Pet friendly camping near Limestone, Maine offers varied terrain and seasonal opportunities in northeastern Aroostook County. This remote region features rolling hills, agricultural landscapes, and dense forests with numerous lakes and rivers. Summer temperatures typically range from 55-75°F with cool nights, while winter brings heavy snow and sub-zero temperatures common from November through April.
What to do
Hiking trails: Deboullie Public Lands offers excellent wilderness hiking opportunities. One visitor noted, "The hiking trails are some of the best I have been on at such a site... The view points you can hike up to are beautiful. Two of them have log benches to sit down at the top and admire the view."
Kayaking and fishing: Lakeview Camping Resort provides access to Long Lake with impressive views. A camper shared, "This campsite was clean and quiet and provided a great distant view of Long Lake and the surrounding area."
Wildlife observation: The region supports diverse wildlife populations. At Deboullie, one visitor reported, "We brought our kayaks, looking for moose. Did not find any, just a lot of tracks, and their poop. While hiking we did find a Pine Martin which was awesome."
Geocaching: Arndt's Aroostook River Lodge & Campground offers multiple outdoor activities. A visitor mentioned, "I stayed here for 4 nights and enjoyed the Crown of Maine balloon fest, geocaching, fishing, and exploring."
What campers like
Spacious sites: Many campgrounds offer large sites with natural separation. A camper at Arndt's Aroostook River Lodge described, "There are HUGE, level, terraced sites stretching up the hill. My site(74) was so large that there could have been 4 vehicles with teardrops and had space left over."
Peace and quiet: Neil E Michaud Campground offers a peaceful environment despite its roadside location. A recent visitor commented, "This was a great place to camp. Quiet at night. The woman that runs it is really nice. Cheap for RVs too."
Walking trails: On-site trail access is valued by pet owners. At Arndt's, a visitor noted, "One of the pluses of this campground are the walking trails that are adjacent to the park. There is also a mowed path down to the Aroostook River."
Winter options: Unlike many seasonal sites, some campgrounds remain open year-round. Neil E Michaud Campground operates throughout winter months, making it one of the few pet-friendly camping options available during snow season.
What you should know
Remote location: Be prepared for long drives on logging roads when visiting wilderness areas. A Deboullie visitor warned, "Access is gained by private gravel logging roads leaving Route 161 in St. Francis, or off Route 11 in Portage, Maine... The drive is a good hour on dirt roads from there."
Limited supplies: Pack thoroughly as services are limited. A Deboullie camper cautioned, "There is nothing really within 1.5 hours or so from the camp sites so don't forget anything. There is a General Store in town but if you need certain things or want a big selection you will have to drive another 45 minutes to Walmart."
Site competition: During peak summer weekends, campgrounds fill quickly. One visitor to Deboullie Public Lands described, "We got there late morning on a Friday and grabbed the only site that was open after being told we'd have plenty to choose from when checking in."
Logging noise: Some wilderness campgrounds experience industrial sounds. A camper noted, "Only thing that sucked, is the logging. We could hear them working, like a buzzing bee all the time during week days past 10pm at night which was annoying."
Tips for camping with families
Swimming options: Birch Haven Campground offers lakeside access for families with pets. A visitor described it as a "Lakeside campground" with "nice owners in a mostly seasonal campground."
Wifi availability: Connectivity varies significantly between campgrounds. At Lakeview Camping Resort, one camper noted, "Cell service was pretty much non-existent, but there was free WiFi available that seemed to have good reach."
Shower facilities: Consider bathroom access when traveling with children. At Neil E Michaud, a visitor described, "There is a little bathhouse with toilets & a shower. Also does have a washer/dryer available."
Interactive camping: Some campgrounds foster community interaction. A visitor to Arndt's observed, "Families here hang outside and interact with each other. Would definitely go back."
Tips from RVers
Hookup placement: At some campgrounds, hookup locations can require planning. At Arndt's, a visitor noted, "For the back-in sites on the hill, the hookups are on the 'wrong' side. You'll either need to pull straight in (for many rigs, it looked like that was doable), or run the cords under the trailer."
Dump station access: Fort Kent RV Park at Riverside Park offers dump facilities in an area with limited options. A visitor described it as "an 8-site city-owned/operated campground best suited for self-contained RVs because the bathrooms are in a different area of the park."
Road conditions: Large RVs should research access roads carefully. One camper explained, "Campsites sits on top of a hill and there is a tight winding road that you must navigate to get up there. We were able to navigate it with our 45' RV and tow car but we had to go slow and take up the whole road."
Site selection: Consider seasonal patterns when booking. A visitor observed, "Seasonal campers make up about 50% of the park but most just come on weekends so the weekdays were pretty quiet. It appeared that they kept the transient campers together and seasonals together."
