Hike and bike camping in Maine
 

Change of plans in the air. Out of the blue, it now looks like we'll ride Maine's coast this summer. (Actually, a loop starting form Quebec city, and extending to PEI).

I've googled "hike and bike camping Maine" -- found nothing, as if the concept doesn't exist on the East Coast.

The initial plan is to reach Southern Maine (e.g. Portsmouth) in early July, and to slowly make our way up to New Brunswick.

We'll be riding in July, at the peak of touring season....

Two questions : (1) Is there a good resource to locate cyclist-friendly campgrounds? (you know, with a quiet spot that is not located between two massive motorhomes....) (2) are reservations essential or can we just show up and expect to be allowed to pitch our (tiny) tents somewhere?

I am based in Maine and I camped Maine and New Hampshire extensively. What is your route when you cross the border? I could help with recommendations.

Nearly every place I stayed Down East--between Bar Harbor and the Ongunquit area before heading into New Hampshire were non-serene private campgrounds. The exceptions were Bradbury Mtn. S.P. near Freeport and the state park outside in Camden. The latter was not what I would call isolated or empty, but it wasn't that bad. The former was pretty empty shortly before Labor Day. Neither had hiker/biker sites, and I seriously doubt you will find any along the ME coast, at least not in the south. One place our group stayed was described in the ACA field notes as "combat camping at its finest." 100% accurate description.


P.S. That Portsmouth in the south is actually in NH, not ME.

Not entirely clear. I think that the plan will involve renting a car from somewhere in southern Quebec, and drop wife and daughters somewhere in the Ogunquit area (I'll drive back and ride to rejoin them). The idea is to avoid riding the fairly hilly portion of the White Mountains with the kids.

Our bunch would then ride at a snail's pace (the youngest is 6. Will usually be in tow, but will also try to ride solo). We've budgeted a month to reach PEI. We certainly want to stop and spend a couple of days at Acadia.

Depending on how things are taking shape, we may move our tents every day by 25 miles vs every other day after a 50 miles ride.

We are not opposed to the idea of sleeping in B&Bs when there are no suitable camping options.

So, yes, suggestions along the coast are very welcome!

ok. for starters You could use the Eastern Trail to Portland. It is not hilly, maybe the first leg from Eliot to Kennebunkport has a lot of PUDs but the rest is relatively flat. Here is the brochure with the trail maps:

https://www.easterntrail.org/documents/etbooklet.pdf

First day could get You to Kennebunk where the Sandy Pines Campground is not quaint but it is also not in between two generators. The bonus is that the kids can go to the beach and you get to sample what Southern Maine ocean is all about.
Sandy Pines Campground Map | Sandy Pines Camping

For stealth camping there is a theoretical possibility of finding spots between Kennebunk and Biddeford. It is an old abandoned railroad bed with sections without housing.

From Kennebunk to Portland...if you want to see Portland then I'd spring for a motel but alternatively you can turn leftward somewhere before scarborough and get to Wasamkin Springs Campground (good for kids)

https://www.wassamkisprings.com

It is also in relative vicinity of our house and if we are around you could pitch your tent behind our house. The caveat is that we are gone almost every weekend

From Portland to Brunswick - Thomas Point Campground - I was just there last weekend.

Thomas Point Beach On-Line

There is a lovely bike route from Portland to this campground. Take rt1 to Falmouth, then rt 88 and then from Freeport towards the Flying Meadow ... google bike paths or I can find the exact route if you really were going that way.

... probably too short of a bike ride but here it is https://chewonkicampground.com/campsites/
They have non powered sites by the water

as you could see from the map, the points of interest for Maine Coast are sort of these 'fingers' of land in between Ocean bays. That could mean 10 miles one way from RT1 (the main straight route along the 'coast') So I'm not sure how much straying from RT1 you are willing to do, however I would recommend it if your intent is to have an enjoyable Maine Coast vacation.

I just thought of an alternative from Portland - we do this ride at least once per year. At around 10AM from Portland - Casco Bay Line Peer - You can take a boat ride to Bailey Island - this would give you a great view of the Casco Bay islands (narrated) and then from there you can bike to Thomas Point Campground .

From Chewonki Campground you would probably want to get a motel halfway to Lobster Buoy Campground http://lobsterbuoycampsites.wixsite....rbuoycampsites

I camp at Lobster Buoy at least once per year, usually at the end of the tourist season. Great place on the water with an awesome seafood 'hole in the wall' restaurant (nearby) right on the ocean.

Lobster Buoy Campground To Camden Hills Campground - research bike routes - I'd try to avoid Route 1 as much as possible it's just a lot of traffic during the summer but it does have a bike lane shoulder as far as I remember.

From Camden Hills toward Deer Isle and Acadia there are some campgrounds but I'm afraid they mostly cater to RV's. I would probably get a motel halfway and on the next day try to reach either Brooklin Wooden Boat School - contact the owner and ask to pitch a tent - we do so once in a while. He's a great guy on a great property - not an RV in sight.

Alternatively you can go to Reach Knoll Campground. I've stayed there 3x - relatively new campground but very friendly and I have not seen a single RV when I was there

Reach Knolls

Reach Knolls to Lamoine State Park is 34 miles


I stayed at Lamoine once. Not too bad but there will be some RV's. The next day you can bike to Acadia National Park - Blackwoods Campground is great for bikers

From Blackwoods you can bike to Ellsworth and from there take this new biking trail called https://www.traillink.com/trail/down...sunrise-trail/

Down East Sunrise Trail - check out the web site with the map - there are camping opportunities there. That trail takes You all the way to the Canadian Border.

:) thanks for the detailed info.

Will plot on a map and eventually get back to you with some more questions.

thanks again.

and, Yes, unfortunately, reservations are essential for most of the popular spots :-( especially when you take small kids, you don't want to get stuck on a road somewhere as the sun is setting a :-) On the other hand if you got your credit card ready there are tons of places that will take your money and give you shelter in return (motels, bnb's, airbnb's...)

Hiking - Camden Hills State Park - good hiking
Acadia National Park - good hiking

Not sure about south of Portland but Hwy 1 north of Portland is MISERABLE in most places. I can't imagine it is any better south of Portland. I under no conditions be taking the kiddies on Hwy 1. A plan might be to use the rental car to explore the various peninsulas along the coast. The back roads along the peninsulas are wonderfully idyllic.

And Acadia Park is a wonderful place for the wee ones too.

Agreed on rt 1 south of Portland. Use the roads and trails outlined in the pdf of the Eastern Trail

Rt1 North of Portland is equally too busy. Using Google maps for directions biking routes you usually away from RT1

As others have stated, biking Rt1 in summer, with kids, including a 6 yr. old, might find you on heavily trafficked roads, if only as Rt1 is the ONLY major road across the coastal part of Maine.

East of Ellsworth is certainly the least trafficked section and for a good bit there's no shoulder. You can skip that and do the Down East Sunrise Trail, which mostly goes to the Calais, but not all the way.

I'd be doing loops down the peninsula's and out to lighthouses and such, then drive to a campground.

The state campgrounds along/near the coast are Bradbury, Camden Hills, Lamoine (a gem just north of Mt. Desert Island), and Cobscook, another gem just north of Lubec.

I would also highly recommend biking the carriage roads of Acadia, with Nat'l Park campgrounds at Seawall and Blackwoods (busy places). The carriage roads are about the best cycling experiences I've ever had. As well the Schoodic Point/Winter Harbor Nat'l Park campground is new and is a very pretty area.

I haven't looked extensively in Maine, but I've been using a website called hipcamp to find campsites around New England to bike to and it has been pretty good. It's sort of like Airbnb but for camping. People with an abundance of land offer up part of it for one or two campsites. The sites they list seem to be much more interesting than your typical state campground fare.

Thanks for the tip.

Hi Gauvins,

You might want to check out our blog of the trip we did with our five-year-old a few years ago. We live in Portland, ME and started up the coast to New Brunswick and then Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and eventually down to Quebec City, then back to Portland. Here's the link: http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/biketrip2012.

(The last leg, from QC to Portland, we weren't with our daughter.)

Also, here are some suggested routes:

From Portsmouth, NH to Portland, ME: Coastal to Portsmouth - https://goo.gl/maps/isdQrjFPTcJ2

Kennebunk to Portland: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/12763414

Portland to Belfast on (Mostly ) Back Roads: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/11722163

From Belfast north, you'll have to do some of Route 1, but there is a good shoulder.

To get into New Brunswick entirely by road, you have to swing way inland to Calais/St. Stephen border. But if you're willing to take a couple ferries, you can cross from Lubec onto Campobello Island, then ferry to Deer Island, then ferry to mainland. Some steep stretches on Deer Island, but it's a much better route than going inland to Calais.

Let me know if you have any other route questions.

Rob

Thanks Rob. I was looking for alternatives to the Calais detour but couldn't figure it out.

I won't have the time to look at your blog and route suggestions until June, I am afraid, but certainly will.

When running our planned stops thru a routing application, one segment appears problematic, between the New River Beach provincial park and the trailhead leading to St-John: although most can be covered on backroads, there is a short segment where the only option is a bridge on Highway 1. A closer look a satellite imagery suggests that we can return to backroads right after the bridge, and as far as I know riding on Highway 1 is unpleasant but not illegal. However, bike routing applications insist on a long (60kms+) detour. What did you do?