Hiking Hotspot: Camden Hills State Park in Camden, Maine
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Camden Hills State Park offers over 30 miles of scenic hiking trails. The park is located in beautiful Camden, whose fitting slogan is “Where the Mountains Meet the Sea.” This beautiful city is one of 2 locations along the Atlantic Coast where the mountains meet the sea, which leads to some truly impressive scenery. Mike and I found out about this gorgeous town while living on an island called Islesboro. Every once in a while, we took the ferry to the mainline, and this gorgeous state park was our preferred place to get in a summer workout.
There are 20 great trails you can explore, each offering something a bit different. My personal favorites include: The Mt. Battie and Maiden Cliff Trails. Trails range from easy to hard. Whichever trail you decide to go with, you will be surrounded by fantastic scenery. In this guide, I will detail my experience hiking to Mt. Battie, which is the most popular trail and also the one offering the best viewpoints.
Mt. Battie Trail
This hike involves a very steep climb up to the summit (just under 800 feet), however, the views of Penobscot Bay and Camden Harbor make the climb much more tolerable in my opinion. While the trek is just over a mile, it is definitely a workout with a bit of scrambling around rocks required at times.
The elevation gain is over 600 feet, so I would say you should be a regular hiker or gym goer to hike this one. For regular gym goers, I would say it is a decent workout, but not the roughest hike around. You may be sore the next day, nevertheless, it’s all worth it in the end for the gorgeous views. We felt like we could skip the gym altogether the next day!
This trail offers the best views of the city, a quaint and historical charmer that really feels like a step back in time. It is easily one of my favorite cities on the East coast.
As one of the most heavily forested states, every trail in this region offers great views of the greenery. This trail is particularly spectacular thanks to the higher elevation lookouts. Here are a few pictures we took of the various overlooks looking out upon the fabulous forested lands.
Basically it is forests as far as the eye can see and I love it. As someone on the computer working way too much, I love spending my weekends in nature as much as possible. The trails here provide access to uninterrupted nature at its’ best. I feel like I am in my own world surrounded by trees in every direction. It’s nice to breathe some fresh air and get away from the technology every now and then.
I love the rocky landscapes throughout this park. There are plenty of overlooks to capture great photos, although I have to admit a few of them are a bit scary! If you are squeamish of heights, do keep your distance.
What a picture-perfect view! Really, the photos from the overlooks are so postcard worthy. I love New England coastal hiking, and it doesn’t get any better than this!
Another bonus of this trail is the many tranquil streams along the route. You can really get away from it all (including your phone) and just get back to nature on this trail. despite this being a relatively popular park, it’s super quiet on the trails and we never see many other people.
Alternative to hiking
Keep in mind that the hike up to Mt. Battie could take up to 2 hours. If you don’t feel like/are unable to hike the trail, you can opt to take the auto road up to Mt. Battie.
Location/Fee Details
Address: 280 Belfast Road Camden, ME 04843
Entrance fee: $6 per resident, $4 per non resident, $2 non-resident senior
Operating Hours: 9am-sunset
Additional Info
Leased Dogs are welcome.
Bicycling allowed on trails marked with a bicycle. Cross country skiing allowed on trails marked with a ski icon.
Explore other trails at this state park
Accessibility: Restrooms, parking, driving to the summit
Where to eat nearby: Camden Deli is a wonderful local cafe which has been serving locals and tourists since 1985. They offer a variety of fresh sandwiches and salads. There are many healthy choices which perfectly compliment a day out exercising. The beautiful rooftop deck overlooks the harbor.
