There were sheer cliffs to our left as we scrambled up the steep ledges. We emerged from the trees and were greeted by a panoramic view of Penobscot Bay to our east. Looking south, it almost seemed like we were staring straight down into to the village of Camden, with Curtis Island guarding the entrance to its tiny harbor. To the west was the southern end of Lake Megunticook, with Bald and Ragged Mountains rising beyond.
We had arrived at Ocean Lookout near the summit of Mount Megunticook in the Camden Hills State Park. Megunticook is the highest mountain in the Camden Hills range, and from the lookout, it is possible to see as far away as Isle au Haut on the outer edge of Penobscot Bay and Cadillac Mountain on Mount Desert Island nearly 50 miles to the east. The cliffs below provide outstanding technical climbing. It is one of the most distinctive locations in Maine.
Situated just a couple of miles north of Camden, Camden Hills State Park is easily accessible from central and western Maine. From Augusta, take Route 17 east for about 40 miles to Route 90 in West Rockport. Then follow Route 90 east for about 4 miles to Route 1 in Rockport. Drive north on Route 1 through Camden and the park entrance is on the left about 2 miles north of town.
As you enter the park, there is a large parking area on the left. There is a toll house where a small day-use fee is collected. When the park is open, which is from May 15 to Oct. 15, it is possible to drive beyond the toll house and park further up on the Mount Battie Road, or drive to a lookout tower and a parking area at the summit of Mount Battie. The park is still open for day use after the Mount Battie Road, and the campgrounds are closed. Besides hiking trails, the park has mountain biking trails and camping in the summer and is available for snowshoeing, cross country skiing and snowmobiling in the winter.
Hiking there in the fall has become almost an annual pilgrimage for my wife, Nancy, and I, and our friends and family. On this clear fall day, we were accompanied by friends Ken Gordon of Auburn and Gary and Suzanne Cole of Monmouth. There are a multitude of trail options in the park, but we always seem to be inexorably drawn to Mount Megunticook and Ocean Lookout. From the lower parking area, hike past the toll house and through the campground to the Megunticook Trailhead, which is marked with a sign.
From the trailhead, there are two routes to the lookout. Either follow the Megunticook Trail for about a mile to the lookout or take the Adam’s Lookout Trail, which turns left from the Megunticook Trail about two-thirds of the way up, and connects with the Tablelands Trail just below Ocean Lookout. I prefer the latter, as it provides excellent views as it parallels and overlooks Penobscot Bay. Regardless of your choice, the views from the lookout are simply phenomenal. It’s not necessary to have a perfectly clear and calm day to enjoy this spot. I have experienced it on cloudy, windy days that were almost spiritual.
For many, simply hiking to the lookout and enjoying a long, relaxing lunch while simultaneously feasting on the views is sufficient. Our group had planned an afternoon of hiking. From the lookout, we hiked westerly, continuing along the ledges, and then entered the woods on the marked Ridge Trail. It is another half-mile through the woods to the true Mount Megunticook summit at an elevation of 1,380 feet, which is marked with a large cairn.
The park’s boundary line is near the summit and hunting is permitted beyond. So, during hunting season, hikers should wear hunter’s orange.
We then followed the Ridge Trail for another 2 miles. This section is primarily a hilly woods walk with several rock faces that overlook Lake Megunticook and the peaks beyond. There is a trail junction at the end of the Ridge Trail, where it connects with the Maiden Cliff Trail and the Scenic Trail. It is possible to begin a hike on the Maiden Cliff Trail by driving north on Route 52 from Camden to a small parking area on the right.
We continued on the Scenic Trail, a portion of which is totally exposed and provides excellent views of Lake Megunticook and the surrounding area. It is a little less than a mile from the junction to Maiden Cliff, which is a sheer, overhanging face of rock that towers several hundred feet above the lake.
Maiden Cliff is marked with a large white cross that can be seen for miles. It is a memorial to a young woman who fell to her death near that location almost 150 years ago.
This is the ideal spot to rest and replenish while enjoying the views. We returned on the Scenic Trail and the Ridge Trail until it connected on the right with the Jack Williams Trail, which parallels the Ridge Trail below the cliffs and then meets the Tablelands Trail. We turned right on the Tablelands and hiked about a half-mile to the Nature Trail. It is about a mile from that junction to the starting point near the park entrance.
Our hike was about 9 miles long and a perfect half day trek. However, there are several other choices in the park. One of my favorites is to do an east to west traverse of the park. This is accomplished by leaving a vehicle at the Mt. Battie Trailhead, which is located just off Route 52 in Camden. Then drive north on Route 1 to Route 173 in Lincolnville and turn left. Follow Route 173 for a couple of miles to a left turn on the Youngtown Road. There is a parking area and trailhead on the left a short distance.
There are several trail choices for the traverse, but the most direct is to follow the Snowmobile Trail westerly for about 3 miles to the Slope Trail, which climbs to the summit of Mount Megunticook. Then hike the Ridge Trail and the Tablelands Trail to the summit of Mount Battie. From there, the Mount Battie Trail descends steeply to the trail head in Camden.
A mountain biking option is to ride the snowmobile trail from the park entrance to the Youngtown Road and back, which is about a 10-mile, moderately challenging double and single track ride. This is also a good cross country ski route in the winter.
Another of my favorite park activities entails combining both cycling and hiking. After the park closes in the fall, it is possible to ride the Mount Battie Road steeply for about a mile to the Tablelands Trailhead, where there is a turnoff. Leaving your bike there, it is about a 3-mile round-trip hike over the Ocean Lookout to the summit of Mount Megunticook and back. From the Tablelands Trailhead, continue biking steeply up the Mount Battie Road to the summit. After enjoying the views, it is a pleasant coast down the road to the parking area.
To obtain more information about the Camden Hills State Park, access the Web site at www.state.me.us/doc/parks. Then click on find parks’ and select Camden Hills. It is also possible to download a trail map at this Web site. Maps are also frequently available in the toll house at the park entrance.
Comments are no longer available on this story