aroostook state park

Aroostook State Park is a nice little spot with boat rentals (canoes, picnic tables, and trails for hiking). I visited this summer with my family, but had frequently visited as a child. Not my favorite State Park, but always seems clean and taken care of.

A team from Americorps has just completed a new trail called the Notch Trail. Not yet on the brochures. They list a North Peak trail, South Peak trail, and Ridge Trail that connects them. The new trail offers a less rugged and more accessible way to reach the peaks by making a trail up to the middle of the Ridge Trail, then you can go either direction on it to get to the peaks. New trail is suitable for those of us not up to the very rugged steep North and South trails. Views from the South Peak platform out over the valley is awesome, especially now that the trees are showing their fall colors. To get to the new trail, go to the campground, site 18, start up the South Peak trail and very soon you will see a new trail off to your right paved in wood chips; that's the Notch Trail. Check it out!

Off the beaten path but a great spot to see. Great wildlife, good for an overnight spot to stay cheap.Check it out- it`s` worth it

This State park is a small one off the beaten path but is well worth a visit. They have great trails for small hikes and limited camping sites. It is on a small lake or very large pond so you will see water foul, fish and frogs.

Access to Mass everyday. 11 minutes on good highways to Presque Isle, shopping and church. Challenging hills to climb with great views. Safe. Quiet. Friendly. Great weather and very few bugs. Beautiful country side with big views. Great food nearby. Canoeing - $2 per hour with life vests supplied. New showers and bathrooms. Hot and cold sinks and counters in cook shelter for washing dishes. A best bet for incident free camping!

Great place reasonable rates, no sandy beach at all- at least in the none camping area. We only used the day site. However if you are like myself and my husband ( a redhead) who burn easily lots of shade and grass. We found a salamander which thrilled the kids and so many fish in the water you couldn't count them all. The baby fish (fry?) were super curious and would come right up to your fingers and toes and attempt to check you out. No bathrooms nearby, no changing houses- which kinda sucked. There were grills to cook on and lots of tables.

We've stayed here twice in the past few years. As another reviewer said, the campsites at this state park are large and most are private. Our campsite was one of the more open ones, but still had trees on three sides. The bathrooms are the cleanest I've seen in any park in this country. The only thing I found frustrating is that all of the shelves and towel hooks are designed for wheelchair users, so it's sort of awkward to situate your belongings if you don't use a wheelchair - the towel hooks are so low that your towel may touch the floor.This is one of the few state park campgrounds in Maine that doesn't fill up on summer weekends, probably because it isn't in a highly touristed area of the state. If the urge to camp strikes you on a Friday afternoon, there's a very good chance that you'll find a site here. The park is just off Rte. 1, about four miles from downtown Presque Isle. It's a very convenient location if you'd rather eat at restaurants than cook at your campfire.There's a great trail which goes up the small mountain called Quaggy Jo. The views are fantastic even though it's a small mountain. It's the only mountain in the vicinity! We noticed a new Adirondack shelter at the peak - apparently you can reserve the shelter for back country camping, something we'd definitely do the next time we visit.If you do hike, I would follow the recommendations and hike up the South Peak and descend via the North Peak. You'll find a picnic table with a great view on the North Peak. There's one spot ascending that's a bit of a scramble, but it's a pretty easy (if steep) trail. We didn't have any trouble staying on it.If you don't want to walk uphill, you can access cross-country ski trails year round. I haven't tried these. There's also a small lake in the park. There are some cottages and summer homes around the lake, so it doesn't feel that wild, but it's a great place to swim in the summer.

My husband and I just returned from a five night camping trip at this state park, and I have to say that this one really impressed me. The sites are huge and private, the bath houses are super clean, and each shower has a sink and toilet, which, in essence, gives you a private bath, the staff is friendly and helpful, and the kitchen shelter is a nice touch. The staff hosted a Saturday morning coffee social there while we were camping, which was fun, and it is a nice spot to gather to meet other campers and chat, and recharge phones, etc. Some campers had crock pots simmering away for dinner. It also has a wood stove for warmth (Believe me, it can get cold up here in "The County, even in summer). The lake is small, but pretty, and the rangers rent canoes and kayaks for campers to use (Only $3.00 an hour, too). I heard a loon calling on the lake on several nights. My husband, who is 63, and our 15 pound dog, hiked the trails and did not have any difficulty. We were there during the week, and there were, maybe, six other camping parties, but on Friday night it got busier. Still, it was peaceful and quiet. (There are only 30 sites available). The town of Presque Isle is about 4 miles away, and offers a wide variety of eating options, as well as a Wal-Mart, Sears, K-Mart, several grocery stores, etc. You may be in the Maine North Woods, but you won't feel like it when you are in town. Happily, when you return to the campground you could be a hundred miles from civilization. This was my first visit to this beautiful Maine State Park, but it is so worth the four hour drive from my home, and it won't be my last!!!

I had read that hiking the South Peak Trail to the North Peak Trail was steep, but not too bad. In fact was told it was a bit boring. I don't know what trail that person was on, but it was NOT the South Peak Trail. The trail is more of a poorly cleared path and a rock climb rather than a steep hike. Unbelievable! There should be warning signs advising against anyone with heart/respiratory/joint problems because this is an advanced climb. It's NOT a quick hike like someone told me. The ranger just warned me against wearing flip flops and the brochure doesn't mention how poorly marked it will be. In fact, I got lost looking for the next blue marker and had to end up calling 911 for assistance since the ranger station didn't answer their phone after 7 attempts to reach them. Thankfully I could hear people in the distance and ended up yelling for help because I was having problems getting up from where I was and they formed a chain to pull me up. I've hiked part of the Appalachian and never come across this poorly maintained trail system. This trail needs to be properly graded and marked.

Hiking or swimming in the summer, skiing or snowshoeing in the winter, this lovely, uncrowded little park has it all. Nice hikes up Quaggy-Jo mountain, nicely-groomed X-C ski trails, Beautiful fall colours, this park is only 10 minutes out of Presque Isle. I have been going there for many years, and will continue to do so!!

Our first night in Presque Isle was a bit chilly, as it was early May in Maine, but we decided to camp at the Aroostook State Park. We were the only ones, so we had our choice of sites :). The next day, we hiked up South Peak and down North Peak, what a beautiful view of the region! We ended up living in a cabin on the same road, so we have spent several afternoons hiking Quaqua Jo, canoeing Echo Lake, or just enjoying the picnic tables by the water. The rangers are always personable and helpful, and the price of admission and canoe rental is unbeatable. A great way to be in a wonderful natural place, not too far from Presque Isle. Hiking trails are well maintained and steep but doable, and we are hoping to tent at one of the platforms before we leave the area!