Best RV Parks & Resorts near Calais, ME

Surrounded by water on 3 sides, this state park has a lot to offer. Well off the beaten track on the tidal backwater of Cobscook Bay, this park has a wide variety of sites to suit everyone’s style of camping. From full water and electrical RV hook-up sites, to tent-only camping loops, you can find your own camping bliss in this amazing park. 

Each site comes with the standard picnic table and fire pit, but many have a shelter over the table as well. There are many pit-toilets scattered throughout, and the centralized bath house only offers inexpensive showers and sinks, no flush toilets however. 

Additionally, there is a huge playground for the kids, as well as designated picnic sites complete with fire pit and picnic shelters. The campground loops wind around small headlands into the bay, so there are literally dozens of waterfront sites, but they are of course the most popular. 

The bay is tidal, and has a HUGE tidal range, so opportunities for tide pooling, paddling, and other water sports just need a little planning ahead.   Be sure to check out the reversing falls, just a 20 minute drive from the park. There is a nice boat ramp and picnic area just north of the park on the main road. 

Calais is the nearest town, about 30 minutes away, and has all the you need while camping in the area.

Jonesport Campground is a little campground on the coast of Maine with excellent ocean views. The views are quintessential Maine with lobster boats bobbing in the water and the tides moving in and out. If you like hanging out in the unpopulated rural areas of Downeast Maine, then this is the place for you. Off Route 1, drive south for ten miles and you come to the end of the peninsula where the campground is located. The campground is small with some 20 or so campsites in a loop with some sites right on the water and others behind them. About a third seasonal campers who mentioned they have been coming there for many years. Electricity is 30 amp and there is no sewer or potable water (so make sure you fill up before you come. Roads are gravel and have a few potholes. The campground is low and flat so there is a bit of standing water after it rains. Sites are gravel/grass/dirt with a picnic table and fire pit. There is a vault toilet and a port a potty. There is also a honey wagon service that comes around weekly if you need it. A dumpster is onsite for trash. Our Verizon phone and hotspot worked well. Not sure about over-the-air television because we used our portable Dish satellite because we had a clear view to the sky. 

Since you are right on the ocean, it can get quite windy so be sure not to leave your awning out if you go away. Screen rooms are a good idea because the black flies and mosquitos in Maine can be quite pesky in the spring and summer. There is no website or online reservation service so you have to call the town office (207-263-8315 or 207-263-6576) to talk to the campground manager. 

Jonesport has a hardware store, small grocery store, two places to get pizza and a few other shops scattered here or there. You are best to bring everything you need (you can stock up in the grocery in Columbia Falls before you head south off route one). The nearby town of Milbridge is bigger with a grocery, laundry, shops, hardware store, fuel, and restaurants. Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park are about an hour and a half away.  Schoodic Woods section of Acadia NP is approximately an hour away.  The best thing about this campground are the views. If you have a kayak, definitely bring it because this is a great place to paddle. This is definitely not an RV resort and not for everyone, but if you like a rustic campground in a beautiful place, check out Jonesport Campground.

Nice level site, easy to back into. Covered table and a fire pit you can cook on. Lots of apples. They have wood, ice, and beverages for sale in office. There’s a boat dock and a short trail along the coast with benches to watch the sunset. Electric and water hook ups in trailer sites. Laundry in camp with 1 washer and dryer, but we had no trouble getting our laundry done.

This is a small, well-run campground with lots of amenities. All but the tent sites have E/W. There is a dump station, restrooms/showers, and 3 sets of basic (but efficient) washers and dryers. ($1.50 each). Each site has table/fire pits, and firewood is plentiful and only $3/bundle. WiFi is weak and slow, but free and usable. We have great Verizon signal, so didn’t really need it. The grounds are well cared for, with lots of grassy spaces. They also maintain a mowed pathway down to the “beach” for water access and to launch a kayak. There is a broad variety of sites, so be sure to check out the campground map as well as satellite view when requesting a reservation. The tent sites are great — right on the water’s edge — and much more spacious and private than the hookup sites. Of the RV sites (E/W), some are MUCH more desirable than others. 12A and 12B are close to the water with great views, but only suitable for smaller camper vans and trailers. Of the other RV sites, 12, 13, and 16 are nice because they are at the end of their rows so there are neighbors on only one side. 13 is next to the pond, but still has a good view of the bay, and the added bonus of a million frogs serenading throughout the night. (This may not be a positive thing for some.). The rest of the E/W sites are side-by-side RV park style where the only view (from inside) is the side of your neighbor’s RV just a few feet away. The town of Lubec is tiny without a lot of charm, but the waterfront area provides a nice view of the rushing tide and Canada across the narrow channel. Nearby Quoddy Head State Park has a picturesque lighthouse and a couple of nice hiking trails. Antique lovers should visit the nearby Clutter Shop. HD&Sons about a mile west sells freshly caught lobster for about $10/pound and will cook them up for $5/pot. The campground is on a peninsula, and there was never a day without a nice breeze.

Very private sites, many offer water frontage. There is a bathhouse with 3 showers and many pit toilets throughout the campground. No hookups. Limited RV sites and very limited for over 20 feet. Miles of hiking and close to many beautiful places like Reversing Falls, Quoddy Lighthouse, and the Bay of Fundy.

We love this campground because of the location and amazing views! Sunset Point is a small, family-owned campground that sits beautifully perched on Johnson Bay just minutes from downtown Lubec. After a busy morning of hiking or paddling we loved hanging out at our campsite in the afternoon and watching the seals, bald eagles, seabirds, and the tides come and go. 

This is one campground where the tent sites are actually in the best location in the campground as all of them have great unobstructed water views. (The only downside is they are farther away from the bathroom.) Some tent sites (A– D) have a wooden shade structure with picnic table and fire pit, the others just have a fire pit and picnic table. RV sites are 50-amp/ water and vary in length. Some are right on the water and others are in rows behind them. Warning: RV sites are very close together and there is not much space between you and your neighbor. The best sites are 12, 12A, 12B, and 16 which have the best views and are the largest sites. There are no sewer hook-ups but there is a dump station, a tote (a.k.a.,“blue boy”) that you are welcome to borrow, or you can schedule a pump out for$10/tank. Most motorhomes (in sites 16-29) choose to pull-in forward so they have a water view out of their front window and run the utilities under their RV to hook-up. Warning: do not leave your awning out while you are away from your camper as the winds can really pick up in the afternoon and damage them. 

The restrooms were super clean (although a little dated) and there is a laundry with three sets of washers and dryers for$1.50 each. Wood ($3) and ice are for sale in the camp store where they also have t-shirts/hats/post cards and a few other miscellaneous items. Wi-Fi at our site (#16) was pretty poor but worked very well near the office/laundry. We had a strong Verizon signal so we didn’t rely on their Wi-Fi. The grounds are manicured with nicely mowed grass. The only problem was that some people put out patio mats or screen rooms that killed the grass so the next camper has a big dead spot. There is a primitive kayak/canoe launch (which is basically a mowed path down to the water) which we used almost daily. It was so convenient to leave our boats down along path so we didn’t have to bring them back to our site every day. Beware that the tidal range is around 20 feet so make sure you paddle around high tide or you will have to cross a mucky, seaweed covered, rocky clam flat to get back to shore. There are lots of great places to paddle and downtown is about a 15-minute paddle and there are plenty of seals at high tide and the mackerel fishing is great. The campground has free use of lobster pots, burners, and propane tanks if you want to cook your own lobster and there is a seafood place right down the street that sells live lobster. Or you can drive about 25 miles to the town of Cutler and buy them fresh off the dock. 

Lubec is a cute little town with a few shops, restaurants, historical museum, a brewery, grocery, and a scenic view of the Passamaquoddy Bay. There is plenty of hiking on nearby nature preserves. Bring your passport and cross over to Campobello Island which was the summer home of Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt and is now a museum open for tours. There is also lots of hiking and two lighthouses on Campobello. Nearby is Quoddy Head State Park which has some beautiful oceanfront hiking trails and a picturesque lighthouse.

My favorite campground, the sites are grassy and huge! There are no hookups, it’s a State Park. There is a dump station. There are flush toilets and showers that are outdated, but I would guess that by this year they would have been replaced with the new ones in all the other campgrounds. Almost all the sites in the RV loop are pull through. So much privacy in these sites unless you choose the two that are right on the road. Some RV’s can get into the water sites. This campground doesn’t seem as crowded as the other parks. It’s a drive to get here, but I think it’s worth it.

This is as close to heaven as you can get. Huge state park. Tent sites and RV sites are on separate peninsulas. No electricity so it’s quiet. Absolutely stunning sites on the ocean. Great place to launch your exploration of Maine’s Bold Coast.

Cobscook State Park is beautiful. The park is big, and many sites are very far apart - we had almost complete privacy.  There are both reservable and non reservable sites.  Some sites have Adirondack shelters.  All sites have picnic tables and fire pits.  The majority of the tent sites and small rv sites, and some larger rv sites, are on the water.   We stayed at 2 different sites - a waterfront site and non waterfront - and both were scenic and private.   There is no water/electric/power at any site.  There are water stations around the park, as well as a bath house and dump station.  The park rangers are friendly and helpful. There is a lot of wildlife and waterlife - we saw many seals and cormorants in the water, as well as a few eagles.  You can launch a kayak from your campsite, or from the large  dock/boat launch area in the park.  Kayaking should be done with prior research to ensure familiarity with the tide changes (which are up to 20 ft) and currents, which are strong and dangerous in certain areas of Cobscook Bay.   There is a great map published by Cobscook Shores that shows recommended kayak areas and tide access.  It includes the launch that is in the park.  https://cobscookshores.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/CS-System-Map.pdf  

 There are also a few open areas for picnicking or just relaxing, as well as a play area for kids.  There are a few nice, relatively short and easy  hiking trails that run through the park.  One of the trails is right at the entrance, so you can park there if needed. For more advanced hiking, the Cutler Preserve land, Boot Head, and Quoddy Head are all nearby and offer incredible hikes of varying distances, up to 10 miles.  Quoddy Head also has a lighthouse that is a popular attraction .

This is a huge campground. So many of the campsites here are lovely, many with views of the water and the amazing change of tides. Some are perched on a slope with tent platforms level but not much else on the site is. Pit toilets. There are showers at the main area, a bit of a walk or drive. There is a boat launch area a short distance away and the kayaking is great. This campground was so quiet and peaceful. We loved it.

Excellent scenic view and spectacular sunsets! Campground clean and well maintained. Outside sink available next to bathrooms. Water, electric (30/50) no sewer but dump onsite with blue portable waist containers for campers to use. Front row sites have cable.

Only suggestion...bathrooms could use update but otherwise very clean.

We had Site 9, which seems to be one of the least popular RV sites. Personally, I was pretty happy with the site as it was fairly private. Campground has a potable water fill amd sanitation dump, both clean and well maintained. The grounds are kept well, and the coastal scenery was absolutely breath taking.

A note about mosquitos. This is Northern Maine, and you should expect mosquitoes. We came armed with Deep Woods Off, and happy to have it. We set up the screen structure the first night, but put it away as we were not using it.

We will definitely return to this campground.

One could easily break an ankle or leg here trying to scramble to your assigned campsite. These are not drive in sites-- with isolated exceptions.

These are mainly walk-in sites which, here, means that you park near the road and have to scramble down a hill or up a hill on a trail which was never prepared for foot traffic. Some sites have steep drops to the bay - really steep: a concern at night particularly.

Some normal drive-in sites are #53, 54, 63, 64, 66, 68. My site 68 was excellent but unusual in its normalcy.

I had one of the very rare sites in which you can pull in next to your campsite but most sites are really  "walk-in". There is no grading and apparently no such thing as trail prep here to mitigate the exposed roots and hazards. It is wild.

Toilets are outhouses only. Wifi does not exist here. Staff not friendly.

Most sites are for tents--- but there is an industrial RV section high on the hill (sites 1-27) with good sized parking on a loop furthest from the campground entrance. The tides are extreme--- take care.

This is a beautiful state park in a quiet part of the state and ideal for those looking for a quiet getaway with lots of outdoor activities. The park is surrounded by Cobscook Bay on three sides so you definitely get a feel of being near the water. As the 20+ tides come into the bay so does an abundant of aquatic life (our favorite being the seals and otters) and bird life which makes for great wildlife viewing. Cobscook has 106 campsites which vary from pull-thru to back-in, RV or tent, and all are set in a nice wooded environment. The best sites are those right on the water. Some of the sites have really long driveways while some of the pull-thrus are close to the road. The thick woods provide some shade and lots of privacy and the campground is pretty large so you don’t feel like you are on top of your neighbors. Campsites have pretty large level spots for setting up camp. We loved our site that was deep in the woods and had lots of privacy. 

There is one bathhouse with showers near the ranger station. Otherwise, you have to use vault toilets which are scattered about and not super close to lots of campsites. A dump station and water fill sit are also near the park entrance. On Sundays when all the weekend campers were leaving, the line for the dump station was pretty long so bring your patience. 

One drawback of this campground for us was that the trees lining the roads needed to be trimmed back and we scraped quite a few trees overhanging the road when coming and going. Something else to consider are the bugs! Ticks, mosquitos and black flies (these tiny little bugs that gnaw on you and create huge welts) are prevalent. Definitely bring insect repellent and/or a screen room. Later in the fall the bugs are not nearly as bad. 

There are two short hiking trails and one has a short spur leading up to a view point overlooking the tidal river. If you are looking for longer hikes, Moosehorn National Wildlife Refuge is adjacent to the park A nice paved boat launch with large parking area is located within the park. We launched are kayak and paddle board there at high tide when the water is slack and paddled across the river to a nature preserve for a hike. Make sure you watch the tides because the water can really rush in and out at certain times. 

Not too far is a great little restaurant called Sue’s Coobscook Café. We stopped in for lunch but they were serving breakfast all day and we quickly switched to the delicious brunch menu. The Greek omelet was amazing and the breakfast was huge with great portion sizes and reasonable price.

Let’s be real. Camping near ANY water, fresh or salt, includes high likelihood of bugs...warmer weather makes it worse, of COURSE. And perhaps predictably, any odor, fecal or otherwise, is amplified with heat...hence the effectiveness of scented candles, no?

I just spent the most splendid two nights at this gorgeous place, in site 103. We brought our kayaks too, and waved off launching not because of the steep path to the water, but simply due to the fascinatingly rapid tidal movements. We’d been camping for a week at a couple of lake places and had enjoyed enough kayaking to hold us over. And for the record: the government website clearly shows a diagram that describes all campsites designated as “walk-ins”, and most adults could be expected to be capable of using online topography and aerial photos to preview applicability of specific sites for shore access...ahem.

That permitted plenty of time for casual touring locally and innumerable amazing photography opportunities on trails and at the sea coast. Breathtaking is a word overused but I have zero hesitation to apply it here.

Locals are congenial and rightfully proud of their beautiful homeland, and happy to share information and recommendations.

We stayed at the very beginning of October-leaves near peak color, no crowd and no bugs. Never smelled any poop except when contributing personally.

Clams are so easy to harvest at low tide that the park sets a 1 Peck limit! Look it up-a peck is a sizable volume, haha, and refreshingly non-metric.

DID find showering first thing in the morning to be an exercise in personal fortitude! Air was frosty and the facility was open to ambient conditions so there was quite a difference in temperature between the air in the stall and the hot water from the nozzle. Oh sure, the curtain was showing signs of a long season yet still functioned to shield my fresh towel and clothing from direct spray, and the stall had a plywood door and latch for privacy regardless. Hot water lasted fine and bathing success achieved.

PLEASE consider general realities of outdoor environments and do not pass up any chance to stay here. It’s as nice as any place I’ve ever stayed and I’m a geezer with lots of comparators.