Aroostook State Park
Name: Aroostook State Park
Location: Presque Isle, Maine
Activities: Hiking, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, sledding, snowmobiling, fishing, paddling, swimming, camping, nature watching.
Dog-friendly: Yes, on-leash.
Hours: 9:00a.m.- daily
Season: Year-round
Camping: Yes
Fees: Yes, self-service collection station
Located 5 miles south of downtown Presque Isle in the quilted hills of Northern Maine lies Aroostook State Park. The park sticks out like a beautiful, sore thumb. Although the park specializes in Winter activities, visitors can enjoy the trails, campground, and Echo Lake all year long!
History
Aroostook State Park was Maine’s very first state park. It was given to the state of Maine in 1938 from the Presque Isle Merchants Association. From the get go, locals were anxious to begin clearing trails for downhill skiing. All of their hard work definitely paid off because by February of 1939, ski races were being held. They were a big to-do a the time and would draw quite a crowd.
Camping
Camping is allowed at established sites in the park. Reservations can be made either over the phone or online at campwithme.com. There are 30 wooded campsites and two group camping sites, all of which have a picnic table and fire pit. The campground is also home to hot showers, flush toilets, and a kitchen shelter that has electricity and running water.
Echo Lake
When driving into the park, the first road on your left is home to hand carry boat launch. The next left turn brings you to a parking lot for the trailerable boat launch. driving into the park on the left, you’ll see a hand launch for Echo Lake. The third left turn is yet another parking lot, primarily used for the picnic area surrounding Echo Lake and accessing the multi-purpose trails. In the Summer, kayak rentals are available in the park.
Multi-use Trails
The park is well known for its year-round, extensive trail system. There are 3 miles of hiking trails spread out over the park that hit both South and North Peak of Quaggy Jo Mountain. We were pleasantly surprised to find a lean-to and picnic table on the Ridge Trail near the North Peak. This would be a really cool spot to sleepover and enjoy the sunrise, if allowed. The park is also home to 15 miles of groomed cross-country trails, and 6.5 miles of snowshoe trails. To view a full map of the trails, click here.
Winter
Winter is extra special at Aroostook State Park, thanks to the large amount of snow Northern Maine receives. Visitors can enjoy freshly groomed cross-country skiing trails, picturesque hiking/snowshoeing trails, ice skating on the lake, as well as a groomed sledding hill near the park entrance. Winter camping is even allowed within the park, but reservations have to be made ahead of time.
Our Experience
We thoroughly enjoyed our day trip to Aroostook State Park. Early in the morning, we parked our car in the large lot near the picnic area and made our way up the QuaQuaJo Trail, followed by the North Peak trail. This trail started out gradual and then became extremely slippery and steep for the last 0.2 miles, due to the leaves that had fallen on the ground and the rain that occurred the night before. We stopped and enjoyed a snack at the lean-to on the Ridge Trail and then made our way to South Peak. I believe it was about 1 mile from North Peak to South Peak. When arriving at South Peak, there is no view, only a communications tower. If you want a view, follow the little trail off to the right of the tower. It will bring you out to a western-facing viewpoint that has a nice little tent platform that was built by a local Eagle Scout. To get back to the parking lot, we backtracked on the Ridge Trail until it met up with the Notch Trail, and then walked through the campground back to the parking lot.
The next time you find yourself in Northern Maine, Aroostook State Park should definitely be on your agenda! The park is beautiful and has something to offer every kind of explorer year-round.
Happy exploring, friends!
