Maine Part 6: Camden Hills State Park
Just north of Rockland and up Rt. 1 from the impressive Victorian homes of Camden, lies Camden Hills State Park. The park is of a pretty good size, and has multiple peaks that could be trekked to for the adventurous hiker in a single day.
Assuming time, or a cranky fellow hiker doesn't permit it, hiking to Mt. Megunticook provides a nice, quick excursion, with different ways of approaching the peak so that vastly different paths can be taken going up and coming down. When we went it was only mildly crowded, but it was on a Sunday on a holiday weekend, so I'd expected it to be even more crowded. The hike up to Mt. Megunticook is relatively easy, multiple dogs seemed to not have any trouble getting to the top, so it is a good option for any novice, especially in good conditions.
Upon reaching the top, New England lays out in front of you in all of its glory. There are rolling, green hills to the right (we hiked it in June, one can only imagine what it would look like in September), the beautiful town of Camden straight ahead of you, and Penobscot Bay, dotted with hundreds of tiny islands and boats, to your left. Pack a lunch, or wait until you've made it down and pick up a well deserved beer and lobster roll at either The Lobster Pound or McLaughlin's Lobster Shack in nearby Lincolnville.