Natural Areas and State Parks of Maine
Mainers enjoy a rich natural heritage as evidenced by their many state park offerings and wide variety of wildlife such as moose, sea life, and bird species. Their state animal is the moose and clamming is practically a statewide past time. Maine is also home to the only National Park in New England, Acadia National Park. Water falls and hiking trails will thrill nature lovers as will the coastline of Maine. There is even a “desert” curiosity to observe. Tourists will find nearby Maine lodging to be accommodating, clean, and hospitable.
State parks along the coastline include Ferry Beach, Crescent Beach, Quoddy Head, Whaleback Shell Midden, Cobscook Bay, Cape Jellison, and Eagle Island. Most of the state parks allow camping and some also permit ocean swimming. Beachcombing is rewarding at particular times of the day, which can be explained by the rangers. There are also many fine inland state parks that offer snowmobiling, hunting, fishing, mountain biking, and picnicking as well.
Nationally protected areas of Maine include Acadia National Park, the Appalachian National Scenic Trail, Saint John Valley’s Maine Acadian Culture, Roosevelt Campobello International Park in Lubec, and the International Historic Site of Saint Croix in Calais. Some of these offer scenic hikes ranging in difficulty from easy to the more challenging. The Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve is a must see nature center for those who enjoy science and conservation.
Day hikers and backpackers will view many different animal species while trekking along one of the granite lined trails. There are three main trail systems with historical significance in Maine: the Appalachian Trail, International Appalachian Trail, and the Eastern Continental Trail. Another feature that is an added bonus to the wilderness hiking experience is the breathtaking waterfalls to be found. There are six of these captivating water cascades: Smalls Falls, Heald Stream Falls, Moxie Falls, Bickford Slide, Angel Falls, and Katahdin Falls.
Once all of the natural sites are appreciated, there is one more area that is interesting to observe. The “Desert of Maine” sits on 40 acres of former farmland that was eroded, cleared, and overgrazed so badly that all that was left was a sand like glacial silt. This caused a clearing in a pine forest in Freeport that gives it the appearance of a desert. This site can be educational for children and adults.
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