These Were the 20 Most-Visited Maine State Parks in 2023

Maine State Parks

It was a decent year for visitation at Maine state parks and historic sites.

According to Jim Britt from the Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands, nearly three million folks visited parks and historical sites in 2023. That made last year one of the best ever for both visitations and camping stays for Maine's parks. However, the number did dip slightly from 2022.

The obvious answer for the drop would have to be the weather. Maine had one of the rainiest summers in its history. I don't have to remind you how many days were spent in raincoats as opposed to shorts. And that is certaily going to have a negative effect on state park visitations, especially to beaches and mountains. But I would argue the numbers are still very strong, considering the drop could have been a lot more dramatic.

Maine's Most Popular State Parks

Now it's time to take a closer look at what spots were top. The Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands was also kind enough to send over the 2023 Maine State Parks Public Use Report. This breaks down all the parks and the visitors they finished the year with.

Before getting to the list of Maine's most popular state parks, there are just a few things to point out. Here we go:

• This is a list of public day use only. This does not include campers.
• The bureau utilizes numerous strategies for capturing the most accurate number possible.
• Baxter State Park is not included in these numbers. The park does its own reservations and visitations.

These are the top 20 most visited state parks and historical sites in Maine. How many have you been to?