Free Maine Boondocking is alive in “The Pine Tree State”. Whether you’re looking for backcountry seclusion or prefer the comforts of car camping, Free Maine Camping Spots has a little something to offer all of us.
Where to Find Free Maine Boondocking Locations
Maine is recognized for its rocky coastline, densely forested interior, scenic waterways, huge public spaces, and lobster and clam cuisine, and is the most northeastern state in the United States. While in Maine, you can trek the Appalachian Trail’s Northern Terminus, see multiple lighthouses, eat your fill of great lobster meals, and visit Acadia National Park, New England’s only national park. If you want to camp for free in Maine, there are several options for boondocking, which is free camping in minimally constructed campsites that is legal. There is usually no running water or power at these free campgrounds, however some may include vault toilets. Maine has a “leave no trace” waste and rubbish policy. For primitive campsites, a fire permit may be required.
Want more ideas to round-out your trip to Acadia National Park?
A lot of great ideas are in these posts!
Maine has a lot of places where you can camp for free. There are a number of public areas that provide primitive camping places that can be reached by foot or boat. Maine has a huge amount of public lands, totaling more than 500,000 acres, and many of them allow for rustic and backcountry camping. Several of these spots offer fire rings, picnic tables, and flush toilets, while others simply have vault toilets. There are a few places that allow you to camp in your automobile. Deboullie Public Properties, Nahmakanta Public Lands, Bigelow Preserve, Mahoosuc Public Lands & Grafton Notch State Park, and Cutler Coast Public Lands are some of the public lands that have primitive campsites. There are numerous chances for dispersed camping along the Appalachian Trail.
20 Free Maine Boondocking Spots
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1. Free Maine Boondocking – Bigelow Preserve PRL – Trout Brook Campsites
Address
West Flagstaff Road
Stratton, Maine
GPS: 45.173465, -70.411772
Elevation: 1152′
Management: Public – State Park
Bigelow Preserve PRL – Trout Brook is open all year. Really nice campsite. 5 Free Maine Camping Spots with lake access, quiet, fire rings, tables, ideal for kayak, canoe or hiking Bigelow Range. In Stratton village, turn left on school street(in front general store), name change for old dead river road. Total 2.5 miles(4.4km) from corner.
2. Free Maine Boondocking Locations – Chain of Ponds
Address
Maine 27
Eustis, Maine
GPS: 45.335733, -70.659587
Elevation: 1280′
Management: Public – State Park
This is a Free Maine Dispersed Camping site. First come -> first served. No reservations accepted.
3. Free Maine Boondocking Spots – Holeb Landing
Address
Jackman, Maine
GPS: 45.59401, -70.42718
Elevation: 1247′
Management: Public – Fish and Wildlife Services (Official)
Free Maine Boondocking Spots secluded with a picnic table and a lake.
4. Free Maine Camping Spots – Jewett Cove
Address
45.687199, -69.551319
Greenville, Maine
GPS: 45.687199, -69.551319
Elevation: 1040′
Management: Public – State Park (Official)
The road in is Gravel and 5.2 miles from a paved road. Jewett Cove is open Year Round. There are 1-5 Free Maine Dispersed Camping sites at this location. You may stay 14 at Jewett Cove. Along the Eastern shoreline of Moosehead Lake sits Jewett Cove, a boat launch site and beach area with a few primitive campsites. The area has several fire rings in a wide open clearing and a well-maintained outhouse nearby.
5. Free Maine RV Parking – Dolby Flowage Rest Area
Address
East Millinocket, Maine
GPS: 45.66217, -68.62014
Elevation: 341′
Management: Public – Rest Area
There are 1-5 Free Maine RV Parking sites at this location and the maximum RV length is 25 feet. It’s a marked ‘rest area’ with 2 covered tables and 3 charcoal type grills. Lofted toilet. Flat parking, smaller spots though. No signs prohibiting overnight parking. I car camped with a kayak or roof and another truck was here overnight as well. Road noise but lights weren’t an issue.
6. Free Maine RV Boondocking – Little Falls
Address
45.508557, -67.462103
Lambert Lake, Maine
GPS: 45.50821, -67.46131
Elevation: 344′
Management: Public (Unofficial)
The road in is Dirt and 6 miles from a paved road. Little Falls is open any. There are 1-5 Free Maine RV Boondocking sites at this location and the maximum RV length is 35 feet. You may stay any at Little Falls. I’ve stayed here many times while paddling down the river. Nice spot on the American side of the border. Enter from the town of Vanceboro, 6 miles of dirt road, limited cell service.
7. Free Maine Boondocking Locations – Peabody Mountain
Address
Little Larry Road, Batchelders Grant, Maine
Bethel, Maine
GPS: 44.356623, -70.958912
Elevation: 1611′
Management: Public – National Park Service (Official)
The road in is Gravel and 6 miles from a paved road. Peabody Mountain is open Always, road not maintained in winter. There are 1-5 Free Maine Boondocking Spots at this location and the maximum RV length is 35 feet. You may stay 14 days at Peabody Mountain. Five large well spaced sites with fire rings in the White Mountain National Forest. Very quiet, on a dead-end, gravel mountain road. No amenities.
8. Free Maine Dispersed Camping Locations – White Mountains NF Dispersed Camping
Address
Bethel, Maine
GPS: 44.348957, -70.981138
Elevation: 906′
Management: Public – Forest Service (Official)
Head south on Highway 113 from Gilead. Keep left at the fork for White River Road. Once you pass Hastings Campground turn left on Little Larry Road/Forest Highway 8 to reach the Free Maine Camping Spots (it will be unmarked on 113 but as soon as you turn you will see a brown Forest Service road marker).
9. Free Maine Boondocking – Forest Road 752
Address
Forest Road 752
Bethel, Maine
GPS: 44.335458, -70.979952
Elevation: 1165′
Management: Public – Forest Service (Official)
The road in is Gravel and .25 miles from a paved road. Forest Road 752 is open April-October?. There are 1-5 Free Maine Boondocking campsites at this location and the maximum RV length is 25 feet. You may stay 14 at Forest Road 752. Forest road 752 off 113 (on the right) approximately 6 miles south of Gilead Maine. There are 5-6 campsites. Three can accommodate a trailer.
10. Free Maine Boondocking Locations – Cutler Public Land
Address
Cutler, Maine
GPS: 44.69859, -67.15801
Elevation: 128′
Management: Public – Bureau of Land Management: (Official)
A trailhead in the cutler reserve land. Two parking lots, lower one is for long term parking. There’s 3 Free Maine Boondocking Locations on the trails. Tons of room for an RV.
11. Free Maine Boondocking Spots – Mud Landing
Address
Meddybemps, Maine
GPS: 44.856901, -67.447008
Elevation: 62′
Management: Public – Maine Public Lands
Day use area with boat launch. Walk in camp site, Jeep road. Rocky Lake is large shallow lake (According to locals). On a sunny day, water is warm. Free Maine Dispersed Camping was up a hill. ‘Road’ probably meant for walk in, was being used as a Jeep road by another camper.
12. Free Maine Camping Spots – Chase Mills Rd. Boat Ramp (Machias, ME)
Address
East Machias, Maine
GPS: 44.756951, -67.361403
Elevation: 69′
Management: Public – County Park (Unofficial)
The road in is Paved. There are 1-5 Free Maine Camping Spots at this location. You may stay overnight at Chase Mills Rd. Boat Ramp (Machias, ME). A lovely stop a short drive out of the town of Machais at the Hwy 1 and Hwy 191 junction. There are two options for parking your rig. Smaller vans and trucks could easily park on the boat ramp (River) side. Bigger rigs would for better on the other side of the road near the vault toilets.
13. Free Maine RV Parking – Machias Riverside
Address
Machias, Maine
GPS: 44.715134, -67.456466
Elevation: 10′
Management: Public – County Park (Official)
The road in is Gravel and next to miles from a paved road. Machias riverside is open daily. There are 1-5 Free Maine RV Parking spots at this location and the maximum RV length is unlimited. You may stay overnight at Machias riverside. Free overnight parking behind hardware store. Next to river, between signs. Great hardware/gift store and restaurants, etc. Right in downtown.
14. Free Maine RV Boondocking – Wonderland Campsite
Address
CCC Road
Wesley, Maine
GPS: 45.008583, -67.867906
Elevation: 246′
Management: Public – Forest Service (Official)
The road in is Dirt and 7.5 miles from a paved road. Wonderland Campsite is open May-Nov. There are 1-5 Free Maine RV Parking spots at this location and the maximum RV length is 25 feet. You may stay 14 at Wonderland Campsite. This is two campsites situated just off a dirt road, with waterfront access to the river. Fire ring, picnic table, and vault toilet provided. The road was in good condition when I went there, a bit of washboard, but dry, no ruts.
15. Free Maine Boondocking Locations – Log Landing
Address
Maine
GPS: 44.9574, -67.8727
Elevation: 217′
Management: Public – Forest Service (Official)
The road in is Dirt and 4 miles from a paved road. There are 6-15 Free Maine Boondocking Locations at this site. Less than 4 miles off Route 9 on a dirt road. In mid May the road was soft and rough in spots but I was ok in 2WD. There are six sites around a small loop by the river. Fire rings, picnic table and vault toilet, plus easy launching for a canoe or small boat.
16. Free Maine Dispersed Camping Locations – Machias River Corridor PRL – Rt 9
Address
State Route 9
Wesley, Maine
GPS: 44.905921, -67.836207
Elevation: 190′
Management: Public – Forest Service (Official)
Machias River Corridor PRL – Rt 9 is open May-Nov. Free Maine Dispersed Camping Locations: The Machias River, one of Maine’s wildest and most cherished waterways, flows for 76 miles from Fifth Machias Lake to tidewater in downtown Machias.
17. Free Maine Boondocking – Tunk Lake Area
Address
Cherryfield, Maine
GPS: 44.608675, -68.021493
Elevation: 200′
Management: Public – State Forest (Official)
On Hwy 182 north of Franklin is a beautiful stretch of highway with many beautiful lakes. Look for the blue signs. There is a place you can park at the top of a large hill, just a turn out and a little spot in the woods. Will be quiet till the morning traffic begins. But farther north you will see Free Maine Boondocking spot with a blue sign for a lake on the right and one opposite on the left.
18. Free Maine Boondocking Locations – Schoodic Bay – Acadia area (hike in-boat in)
Address
Sullivan, Maine
GPS: 44.565119, -68.12768
Elevation: 367′
Management: Public – State Forest (Official)
You may stay 14 days at Schoodic Bay – Acadia area (hike in-boat in). From Coastal Route 1 take Route 183 (north) until the highway ends and the road changes name to Tunk Lake Rd. Turn left onto Schoodic Beach Rd. This is a gravel road. At the first Y in the road keep left, at subsequent Y’s (I think there are two) keep right. You will come to a trail head and parking lot with a dump toilet. Take the .5 mile easy hike to the lake to reach your Free Maine Boondocking Locations
19. Free Maine Boondocking Spots – Big Eddy – Dead River
Address
Long Falls Dam Road
New Portland, Maine
GPS: 45.230921, -70.195401
Management: Public – Maine Public Reserved Land – Dead River unit (Official)
Big Eddy – Dead River is open all year. ‘A huge number of improvements have been made at the Free Maine Boondocking Spots at Big Eddy,’ Peter Smith, General Manager of the Bureau of Parks and Lands Western Public Lands Office in Farmington said.
20. Free Maine Camping Spots – Rangeley, ME Area Campsite
Address
Rangeley, Maine
GPS: 45.004622, -70.578747
Elevation: 1487′
Management: Public – Forest Service (Official)
The road in is Paved. Rangeley, ME area campsite is open all year, when accessible. There are 1-5 Free Maine Camping Spots at this location and the maximum RV length is 15 feet. You may stay 14 days (I think) at Rangeley, ME area campsite. They are located just after you cross the bridge over the Dead River on the left side of the road. You only need a permit if you plan to have a fire.
Free Maine RV Boondocking
A road trip in an RV in Maine provides unrivaled outdoor experiences in a range of environments. In an RV, bringing your own supplies will save you time and money. Your trip will be both enjoyable and cost-effective when you include boondocking.
There are numerous advantages to RV camping. For starters, you have the flexibility to go whenever and (nearly) wherever you want, as well as the modern conveniences that an RV provides. However, you don’t have to take use of all of those luxuries to have a great time in an RV.
Dry camping, also known as boondocking, is when you camp in an RV without utilizing electricity, water, or sewer hookups. Keep that concept in mind if you’re wondering where the part about truly enjoying yourself comes into play.
The freedom is a big part of what makes road trips and RVing so appealing. However, worrying about available campsites and paying ever-increasing daily campground charges aren’t exactly synonymous with independence. This is when free Maine boondocking comes into play. You aren’t reliant on a campground’s hookups or other services because you don’t use all of your RV’s features. And guess what if you’re not reliant on a campground? You can set a camp almost anywhere.
After you’ve realized you can camp just about anyplace, why not go off the beaten path? After all, that’s what boondocking is all about. Maine, the United States’ easternmost state, is one of them. Thousands of lakes and rivers, 17 million acres of forestland, world-class fishing, scenic beaches, a diverse wildlife population, including moose and bears, and much more abound in the state. However, because it is sometimes ignored by visitors, trails, lakes, and other public properties are rarely crowded, making it ideal for free Maine boondocking.
Free Maine Boondocking Spots
In most metropolitan areas, boondocking is prohibited. Fortunately, free Maine boondocking is simple due to the quantity of public lands and the state’s favorable attitude toward wilderness and dry camping.
Boondocking is normally permitted in Maine’s parks and public lands, and there are numerous distant, rustic campgrounds. However, it’s worth noting that they’re virtually entirely first-come, first-served. Some places accept reservations, although only on a very limited basis. Checking with specific campgrounds, including state and national parks, is the best method to discover free Maine boondocking (and free campsites anywhere, for that matter).
Free Maine Camping Spots
Maine is one of the last regions in the Eastern United States to still have abundant unending wilderness, making it a haven for visitors looking to get away from established campgrounds and explore the state’s abundant forest and mountain scenery.
Free Maine camping spots can be found near Acadia National Park and on other public properties, as well as near bodies of water of many shapes and sizes and within walking distance of charming small towns. Whether you’re looking for the perfect hiking trail, a spot along the seaside, a place to relax around the fire, or simply a quick pit stop on your way to somewhere else, we can help you find the finest area for your camping style.
Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands
Resource: Maine.gov
Backcountry Camping
Those who travel beyond the main route on Maine’s Parks and Public Lands will find scenic free Maine camping spots in remote locations. We have campsites for you all around Maine, from the wild coastline islands to the mountains and secluded lake shores. NOTE: Outside of Maine, untreated firewood is prohibited. Please purchase it where you want to burn it!
What to expect:
☆ Remote campsites are almost entirely first-come, first-served; reservations are rarely needed
☆ Sites often include a primitive picnic table, access to a pit latrine, and a fire ring. These amenities are frequently absent from sites along the Maine Island Trail.
☆ Backcountry campsites are mostly reached by water (usually a canoe or kayak) or on foot.
Where to go:
Want to explore the vast backcountry without your car or truck? Here are a few recommendations:
Paddling/Boating:
☆ Allagash Wilderness Waterway – The 92-mile Allagash Wilderness Waterway in northern Maine was established by the Maine State Legislature in 1966 and designated by the United States Department of the Interior in 1970 as the first state-administered component of the National Wild and Scenic River System.
☆ The Penobscot River Corridor (PRC) provides great chances for isolated canoe trips, fishing excursions, and whitewater rafting. It is located in the heart of Maine’s untamed forest area and includes 67 miles of river and 70 miles of lake frontage (provided by commercial operators). Vehicle access to campsites and the river is available along parts of the Corridor.
☆ Holeb Public Lands Moose River Bow Trip – In the headwaters of Moosehead Lake and the Kennebec River, the 34-mile circuit encompassing Attean and Holeb Ponds, as well as the Moose River, is a famous northwoods paddling destination. Along this secluded paddling path, wildlife and mountain scenery are typical sights. Maine Trail Finder has a description of the paddling route as well as a map of the campsite.
☆ Northern Forest Canoe Trail – Maine is home to nearly half of the Northern Forest Canoe Trail, which runs from Old Forge, NY to Fort Kent, ME. Along this ancient canoe path, Bureau of Parks and Public Lands sites include Richardson Lake Public Lands, the Bigelow Preserve, Moosehead Lake Shoreline Public Lands, the Penobscot River Corridor, and the Allagash Wilderness Waterway.
☆ Maine Island Trail – America’s first water trail, the Maine Island Trail is a water trail that runs the length of the Maine coast, passing through wild islands and coastal sights. The Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands owns about 40 of the nearly 200 islands along the path. The Maine Island Trail Association is in charge of maintaining the trail.
☆ St. Croix International Waterway – The St. Croix is a storied kayaking destination along the Maine-New Brunswick border, managed by the St. Croix International Waterway Commission.
☆ The 76-mile Machias River Corridor (with Class I-III whitewater, suitable for experienced paddlers) begins at Fifth Machias Lake and ends at Machias tidewater. The Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands owns 14,000 acres concentrated around First, Second, and Third Machias Lakes, totaling more than 60,000 acres in the Machias River watershed.
Hiking/Backpacking in the Wilderness:
☆ Deboullie Public Lands – Located in north-central Aroostook County, the 21,871-acre Deboullie Public Lands offer secluded campsites on crystal-clear trout ponds surrounded by low craggy mountains in a sea of forestland. There are over 22 miles of hiking paths, as well as various water-accessible campsites, to be explored.
☆ Public Lands of Nahmakanta – In this 43,000-acre public park, a vast network of hiking routes leads tourists along lake coastlines, up to open ledges, and through dense forests. Through Nahmakanta, the Appalachian Trail connects to miles of hiking trails maintained by Maine Parks & Public Lands. Paddlers and hikers have access to six pristine water-accessible campsites on Nahmakanta Lake, as well as several hike-to campsites.
☆ The Bigelow Preserve comprises the whole seven-summit Bigelow Range, including 4,150-foot West Peak, one of only ten Maine peaks above 4,000 feet. On this wonderful public land, the Appalachian Trail and accompanying side routes provide various backpacking possibilities.
☆ Mahoosuc Public Lands & Grafton Notch State Park – The 38-mile Grafton Loop Trail, as well as some of the most difficult terrain of the Appalachian Trail, providing a magnificent mountain backdrop for trekking in western Maine.
☆ Cutler Coast Public Lands – hours of tough hiking through a boreal forest and along an undeveloped coastline lead to basic campsites located above stunning coastal cliffs on an untouched stretch of Atlantic coast.
☆ Appalachian Trail – Maine is home to 281 miles of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail (AT). The AT passes through Mahoosuc, Four Ponds, the Bigelow Preserve, and Nahmakanta, among other notable Public Lands. If you’re looking for a rural camping experience with easy access to your vehicle, you’ve come to the right place. In distant areas, many public lands offer car-camping opportunities. These rustic camping spots are accessible through gravel logging roads and have many of the same features as the sites listed above.
Keep in mind that the weather can change quickly, and the terrain might be difficult to navigate. Plan your outings carefully, don’t push yourself or anybody else in your group over their limits, and do your homework on where you’re going.
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