Maine is one of the premier camping destinations in the eastern United States. With more than 17 million acres of forest, hundreds of lakes and rivers, two national park units, and dozens of state parks, the state offers camping experiences ranging from full-hookup RV sites to true wilderness camping accessible only by canoe or floatplane. Whether you’re pitching a tent at Acadia National Park, parking an RV on the shores of Moosehead Lake, or paddling into a remote Allagash campsite, Maine camping delivers.
Southern Maine Campgrounds
Southern Maine is the most heavily visited region of the state, and its campgrounds book up fast for summer weekends. The coast from Kittery to Portland offers beach-accessible camping, while inland options provide quieter retreats near lakes and rivers.
Salty Acres Campground — Wells
One of the most popular campgrounds near Wells Beach, Salty Acres offers tent and RV sites with full hookups, a pool, and easy access to Wells and Ogunquit beaches. Books out weeks in advance for July and August. Reservations at saltyacres.com.
Gregoire’s Campground — Wells
A family-friendly campground in Wells with wooded and open sites, hookups, and a camp store. Close to the beach corridor and Ogunquit. Good option if Salty Acres is full.
Wild Duck Campground — Old Orchard Beach
Located just minutes from the famous beach at Old Orchard Beach, Wild Duck offers RV and tent sites with full hookups. One of the closest campgrounds to the water in southern Maine.
Sebago Lake State Park — Casco
The largest state park campground in Maine, Sebago Lake State Park offers over 250 sites on the shores of Sebago Lake, Maine’s deepest lake and a major water supply for Portland. Sandy beaches, boat launches, fishing, and swimming. Book through the Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands at maine.gov/dacf/parks. One of the most popular campgrounds in the state — reserve early.
Midcoast Maine Campgrounds
The midcoast region stretches from Brunswick north through Camden and Rockland to the Blue Hill Peninsula. Campgrounds here put you within reach of Penobscot Bay, the Camden Hills, and some of Maine’s best coastal scenery.
Camden Hills State Park — Camden
One of Maine’s most beloved state park campgrounds, Camden Hills sits at the base of Mount Battie with wooded sites and easy access to the hiking trails leading to the summit overlook of Penobscot Bay. Close to downtown Camden and the harbor. Reserve through maine.gov/dacf/parks well in advance for summer.
Pemaquid Beach Campground — Bristol
A small campground near the Pemaquid Point Lighthouse, one of the most photographed spots in Maine. Good base for exploring the Pemaquid Peninsula, Damariscotta, and the Boothbay Harbor area.
Shore Hills Campground — Boothbay
A well-maintained campground a short drive from Boothbay Harbor offering wooded tent sites and RV hookups. Good central location for exploring the Boothbay peninsula.
Hermit Island Campground — Phippsburg
One of Maine’s most unique camping experiences — Hermit Island is a private peninsula accessible by a single causeway near Bath, with tent-only sites spread across seven beaches. No RVs, no generators, no pets. Books up an entire year in advance. If you can get a reservation, it’s worth it.
Downeast Maine & Acadia Campgrounds
Downeast Maine campgrounds put you close to Acadia National Park, Mount Desert Island, and the wild coastline east of Ellsworth. This is the most in-demand camping corridor in Maine — plan well ahead for summer visits.
Blackwoods Campground — Acadia National Park
The most popular campground in Acadia, Blackwoods sits just south of Bar Harbor on Mount Desert Island with easy access to the park’s trail network, carriage roads, and the Ocean Path. Open year-round with limited winter services. Reservations required May through October at recreation.gov — fills months in advance for peak summer dates.
Seawall Campground — Acadia National Park
Located on the quieter western side of Mount Desert Island near Southwest Harbor, Seawall offers a mix of drive-up and walk-in sites. Less crowded than Blackwoods and closer to the less-visited southern loop of the park. Reserve at recreation.gov.
Schoodic Woods Campground — Winter Harbor
The only campground on the Schoodic Peninsula unit of Acadia, Schoodic Woods opened in 2015 and offers modern sites with hookups, a bike path into the park, and none of the crowds of the main island. An excellent alternative for those who want Acadia without the Bar Harbor traffic. Reserve at recreation.gov.
Lamoine State Park — Lamoine
A quieter alternative to Acadia campgrounds, Lamoine State Park sits on Frenchman Bay with views of the mountains of Mount Desert Island across the water. Tent and RV sites available. About 15 miles from Bar Harbor — close enough for day trips into the park without the peak-season crowds. Reserve at maine.gov/dacf/parks.
Western Maine Campgrounds
Western Maine’s lakes, rivers, and mountain terrain make it one of the best camping regions in the state. The Oxford Hills, Rangeley Lakes, and Bethel area offer everything from developed lakeside campgrounds to remote backcountry sites.
Rangeley Lake State Park — Rangeley
Fifty wooded sites on the south shore of Rangeley Lake, one of Maine’s finest lake destinations. Swimming, fishing, and boating from the campground. The surrounding Rangeley Lakes region offers exceptional fall foliage in early October. Reserve at maine.gov/dacf/parks.
Stony Brook Recreation — Hanover
A large, family-oriented campground near Bethel with tent sites, RV hookups, cabins, a pool, and recreational facilities. Popular with families visiting Sunday River ski area in winter and the White Mountain foothills in summer.
Lovewell Pond Campground — Fryeburg
A quiet lakeside campground in the Saco River valley near Fryeburg, close to the New Hampshire border and the White Mountains. Good base for canoe trips on the Saco River, one of Maine’s most popular flatwater paddling destinations.
North Woods & Moosehead Lake Campgrounds
Maine’s North Woods represent one of the largest undeveloped forest areas in the eastern United States. Camping here means moose sightings, remote ponds, and genuine wilderness — but also requires more planning and self-sufficiency than campgrounds elsewhere in the state.
Lily Bay State Park — Greenville
The best developed campground in the Moosehead Lake region, Lily Bay State Park offers wooded sites directly on the eastern shore of Moosehead Lake with boat launches, fishing, and spectacular sunsets over the water. Moose sightings are common at dawn and dusk. Reserve at maine.gov/dacf/parks.
Baxter State Park Campgrounds — Millinocket
Baxter State Park operates multiple campgrounds for visitors seeking to hike Katahdin or explore the park’s interior. The main campgrounds include Katahdin Stream (trailhead for the Hunt Trail to the Katahdin summit), Roaring Brook (access to Chimney Pond and the Knife Edge), and South Branch Pond (northern end of the park). All require advance reservations through the Baxter State Park reservation system. Day visitor quotas apply — plan well ahead for summer and fall visits near Millinocket.
Allagash Wilderness Waterway
Maine’s most famous wilderness canoe route, the Allagash runs 92 miles through the North Woods with designated primitive campsites along the entire route. Not a campground in the traditional sense — this is expedition camping requiring portages, route planning, and backcountry experience. Permits required. One of the finest canoe camping routes in North America.
Abnaki Family Camping Center — Naples
A full-service family campground on Long Lake in Naples, in the lakes region between Portland and the White Mountains. RV and tent sites with hookups, waterfront access, and activities. Good base for exploring Sebago Lake and the surrounding lake district.
Maine State Park Campgrounds — Reservations
Most Maine state park campgrounds accept reservations through the Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands reservation system at maine.gov/dacf/parks. Reservations open in January for the upcoming season — popular campgrounds like Sebago Lake, Camden Hills, and Lily Bay fill quickly. A $3 non-refundable reservation fee applies per reservation. Sites not reserved in advance are available on a first-come, first-served basis, but availability is not guaranteed on summer weekends.
Acadia National Park Camping — Reservations
All three Acadia National Park campgrounds (Blackwoods, Seawall, and Schoodic Woods) require reservations through recreation.gov. Reservations open six months in advance for peak summer dates. If you can’t get a campground reservation, consider staying in Bar Harbor and day-tripping into the park — lodging options range from budget motels to full-service inns.
RV Camping in Maine
Maine has a strong RV camping culture, particularly along the southern coast and in the lake regions. Most private campgrounds offer full hookup sites (water, electric, sewer), and many state parks accommodate RVs up to 35 feet. The Maine Campground Owners Association (MECOA) maintains a directory of member campgrounds at campformaine.com — a useful resource for planning an RV trip through the state. Cell coverage is limited in the North Woods; download offline maps before heading into the Moosehead or Baxter regions.
RV Parks & Resorts in Maine
Maine has a strong RV camping culture, particularly along the southern coast and in the lake regions. Most private campgrounds offer full hookup sites (water, electric, sewer), and many state parks accommodate RVs up to 35 feet. The most popular RV destinations include Salty Acres Campground in Wells, Wild Duck Campground at Old Orchard Beach, and Sebago Lake State Park near Portland. The Maine Campground Owners Association (MECOA) maintains a directory of member campgrounds at campformaine.com.
For those seeking resort-style RV amenities, several campgrounds in southern Maine offer swimming pools, organized activities, Wi-Fi, and full hookups comparable to RV resorts in other states. The southern coast corridor from Kittery to Portland has the highest concentration of full-service RV campgrounds in the state. Cell coverage is limited in the North Woods — download offline maps before heading into the Moosehead or Baxter regions with an RV.
See our Maine Resorts Guide for full-service resort options beyond camping.
Frequently Asked Questions
When do Maine campgrounds open?
Most Maine campgrounds open in mid-May and close in mid-October. State park campgrounds typically open Memorial Day weekend. Baxter State Park opens May 15. Acadia’s Blackwoods is open year-round with limited services in winter. A few private campgrounds in southern Maine open as early as April.
Do Maine campgrounds require reservations?
For summer weekends, yes — reservations are strongly recommended at nearly all popular campgrounds. State park campgrounds book through maine.gov/dacf/parks, Acadia campgrounds through recreation.gov, and Baxter State Park through its own reservation system. Many private campgrounds book directly through their own websites. Walk-in availability exists but is unreliable in July and August.
Are there campgrounds near Acadia National Park?
Yes — Blackwoods and Seawall campgrounds are inside the park on Mount Desert Island, and Schoodic Woods is on the Schoodic Peninsula unit. Lamoine State Park offers a nearby alternative with views of the park across Frenchman Bay. Bar Harbor also has several private campgrounds within a few miles of the park entrance.
What is the best campground in Maine?
It depends on what you’re after. For scenery, Blackwoods in Acadia and Lily Bay on Moosehead Lake are hard to beat. For a family RV trip with amenities, Sebago Lake State Park and Salty Acres in Wells are top choices. For true wilderness camping, the Allagash Wilderness Waterway and Baxter State Park backcountry sites offer experiences found nowhere else in New England.
Are there campgrounds near Wells Maine?
Yes — Wells has several campgrounds including Salty Acres Campground and Gregoire’s Campground, both within a short drive of Wells Beach and Ogunquit. The area is one of the most popular beach camping corridors in Maine and books up fast for summer weekends.
For a complete guide to Maine’s state park system including Baxter State Park and Acadia, see our Maine State Parks Guide.