These Were Maine’s 20 Most Visited State Parks & Historical Sites in 2022

It was another banner year for visitation at Maine state parks and historic sites.

According to Jim Britt from the Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands, over 3 million folks visited parks and historical sites in 2022. That made last year the best ever for both visitations and camping stays for Maine's parks.

There are many factors at play here, post-pandemic living certainly being one. What's safer than outside recreation? Also, it's much less expensive to spend the day at a beach, fort, or campsite than at an amusement park, movie theater, hotel, or Airbnb.

Whatever the reasons are, it's reassuring to see Maine benefit from the outdoor boom.

The Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands was also kind enough to send over the 2022 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.

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