From my original review: "'You know what I love about this place? It's low risk, high reward.'" We overheard an older woman tell her husband this as they approached the summit. And as we stretched out on the rocks enjoying our picnic in the the warm sun, taking in the view of what seemed to be endless forests, bodies of water, and islands, we couldn't have agreed more." A decade later this is still true. If you're looking for an easygoing, very accessible way to go hiking and get some fresh air while wandering Maine's woods, take in the changing leaves of autumn or the abundance of blossoms and wildflowers in the spring, Bradbury - located just thirty minutes from Portland - is hard to beat. According to their website, Bradbury Mountain State Park was one of the original five state parks in the state of Maine, acquired by the Federal government in 1939. The mountain is open year round from 9am until sunset and offers a variety of hiking trails that range from very, very easy ("wide gradual ascents", "well packed and fairly flat") to slightly more challenging ("steepest ascent, but not difficult to hike", "areas with sharp turns"), from .2 miles to 1.5 miles (or more if you want to build your own adventure here - which is very easy to do because this state park's trails are now abundantly well marked; expect lots of maps throughout to let you know where you are AND lots of wooden signs pointing you in the right direction). You could easily do it all in one half day or break up your walk and come back another time, especially considering it's an easy, convenient mountain with an elevation of just 485 feet. Dogs are allowed on leashes, horses are allowed on certain trails. There are bathrooms. You can check out an old cattle pound. Explore for geocaches. It's a cute little mountain, and I'm so happy it's right in (proverbial) our backyard. read more

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I remember going here as a kid and I took my youngest son almost a decade ago. We wanted to do the summit trail and climb Bradbury Mountain. Definitely not a big challenge but it was fun. I grew up in Lewiston so this park is close by. I will have to take John next time we're in Maine. Lots of other trails to explore. read more

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Love that we have this gem almost in our backyard! At 472 ft. Bradbury Mountain is not going to give you much of a workout no matter which trail you choose, but it certainly makes it accessible to a wide range of people. It is so joyful to see people at the summit who appear to be octogenarians enjoying the view with their family. However, today, we had the summit to ourselves, a rare treat. Clear views to the sea and peaceful reflection on how fortunate we are to have this refuge so close to home. read more

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This is a great park with several different hiking trails with different levels of difficulty. In November, the park is out of hunting zones so you don't need to worry about hunters (in theory). The experience was enjoyable with little to no crowds. read more

This place is incredible! Came here for an afternoon of hawk/birdwatching over the summit.Definitely a bit of a climb up.. phew bring water and take your time! Lots of parking and public restrooms. Over twenty miles of trails to hike, bike and explore! The views are ridiculously beautiful, you can even see Casio Bay. You can even camp here, check out their website. Such a well kept state park, I was impossible at how the employees take such pride in this place. read more

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Great hiking trails for lovely day out in nature. Trails all well marked and maps provided at park entrance. Fee for those without a ME state park pass and all out of staters, but minimal fee $6.00 per person Hike to summit can be done in less than an hour, depending on trail chosen and speed. Clean, well marked trails and park for use in all seasons. Check it out read more

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On New Year's Eve a friend said "Hey, we have an annual tradition of hiking Bradbury Mountain to watch the sunrise on New Year's Day - you in?". Why not? So got up wicked early, dressed super warm and headed out. After meeting the friends in the parking lot we began the ascent - straight up. It isn't too bad a climb, but there was some ice on the trail and I really wish I'd brought my headlamp! We got to the top and there were already several people there - by sunrise about 40 or so - not too crowded. I've been up there once before - during fall foliage and the views really are quite nice. It is an easy climb, and the sunrise was great. read more

Bradbury Mountain State Park - First sunrise of 2021. - Hiking Near Me - Pownal, Maine

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I've camped here once and hiked here twice. We've enjoyed it. The hiking was on the easier side--our 3yo was able to do most of the hike up to the top. You can also easily stretch out your hike to be longer. The campsites were pretty private. I don't think they have any hook-ups but it's also very cheap to stay there. The shower rooms at the campground weren't super clean. It's also a bit odd--they have composting toilet stalls around the campground and then showers at the front--but the shower rooms don't have toilets. read more

Trail runners paradise! Over 20 miles of trails, perfect for hiking, running or biking! Very majestic enchanted Forrest vibes, so far has been my favorite place to run in Maine. Reasonably priced camping. Very friendly staff. Highly recommend! read more

Bradbury Mountain State Park - One of the beautiful trails! - Hiking Near Me - Pownal, Maine

A pretty hike offering you an easy trail to go up to the summit that is 6/10th of a mile up or slighter harder hike that is a mile up with a more direct route to the summit. I took the mile hike to give myself more of a challenge. Notice -- I didn't wear the proper foot gear since I dressed cute for the date instead of practical. I recommend tennis shoes instead of boots any day unless they're boots made for hiking. The trails are well maintained and marked for you not to get lost. They're very obvious since they aerial regularly frequented by both tourists and locals. Once reaching the summit you get a great areal view that extends all the way out to New Hampshire and the Maine coastline where you can see in the distance the Atlantic Ocean. Spectators do linger up here for a good amount of time, so I can see where the summit is pretty busy in the warmer months. I very happy to reach the top and to witness such a beautiful view. I was slightly disappointed that the vibrancy of the leaves hadn't reached complete peak yet like the foliage forecast had stated online.I had come to learn from the locals they hadn't had a huge rain season like they typically do making the leave changing later on in the season than typically predicted. Nonetheless, it was still a wonderful experience and I was really happy to have found this place. Bonus TMI info for you naturalists -- they have outdoor outhouses in the park. What does this mean exactly? You're using the bathroom in an open air bathroom. It has a roof on it and it is enclosed, but you're still using a privy where the top of it and bottom of it is open. You use the bathroom to a toilet that has a huge whole in the ground. It was kind of interesting and enjoyable in some weird kind of a way. Maybe instinctive? haha It is a proper toilet that you're sitting on and they have toilet paper and hand sanitizer when you're done doing your business. You're welcome. read more

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We love Bradbury Mountain. It is a great place for locals to get out and exercise with the family. There's a trail for everyone!

I love this little state park. It is family and dog friendly (on leash). The view at the top does not disappoint... fall foliage, the ocean, and the rolling hills of Maine. There are about 4 different trails. (Trail map link) http://www.bradburymountain.com/map/ If I'm short on time, I like to take the Northern Loop Trail to the top, about a mile, and the Summit Trail down, about .2 miles down. The Summit Trail is the steepest trail, and by "steep" I mean like a flight of stairs. If I have a little extra time I like to take the Boundary Trail. It's a little under 3 miles in total and has some great views at the back part of the park. There are always people mountain biking and in the winter it is a great place snowshoeing and cross country skiing. Don't forget to bring your Maine State Park Pass or pay the entrance fee. read more

Bradbury Mountain State Park - A view from the summit. - Hiking Near Me - Pownal, Maine

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Bradbury Mountain State Park is a small park located near Freeport, offering beautiful views at the summit. It is also a great place for leaf peeping! There are several trails that lead up to the apex, all of them are relatively short and easy. Last weekend, I embarked on the Summit Trail, which is only 0.2 miles one way. This is the shortest route, but also the steepest trail compared to the others. I recommend packing your lunch and eating at the top. The park follows standard state park rules: bathrooms by the parking lot and carry-in carry out trash. Bring your Maine State Park pass or $3 per Maine resident, $4.50 per Out of State visitors. Soak up the views and enjoy! read more

Bradbury Mountain State Park - Leaf peeping in October 2015 - Hiking Near Me - Pownal, Maine

Came across this as a quick stop on our day trip around Portland, SO glad we found it! We wanted to do a little hike in the area and see some of the fall colors, and this didn't disappoint. Since we're on a short, quick vacation, the easy trails were a treat, and the quick trip to the summit was perfect. There's multiple different ways and levels of difficulty to the top, so there's options for everyone. The leaves were still beautiful and bright on our hike, so that made it even sweeter. I believe since it was a colder day, there weren't a lot of people out, which made the hike quiet, quaint, and perfect for pictures. The summit looks over trees for what seems like miles, which were beautiful red, oranges, and yellows. I would definitely recommend to anyone, however, it was pretty pricey to come in for less than 2 hours. read more

We stayed here for one night. We didn't book it in advance, we just showed up. We were able to score a pretty good spot. (#25). The spot was $16.35 and we paid with a credit card at the park, drive up office. We were also able to add a couple bundles of wood to the total making it super easy so we didn't have to get cash. The bathrooms were the cleanest outhouses I have ever been in in my life. They literally smelled like tropical fruit. There is also a little station that you can wash dishes at which makes clean up easier-dual sink with hot water. Easy walk across the street to go up Bradbury mountain and a bunch of trails connected right to the campground. read more

Such a nice State park with easy trails for the dogs to come along. Cute campground across the road from state park entrance with its own easy access to the trails on what I believe is called the east side. Love camping with the dogs and being able to hike not even a 5 minute walk away! Close to Freeport for dinners if you don't want to cook on a fire. There is a station where you can wash dishes and microwave things too though. No electric hook up but most cars have that now so who cares! Love this place! read more

Smells of autumn like no place else. Nice 3 mile hike. Just stunningly beautiful one of my fave places to hike when in the east. Dont miss it cause most people do lots of touristy things and forget about hiking so come on down..or should I say up!! read more

Bradbury Mountain State Park - Lovely woods - Hiking Near Me - Pownal, Maine

Looking for a hike that rewards you with views you'll actually be able to enjoy at the top (as opposed to spending those first few welcoming moments trying to catch a breath)? Want to get in some post-work exercise and enjoy your picnic dinner all in one outing? Searching for an outdoor activity you can enjoy with the kids, the dog, and even grandma? Bradbury Mountain is where you should be. Take the most direct trail and you've got a .2 mile hike ahead of you. Admittedly, this is the only trail I've been on, but there are a series of others for the more adventurous (or, I would assume, those who are just looking for a change in scenery). On a recent trip, we camped out at the top with some snacks, and during our stay there was an admirable jogger (is there a different term for someone who runs up mountains?!) who made his way up and down twice in the first fifteen or so minutes of our meal, and definitely seemed like he'd been at it for at least a few rounds before we first saw him. So, what I'm getting at is that this is the ideal spot to either sit and reward yourself with a sandwich for the "climbing" you just accomplished, or you can go all out and get some real exercise in. It's perfect for everyone. The shorter trail, while it could maaaybe be considered steep in some parts, is easy peasy. If you're in any sort of decent shape it will take you fifteen minutes to hit the top, if that. Even less adventurous companions will survive it. I promise. read more

Great small park with multiple short trails (most around 1 mile or less) through woods. Trails were very well maintained, but I wish there were more. Campsites were some of the cushiest we've been to. Car camping with free showers. Firewood $5/bundle from the ranger. It was very peaceful and quiet, especially after 9:30pm. 30 minutes from Portland. It was a great homebase to explore Portland while getting our fill of nature. read more

One of new favorite hiking spots. Loads of trails, quite easy but harder if you run up Switchback and run the other trails. Did some Geocaching as well. Immaculate and wonderful. What a pretty spot! read more

Haha, sure, I'll write a review for this little state park in the middle of nowhere, Maine, why not. I guess I should start by arguing against my first claim that it's located "in the middle of nowhere." What I should say is that it is a 10 minute drive from Downtown Freeport and less then a half hour from Portland. It is small though, I will give it that, as it's elevation doesn't qualify it as a mountain, but hey, who's counting? I went here often growing up and still do to this day. Greatest part about it is that there is a 0.1 mile trail to the top, and no, you did not read that distance wrong. Once you reach the top you can see the ocean, Portland, Cousins Island and wide expanse of forest surrounding the greater area. This place is a top pick for fall foliage viewing. It also has many other trails, ranging from easy to medium difficulty up to 2 miles long in distance. There is also a big field by the parking lot with a volleyball net and great playground. Picnic tables are everywhere and even a couple picnic tables under the cover of a roof. This is a great place to go with the family for the day or even just a quick little picnic on top of mountain soaking in the view. They are open year round as they do have groomed cross country skiing trails open during the snow covered winter days. There are also cheap little campground spots across the street if you are so inclined to tent in the Pownal wilderness. read more

Good, local-to-Portland spot for a not-to-challenging day hike. Great views from the summit. read more

Bradbury Mountain State Park - Nice view during lunch - Hiking Near Me - Pownal, Maine

A beautiful place. I went to Bradbury Mountain State Park with my wife and 17-month-old daughter for an easy hike, and it was absolutely perfect. The summit is summit easily-accessible, with a .3 mile trail that goes straight to the top from the parking lot area. From there you can branch off and take a variety of paths through the park. You could also take a different trail from the parking lot and find your way to the summit later, if you prefer. None of the trails are particularly challenging, the summit trail being the steepest, but even that was a pretty easy climb. The trail system and entire park is well-designed, well-marked, and well-maintained. Even the bathrooms are clean! It's simple to navigate, but varied enough that one could take several trips to the park and take different routes each time. Depending on your route, your hike could be anywhere from .5 mile or so to several miles. The scenery is gorgeous. Just perfect, relaxing Maine hiking. Besides the trails, there's a couple picnicking areas with grills and picnic benches, and a big playground area. We hit this up after our hike to let our daughter burn off some energy (she was on our backs for the hike), and she had an awesome time. I would highly recommend this park for families or anybody looking for a nice little day hike, some mountain biking trails, a just a nice spot for a picnic. read more

theres nothing particularly great about this hike and you gotta pay to even park there. the view is probably the worst of any hike ive done thus far read more

My boyfriend and I absolutely love this place. We have shared so many amazing memories while camping and hiking around. Our kids love hiking as well and it's a perfect difficulty level for our two kids under 8. However, not for $11 for parking. We have not been able to explore this beautiful area this year because money is tight. It's disappointing to live so close and not be able to explore Bradbury's beauty. Please raise taxes on the wealthy to make this park free for all to enjoy. Maine is less beautiful when you have to pay fees to enjoy. read more

This park is a great place for mountain bikes. They have "shared use trails" that are across the street from the main parking lot. They are well maintained. You can get a map at the gate.They probably have 20-30 miles of trails. They range from flat and easy with little climbing to rougher singletrack trails with plenty of roots and tight turns. Then cross back over to the main lot for a short climb up the mountain for a great view. Have fun on the way back down. read more

Bradbury Mountain State Park - Hiking Near Me - Pownal, Maine

Nice short and easy hike to the "summit". Good views from the rocks at the top. Bugs were pretty bad in some spots. Worth the drive. read more

Beautiful trails!!! Excellent for beginners, families, children, and dogs!!! Easy going attitude and beautiful view from the summit. I recommend if your in the area and looking for a good hike, come here. read more

After coming to Maine last year and staying at an overpopulated (more for RV's) campground 20 minutes outside of Portland, we were looking for a more rustic less crowded camping experience. Hence why we booked 2 nights at Bradbury! It's way smaller than we thought and very rustic. There are no flushing toilets here, only very very stinky outhouses that make you want to cry. I almost gagged when I had to go. Horrible. The showers are super nice and free! The camping spaces here are fairly spaced out, and we didn't feel like we were crammed into the place. We could see our neighbors from our spot, but it wasn't intrusive. There isn't a main office or anyone there to greet you when you arrive. You fill out an envelope and register at a wooden kiosk thing yourself. There is however a "camping host" who is this nice older gentleman who lives in this giant tent castle at the entrance. He is very kind and chatty! When we met him the day after we arrived (we came in late the night before) we asked him if we had to mark our site that we were here for another night and he said "nah just put a bucket out and people will know the spots taken" um what? Kinda a little crazy. Overall, We liked the fact that 1. It's super cheap and 2. It's only about 25 minutes from Portland. I still can't believe how smelly the outhouses were. read more

What a relaxing way to spend a few hours on a nice Autumn day. There is a short hike up to the peak and the the view up on top is just stunning, especially if you get there at during the foliage season. And from there, there are several ways to head back to the parking lot. I took the longest one down, the one that circled the entire park. While it was monotonous at times, but it made me feel closer to nature and a humbling experience as a human being. Kind of wish there were less signs that states the border of the park and the other side were private property. Truly a wonderful experience. read more

Upon our arrival to the Freeport area, I was dying to hike. Having been to Maine before, I have frequented only the Bar Harbor and trails of Acadia (GORGEOUS), so much was to be expected out of me. Considering I'm athletic, active and an avid (hike in Western MA frequently) and generally Intermediate, if not advanced hiker, I was looking for something somewhat challenging, but not too much so, as I was with someone who wasn't much of a hiker. That said, on a whim, happened upon this place via the GPS Recreational app (West Side) . You do have to pay when you enter (hence the free joys of Acadia), we were recommended the Summit Trail. While we were given a map, we set out to plan our hike. We started on the Northern Loop, continuing on to the Ski Trail, which lead to the Tote Road trail, ending at the summit. Though it was a beautiful view, I've seen better summits in my days. Still worth coming here, though. I'm sure the locals enjoy this place immensely. Now, once we were at the summit, we rested for a bit, then headed down the Summit Trail ending back to where we started. Not a bad way to start a short trip, that's for sure. Be sure to bring sunblock (no shade at the summit) and lots of bug spray. Very buggy, obviously. Oh, and our route wasn't challenging (could've worked out afterwards, if that helps, or means anything). Children could do this trail for sure. I don't have any, but I hike with my sister's kids, so, there you have it. And they are 4 and 6. There are picnic tables by the parking area and where the trails start, as well as a park for the kids. Bring a furry friend! They'll love it! OH!! You can also mountain bike here! There are indicators to say so, as well. Happy Hiking! read more

This is a quiet, well-maintained campground with easy-to-hike trails just across the street. There are also new, clean showers with hot water. Since there aren't abundant hook-ups, the campground is for tent campers. I was there with a group of friends, and we had a great time! read more