The Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry’s Bureau of Parks and Lands announced that a record number of visitors used Maine state parks in 2018.
The bureau reported attendance of just under 3 million visits to Maine’s 48 state parks and historic sites. Overall visits to parks were up 11% over 2017 numbers.
The parks system set new high numbers for camping, day use visits, and overall use of state parks, the bureau reported.
Maine’s state parks and historic place generate $100 million in revenue annually, according to the state’s website. “This is a huge reflection on the incredibly hard-working people who manage our parks and historic sites,” Parks Bureau Director Tom Desjardin said in a news release. “Their commitment to our mission and our visitors is remarkable.”
Deputy Commissioner Randy Charette expressed hope that a portion of increased revenues generated from the increased visits will be used to help maintain the parks system, “We want to maintain the quality of our park roads and facilities to ensure the best possible visitor experience,” he said.
