flip flops and not exactly well dressed for a hike.... trust me, the trails we took were technical and even some rock climbing is required. Wear proper footwear!

Loved it! Not much else to say. This is an incredible facility that is well maintained and very quiet. We reserved 2 campsites at least 2 months in advance. Each site had a parking area and a fire pit. They sold bundles of dry wood for $7 at the ranger station. All sites were an easy walk to the bathrooms and showers. Most sites even had a tap for washing dishes and hands but not drinkable water. This park is just out of town but really close enough to give you the town amenities if you needed them. It did rain one day and we were in town in 5 minutes walking around shopping. In the campground you can pick up the trail to Mt Megunticook which is a quick 1 mile in and 1 mile back. A moderate trail with picture perfect views at the top. You can see all the way around to the lake and ocean depending on weather. Really a lot of bang for your hike. When we were there everyone was very respectful and quiet. Actually my kiddos were probably the loud ones. The bath houses were very very clean!!! If you really want to enjoy the true outdoors of Maine stay here!!!

What a quaint, rustic Park well worth the $6 entry fee per adult to drive up to the top of Mount Battie and have some scenic, picturesque views of Camden, Penobscot Bay and the surrounding Coastline. Don't forget to go directly across the street, cascade down 300' to the shoreline for some relaxing views and sounds of the bay/ocean! Enjoy and be safe!

#300 Touristy towns have their charm and allure and most definitely can be fun. But even at my most social road traveling best, I sometimes crave distance, perspective and quiet beauty. In Camden, all that can be found in this beautiful state park. A hike including the climb up Mount Battie provides a bit of exercise and a chance to elevate oneself from sea level. The perspective from atop the mountain is exhilarating. Gorgeous views of Camden, Penobscot Bay and neighboring islands are all yours! Although Mount Battie is only 780 feet high it still impresses. The good news is that if you're reasonably fit this is an easy up and down climb well worth getting to the top to see the amazing panorama. If hiking is not your thing, you can drive. Everyone is welcome! If you like to camp, there are plenty of campsites to call home here. But reveling, even just for a day in all this beauty no matter what the season, is a soothing balm to a world-weary soul. Take a hike here and feel on top of the world.

The hike up to the ocean lookout is challenging and takes about an hour, but it is manageable (our six and eight year old managed it too) and very very beautiful! Take the left path at the fork to go up and then back down the other one. Bring water! The Mount Battie lookout is pretty, not as impressive as the other side though!

We had a wonderful weekend at the park. On Saturday, we drove to Mt Battie and hiked to Ocean Lookout and Mt Megunticook. Sunday we hiked Maiden Cliff and the Scenic Trail then Jack Williams and Zeke's. Sunday was definitely a tougher day. The terrain is pretty rough and it's pretty easy to slip. A lot of the hike is essentially climbing rocky stream beds. We were very grateful for our hiking poles. I feel sure one of us would have fallen without them! The views were amazing both days. The crowds were very light and the fall colors looked beautiful in early October. The trails could be better marked. It wasn't always easy to stay on the trail since it wasn't really clear.

I'm sure there is a lot more to see in this park, but the thing that gets all the attention is the view from the top of Mount Battie. If you're passing through the area, take the time to drive into the park and to the top of the mountain - the main road takes you all the way there. Those with more time and would like a challenge can hike up along the side of the road - it looks like that's a pretty popular option since there were lots of people doing that. Regardless of how you want to get there, you can't miss the view. From Mount Battie you get a view of Camden. As with the rest of New England, the views are best during the fall with the full effect of the foliage. When I was here it seemed like the most pronounced colors in the trees surrounded Camden, framing the town and enhancing the view.

Great experience on the trails. Parking and maps are confusing, wrong, and misleading. If it wasn't for locals providing guidance, we would have lost for much of our visit.

Acadia gets the most attention around here but we just loved our two days hiking in this beautiful park. The first day we hiked to the top of Mount Battie and oh! What a view. A few days later we came back and walked up an multi use trail to a charming chalet outpost, perfect for a spot of lunch and some quiet contemplation of nature. With so many trails left to explore I'm sure we'll add Camden Hills State Park to our next Maine excursion. It's gorgeous, clean, well-marked and plenty popular without being crazy crowded. A win!

Super nice park. Trails are very well maintained and I didn't see any trash as I was hiking. Good parking and amazing views from various overlook locations

Camden Hills State Park is BEAUTIFUL! If you come from the south of Camden, you'll get to see the nice Camden downtown area (which you can later see on top of Mt. Megunticook). The fee to enter is $3 for Maine residents and $4.50 for non-Maine residents (I believe there is a discount or its free for children under 12). I am a student at a Maine university, the nice lady let me pay the Maine resident price instead of the out-of-state price. I did not have the chance to hike (or drive up) Mount Battie, but I've heard great things about the lookout tower. My trip consisted of hiking Mount MeGunticook. In particular, I went to the Ocean Lookout, which is AMAZING! This view is hard to beat, especially on a clear, summer day. I particularly enjoyed the hike because it was challenging but not too crazy. Plus, the Ocean Lookout view is the ultimate reward. It took about an hour to reach the Ocean Lookout. From there, you can turn back around, or explore other trails, including trails to Maiden's Cliff and Mount Battie. I HIGHLY recommend trekking one of the trails here

Nice park a little spending for me but not why it gets a 3 star. The older ladies in the office did nothing but argued with me. First on how long my bus was. You think after owning something for 6 years you might know the length. And then on reservations. I called them on the phone to see if they had anything open they said first come first served and not taking any reservation at this time which is fine. Then when I get there they ask, did you make an reservation? I said no you told me no reservation at this time. So they argued about that. But beside that nice park.

Spent two quick nights here in a tent in early September. We had read on Yelp that campsite 81 was the best due to its seclusion at the back of the park so we booked it several weeks in advance. When we arrived, the staff at the gate was very friendly and provided all the info we needed for our stay. We easily found our campsite and found it to be spacious enough for our large tent and pickup truck. The flat (almost level) gravel site had a fire pit and picnic table, both were in good shape. The site was drive in drive out so unloading and setting up was a breeze. The dirt road leading to the site was one way and was barely travelled...only a few cars passed our site while we were there. The site was very secluded and we could not really see the other nearby sites through the woods (although we could hear them). Occasionally we would see someone at night with a light walking down the path in the woods to the bathrooms but that was about it. The winds seemed to pick up at nighttime in this area so it was not as quiet as expected. We had been on a sunset sail a few hours earlier and there was almost no wind at the harbor so maybe it has to do with the mountains. There was also a very loud owl that made a lot of noise at night which was okay since we were a guest in his house! There was a small path a the back of the site that led to the bathrooms and showers through the woods and was a very short walk. The bathrooms were clean but did not have soap or hand dryers, just hand sanitizer which was fine. The showers were okay but you could not control the temp which was fine until the other two showers were going and it got a bit cold. Still beat washing up at the campsite with a pot of warm water! Our campsite was one of the closest to the mutli-use trail and the hiking trails. We hiked up Megunticook Mtn. one morning which took about 2 hours round trip. The hike was moderate with a beautiful view of Camden and the coast at the top! The park office was open 7am to 10pm where you could buy a bundle of wood for $8 I believe. The wood lasted about 2 hours which was just about right. There were also dumpsters and recycling easily accessible on the way out of the park. Overall this was a very nice park with close proximity to beautiful Camden. The $28 per night was worth it and much cheaper than staying in one of the many B&Bs or Inns in town.

We checked in at the ranger station paid the daily fee and was given a brief synopsis about what to do in the park during the winter. There are many hiking trails, a moderate climb to the top of a mountain giving way to excellent viewing of all the areas around the bay and horizon. There are bathroom facilities available. Everybody along the way was friendly.

Wonderful place to stay. Amazing privacy, gorgeous views, super friendly staff. I'd stay to work there!

Excellent park. Exquisite views of Camden, Rockland and Rockport. The drive up was not that bad, very scenic and not too steep. It was $6 each for us to enter, not bad. The tower stairs were finished, so you could go all the way to the top. They even have bathrooms at the top, which were clean, amazing. Lots of places at the top to wander and explore, all with amazing views. If you are afraid of heights, I don't think you will have a problem. Park is clean and the Rangers are friendly. Great place.

This park is beautiful. The views are magnificent. Starting the trails is a bit confusing and the map really didn't help at all. Once you start hiking though, the trails are well marked.

It's a nice campground, but the browntail moths are really bad this year. My whole family is covered in what is basically airborne poison ivy just from sitting at the campsite.

We hiked many trails including the Kalalau Trail on the Napali coast on Kauai, Hawaii, and my review for that was titled something like "epic hike" so I use the term "epic" ONLY for amazing hikes and the Camden Hills State Park is in this category. We started at the parking lot by the entrance to the park and walked in, paid $6 per person entrance fee. You can drive in or walk in... we chose to walk to the trail which is 1/4 mile from the entrance and there is a parking lot there as well. We did the ocean overlook and Mount Megunticook trails which commence at that lot and are between 4 and 5 miles total. The hike up is challenging with an elevation gain of about 1,100 feet, some parts are gradual and other parts are steeper, and there are lots of rocks and roots to traverse. Watch your step and put the phone down! When you get to the ledge/cliff areas, there are multiple places to park yourself and sit down for dramatic sweeping views of the coastline, Camden, Penobscot Bay... the hills and mountains... epic! Bring a lunch and water and enjoy the best that nature offers. We continued to the Megunticook peek which offers no views but the hike is about a half mile through pine forests and lush vegetation... a magical part of the journey that I recommend doing. There are additional trails that continue from the peek but we were pressed for time and had to get back. Now you are traveling the same trail down which is also a great workout for the knees! These trails have a lot of hikers and hikers with dogs. Words of caution, unfortunately MANY hikers were WITHOUT masks. We are front line workers so this behavior affects us more having seen the affects of COVID-19 up close and personal. If this concerns you then be prepared to move to the side to let them pass you in either direction. And some have their dogs off leash if that is an issue for you. The mask issue is the one disappointment with the trail... I mean we get we are outside but when you are in close proximity, like 3 feet, put a freaking mask on! We had people come up to us to chat wearing no masks... huffing and puffing from the challenging trails, in our faces during a pandemic... neither of understand this at all. Other than that... HIGHLY RECOMMEND. We look forward to coming back and continuing with the other trails. PS, you can also drive up to the top of Mount Battie and park and enjoy the views of Camden and Penobscot Bay.

The 360 degree view from the top of auto road provided an exceptional view of Camden Harbor and several islands in Penobscot Bay. I thought access to the Maiden Cliff trail was via this road, but subsequently learned it is off Route 52. Plan B was the easy and less scenic shoreline trail. Tip - the senior all day pass includes multiple visits and only costs $1.50 per person.

What a bummer. Went on a Sunday afternoon in mid November. My husband had a broken foot so the one place we both wanted to see was a no go. Drive Trail closed. Make sure you check (like we didn't) what is open in November.

Place was great for us. 8.5 months pregnant with a toddler, a dog and husband. Empty campground in early May and limited to the lower campground. Blue skies all around. A little buggy closer to the bathrooms but mitigated easily with campfire and/or lemon eucalyptus spray. Slept in till 8:30!

The ocean look-out hike is definitely worth it! But don't come as unprepared as we did, we didn't have hiking boots yet alone hiking clothes, because we left out hotel thinking we would just do a short little hike.... Little did we know that this hike was completely uphill!! It was only a little more than a while, and the ranking as a 2 we thought, oh piece of cake. But we were used to the rankings on CA trails being on a scale of 1-5, not 1-3!! To our mistake what we thought was a trail on a 1-5 scale, turned out to be a hike on a 1-3 scale! Long story short, we were sweaty sweaty by the time we reached that summit point, but man was it worth it! Even though the trail was muddy from the recent rain, and our shoes did not have the traction they should have if they had been hiking boots, that view is WORTH EVERY STEP. My god, I hadn't felt like I actually saw Maine on this trip until we hiked up to that spot. You could see all of Camden, the shoreline, all of the trees, the glistening water of the ocean, and we actually joked about being able to see Nova Scotia from up there because it was so clear and we could see out so far!! True we had to pay for parking in the lot a decent trek from the beginning of the trails, but it went to support the park so you can't really complain too much. So go out and get some fresh Maine air here at Camden Hills State Park! Just come with proper shoes and clothes so you don't look as funny as we did. :-)

I can't believe no one has reviewed this state park yet. It's a hidden gem of a place. If you are not into the quaint little scene in Camden (It's a shopper's paradise), this place is worth the visit. The park is only three miles north of Camden on Hwy.1. It's got the tallest inland mountain on the Atlantic coast (Mount Megunticook) and has some great views from the top of its trails. You can hike them, bike them, and cross-country ski them. And if you don't want to use your own two feet, you can ATV/Snowmobile some of them or drive your car to the lookout on the top of Mount Battie. If you want to stay overnight, it even has a campground with flushing toilets and hot showers. Most people use the park for day hiking, though. Most of the hikes are easy or moderate with a few difficult hikes for variety. I recommend the Mt. Megunticook hike to the Ocean View with Bald Rock as the return hike (to catch the views from Adam's lookout). I did the whole hike and (ate lunch too) in a little under two hours. Fabulous! I will return for future hikes. There is a fee for day use of the park, but it's nominal depending on your age. And beware there is no running water except at the campground and there is no amenities stand in the park so you will need to bring your own water and food if you plan to picnic there.

Camden Hills State Park has an entrance fee of $6 per person for on Maine residents. After paying the fee we helpd into our receipt to continue with the Park across the street. We drove to top of Mount Battie and enjoyed a view of Penobscot Bay and the town of Camden Maine. Their was handicapped parking at the top of the hill and across the road where we hiked a short trail. If you love hiking this is the place to come. The Park official provided us with a map which highlighted all the trails. Pack your walking shoes and come out for the day. It's beautiful and there was no humidity we get living south in Maryland.

I can't believe I'm telling you this.. but here it is.. if you're tent camping, you WANT Site 81. Now, because of my big Yelp mouth, I'll probably never see it again. I have never been here before, so when I checked in and the park ranger said "Welcome Back!," I was confused. After filling him in that I randomly picked the most secluded-looking site on the Camden Hills website map, he told me I made a wonderful choice for a first-timer. This is their most requested site, and usually booked months in advance. Why, you ask? Well, mostly because it's so far away from all of the other sites! You'll have the place to yourself. You'll see that the other campsites in Camden are right on top of one another, until you reach this hidden gem. Your closest neighbors are barely visible through the thick woods. If you're looking for a bit of privacy, and maybe a lack of yelling children at 8am, this is your spot for the night. Welcome to the club, you 81er! Enjoy it.

I can honestly say this is the first campground I've stayed at where they've asked if I wanted wi-fi. I've stayed at hotels that haven't had wi-fi yet. Impressive. I stayed just out of wi-fi range (I was camping!) and ended up being super glad that I did, we heard from some other campers that the wi-fi tent spots were riddled with mosquitoes in the field. The non-wifi spots were in the woods and had much less mosquitoes. The bathhouses were very clean and nice. I liked that the showers were seperate rooms from the bathroom part so men & women had equal access to the showers. They were relatively bug free and light so I was able to enjoy a nice shower after hiking Mt Battie. I was awakened by a falling branch (sounded like a huge tree!) which can be very scary when you're sleeping in a tent, so look up when you pitch your tent! I'd definitely go back and try to hike some more of the trails, but if you don't have time to do that, at least drive up to the top of Mt Battie to see the view of Camden!

Amaaaaazing views, amaaaazing trails, definitely the best thing we did on our trip to Maine. The weather was unexpectedly warm in early November and the sky was clear, making our hike even more enjoyable. Definitely worth the small fee to enter. Highly recommend if you like being outdoors and going for walks.

There is no doubt that Mt Battie is an unbelievable vista for the quaint, amazing Camden, ME., but you pay a good chunk to drive to the top. For a quick visit, certainly, take the 15% grade asphalt drive, but if you have some time, take a hike! It's tough to find short hikes that are as rewarding as this. Well ... except for Acadia National Park hikes (love!). Did you know you can get married on this hill? Also note large field for RV camping at the entrance. Didn't see any tents... Dog friendly.... etc.

Beautiful campground in a gorgeous town. Camden is far from Boston - otherwise we would camp there more. We've only been twice but it's definitely one of my favorites. Nice campground, well-maintained, pretty grounds, spacious sites and dog friendly! There is a lot to do in the area, with the ocean view hike being the best (in my opinion). The campground also has a really large field that our group was happy to use for a big wiffle-ball game. Across the street, there''s a beautiful park with a waterfront view. And, the town of Camden is 5 minutes away if you have campers who prefer shopping and dining out to hiking and cooking outside.