Things to Do in Camden, Maine
The best things to do in Camden, Maine, are climbing or driving Mount Battie for the harbor view, sailing Penobscot Bay on a windjammer, and walking down to the library’s amphitheatre. Camden is a harbor town of 5,232 people in Knox County, where the Camden Hills come right down to the sea.
In 1912, a young Edna St. Vincent Millay recited “Renascence,” a poem she wrote from the top of Mount Battie, to guests at the Whitehall Inn. It launched her career. Camden’s schooner trade started in 1936, when Captain Frank Swift began taking paying guests out on the bay.
Camden Hills State Park and Mount Battie
The park starts about 2 miles north of town on Route 1 and covers more than 5,700 acres. The Mount Battie Auto Road, finished in 1965, climbs to a parking area at nearly 800 feet. On a clear day you can see Camden Harbor, Penobscot Bay and Cadillac Mountain at Acadia.
★ Good to know The auto road usually closes for winter on December 1 or with the first heavy snow. The park charges an entry fee year-round.
Mount Megunticook and Maiden Cliff
At 1,385 feet, Megunticook is the tallest peak in Camden Hills State Park. The mile-long Maiden Cliff Trail ends at a monument to 12-year-old Elenora French, whose misadventure there in 1864 gave the cliff its name. The Civilian Conservation Corps built much of the park’s trail network between 1935 and 1941.
★ Good to know Check the state’s Camden Hills trail conditions page before a long hike.
Windjammer Cruises on Penobscot Bay
Camden is home port to part of Maine’s windjammer fleet, the traditional schooners that take guests on multi-day cruises around the bay. Some of them are National Historic Landmarks, like the Mercantile, built in 1916. The fleet has sailed from here since 1936.
★ Good to know Cruises typically run several nights, so plan and book ahead; the harbor is worth a walk even if you don’t sail.
Camden Public Library and Amphitheatre
The library opened in 1928, and its grounds, including an outdoor amphitheatre, were designed by landscape architect Fletcher Steele. The site became a National Historic Landmark in 2013 as a forerunner of modern landscape design. The library’s trustees also manage Harbor Park, the lawn that runs down to the water.
★ Good to know Harbor Park is one of the best free spots in town for a picnic with a view of the boats.
Camden Snow Bowl
The town-owned Snow Bowl opened on Ragged Mountain in 1936 and bills itself as the only East Coast ski area with ocean views. Its 400-foot wooden toboggan chute ends on frozen Hosmer Pond. It hosts the U.S. National Toboggan Championships on the second weekend of February.
★ Good to know Its gravity-run wooden chute is the last original one of its kind in the country, and sleds hit about 40 mph.
Curtis Island Light
This small lighthouse marks the entrance to Camden Harbor. The station dates to 1835, and the present tower went up in 1896. In 1970, residents persuaded the Coast Guard to hand the island to the town, and it’s now a town park.
★ Good to know The light is the landmark to look for as boats enter the harbor.
Camden Opera House
Built in 1893 on Elm Street, the opera house holds town offices and a 500-seat theater. It hosts town meetings, local productions and screenings for the Camden International Film Festival.
★ Good to know The film festival, founded in 2005, is usually held in mid-September across Camden and nearby towns.
Also in town
The Megunticook River drops over the Montgomery Dam falls right at the head of the harbor downtown.
Can you drive to the top of Mount Battie?
Yes. The Mount Battie Auto Road in Camden Hills State Park climbs to a parking area near the summit. It closes for winter around December 1 or when snow blocks it.
What is a Maine windjammer?
It’s a traditional sailing schooner that takes guests on cruises of several nights along the coast. Camden’s fleet dates to 1936, and some of its ships are National Historic Landmarks.
What is Camden, Maine, known for?
Its harbor under the Camden Hills, the windjammer fleet, and the Mount Battie view that inspired Edna St. Vincent Millay’s “Renascence.” It also has the town-run Camden Snow Bowl and its toboggan championships.
What other Maine coast towns pair well with Camden?
Head up the coast to Bar Harbor and Acadia, or next door to Rockland. See all our small towns in Maine.
Where to find them
- Camden Hills State Park and Mount Battie 280 Belfast Road, Camden, ME 04843 Website Directions
- Windjammer Cruises on Penobscot Bay Camden Harbor, Camden, ME 04843 Directions
- Camden Public Library and Amphitheatre Camden, ME 04843 Website Directions
- Camden Snow Bowl Ragged Mountain, Camden, ME 04843 Website Directions
- Curtis Island Light Camden Harbor, Camden, ME 04843 Directions
- Camden Opera House 29 Elm St., Camden, ME 04843 Directions
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Where to stay in Camden
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