Acadia National Park. Maine. All photography is ours.
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Maine National Parks
Maine’s rugged beauty has attracted people for centuries. Come #FindYourPark in Maine.
National parks guide · Updated October 2026
Every NPS site in Maine
6
National Park Service sites in Maine
There are six National Park Service sites in Maine: two national monuments, a national park, a national scenic trail, an international park, and an international historic site. Tap any of them to jump to its details.
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Acadia National Park
Acadia National Park is one of the top-ten most visited parks in the United States. It’s also one of the oldest, first protected in 1916 as Sieur de Monts National Monument and named Lafayette National Park in 1919. It was renamed Acadia in 1929, and now protects more than 49,000 acres of Maine coastline.
Activities at the park include hiking, camping, bird watching, leaf peeping, boating, tide pooling and many others. Visiting during the fall to view the spectacular fall foliage is particularly popular. If you’re looking for the best views, a drive up Cadillac Mountain or around the 27-mile Park Loop Road are recommended. A variety of ranger programs are also available.
Appalachian National Scenic Trail
One of America’s most famous trails, the Appalachian National Scenic Trail stretches an incredible 2,197 miles and runs nearly the entire length of the eastern United States from Maine to Georgia. The trail was constructed by private citizens and completed in 1937. Today, the trail is maintained by several federal and state agencies, as well as volunteer groups.
Click here for more information on the Appalachian National Scenic Trail.
Frances Perkins National Monument
Frances Perkins National Monument protects the 57-acre family homestead along the Damariscotta River in Newcastle, Maine, that Frances Perkins called her true home. In 1933, President Franklin D. Roosevelt named her Secretary of Labor, which made her the first woman to serve in a presidential cabinet. She helped create Social Security and fought for shorter work weeks and safer workplaces.
The homestead includes the family home built in 1837, farm buildings, gardens, and the paths Perkins walked during her visits. It became a national monument in 2024, and visitor services are still being planned. Check the park’s website before you go.
Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument
On August 24, 2016, Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument was created by President Barack Obama under the Antiquities Act, and it protects over 87,000 acres of wilderness area in Maine. Popular activities include canoeing, kayaking, hiking, bird watching, fishing, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and much more. For the more adventurous, Mt. Katahdin, in nearby Baxter State Park, marks the beginning of the Appalachian Trail in the north, and the trail ends about 2,197 miles later in Georgia. Casual visitors may want to drive the 17-mile Katahdin Loop Road to see the park.
Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument is open all year long, but there are no visitor centers in the park.
Roosevelt Campobello International Park
Roosevelt Campobello International Park served as the summer home for President Franklin D. Roosevelt and today serves as a memorial to FDR. Although not an official National Park, it was established in 1964 with Prime Minister Lester Pearson and President Lyndon Johnson and is jointly managed by the United States and Canada.
Saint Croix Island International Historic Site
Saint Croix Island was declared a national monument in 1949, became an International Historic Site in 1984, and preserves the history of French settlement in the Americas that began here in 1604. Guided tours and ranger interpretive programs are available to learn more about the park and its rich history. A self-guided interpretive trail is also available for visitors to explore. The park is open year round during daylight hours, but has limited services in the winter months.
Partners of the Park Service
NPS-affiliated sites in Maine
These sites aren’t run by the National Park Service, but they’re part of the NPS family through national trails and heritage areas.
Maine Acadian Culture
While not a park per se, the National Park Service recognizes the groups and organizations in Maine’s St. John Valley that promote their rich history and culture. The loose association is made up of local townships, museums, cultural societies, and councils working together in this endeavor. You can read more on their website here.
Good to know
Maine national parks questions
Maine has one national park: Acadia National Park. It also has five other National Park Service sites.
There are six NPS sites in Maine: two national monuments, a national park, a national scenic trail, an international park, and an international historic site. One more NPS-affiliated site, like Maine Acadian Culture, round out the list.
So far we’ve visited Acadia National Park and Appalachian National Scenic Trail.
Keep exploring
National parks in nearby states
There’s more to explore in these nearby states.
