Hiking and Birding at Bradbury Mountain State Park near Freeport

Maine is a wonderful state for hiking, whether it’s on the coast or up in the Highlands, and Bradbury Mountain State Park is just between the two, so it’s an easily accessible park to enjoy. Located near Freeport and Brunswick, Bradbury Mountain State Park is kind of like a miniature Acadia NP in terms of the hiking trails and geology, including wildlife and granite lookouts. It’s a really fun trail system and there is even a very nice campground.

Have you gotten to spend a day or a weekend at Bradbury Mountain State Park? If not, add it to your list of things to do near Portland or Freeport, because it’s beautiful and fun. If you have any questions about hiking here and need ideas for more things to do in the area, please leave a comment or send us a note. We’re always happy to share more and help you plan some time out in nature when you come to Maine.

Highlights of Visiting Bradbury Mountain State Park

What strikes me as the best part of visiting Bradbury Mountain State Park is how fun and beautiful the hiking is. Now, you’re not getting the insane climbs like you do at Acadia NP with the Beehive Trail, but you get some really unique trail features, and you can make the hiking as strenuous as you want. Starting with a nice stroll through the woods, you’ll find that you actually have several routes that can take you to the top of Bradbury Mountain.

Your day of hiking can take the shape of whatever sort of experience you want, and even if you choose the longest route that wraps the back of the mountain a bit, it’s still not going to take you a lifetime to get to the top. My preferred trail route is the Northern Loop Trail and then coming back down on the Tote Road or Switchback Trail. This gives us plenty of time to enjoy the woods and not wear ourselves out before we get to the top for the view and birdwatching.

Note: on the campground side of the state park there is another trail system that includes Nordic ski trails and snowmobile trails. These can be hiked as well, but they don’t go up to the summit of Bradbury Mountain, which I think is the most beautiful spot in the state park.

Yes, I really do find every opportunity for birding and it’s great up here. With several species of raptor and lots of forest and song birds, this state park is a great birding destination. Similar to to birdwatching at Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge, you’ll have a wide array of species to look for and there’s plenty of information about the different birds available to learn a little something. Birdwatching at Bradbury Mountain State Park is kind of wonderful.

Tips for Hiking Bradbury Mountain near Freeport

When you come to Bradbury Mountain State Park plan for a fun day enjoying the beauty of the woods, and maybe making friends with a dog along the way. There are a lot of people who come here with their pups for some fun, safe time in the woods and allowing their dogs to exercise their sniffers. There is plenty of room on the trails for everyone, dogs included, so enjoy that element of your visit.

While the trails at Bradbury Mountain State Park are indeed well maintained, if you’ve got knee problems or just don’t want to exert yourself too much, make sure that you’re taking the more mellow of the trails up and down. You’ll see that you have an option to go on the Summit trail, which is much shorter than the Northern Loop trail, but keep in mind that this and the Switchback trails are a bit more rough and definitely more steep in spots. We’re not talking about having to scale a mountain face or anything, but it’s just a bit less gingerly than the main thoroughfare, the Northern Loop trail.

As you hike, keep your eyes peeled for wildlife. That’s what really surprised me about Bradbury Mountain SP. While it may be known for its birdwatching, there are lots of deer, rabbits, snakes and more all through the woods. We haven’t encountered any porcupines here, but I’m sure they’re around too. If you are here specifically for the birding, when you get to the top of Bradbury Mountain your actually find a whole exhibit board about the birds of the area and the local bird counts. The park rangers and local birders are great about sharing migration and bird watching information, so check it out and see what you can see.

Gear for Hiking Bradbury Mountain State Park

Hiking, even on level trails, is always best done in the right shoes. For the trails at Bradbury Mountain State Park you won’t need intense hiking boots with all the bells and whistles, but knowing that there is a significant amount of uneven terrain and some rocky areas, it’s worth it to have good support. The main trail, the Northern Loop trail, stays pretty clear and even, so if you’re just doing this one route you don’t have much to worry about, but if you’re hiking on the steeper trails, be smart about it.

And don’t forget your camera! I mentioned that there is a fair amount of wildlife here, so be ready to capture some animal photos while you’re here. If you’re coming for the bird photography, be sure you have your telephoto lenses at the ready when you get to the top of the mountain. The view is amazing, yes, but this is also a great opportunity to photograph birds soaring over the lowlands. The coolest bird we’ve seen here was actually a golden eagle, and believe me, we were stunned to see him soaring.

Bradbury Mountain State Park also has a great picnic area. If you’re just here for the day, bring your lunch and enjoy the nice picnic tables among the trees at the base of the mountain. There is also a nice field if that’s more of your picnic style. At the top of the mountain you’ll also find a few picnic tables, as well as the nice granite ground to set up your lunch. It’s a great place to enjoy the view while you dine al fresco.

Camping at Bradbury Mountain State Park

Want to go camping not far from civilization but still nicely remote? Bradbury Mountain State Park is perfect for it! You’ll actually be surprised how large the campground is here. The sites are very nice and plenty big, and the facilities are fantastic. There are community kitchen/dining spaces in addition to what you’ll find at your campsite, and there are plenty of potable water spigots and restrooms. It’s a nice campground and even with the road not far from the sites, it’s very quiet.

While other spots like Baxter State Park or Lily Bay State Park have lots of areas to explore or camp, Bradbury Mountain SP keeps it all in one general location. If you are camping, you can easily cross the street to the actual hiking trails and picnic area without driving. I like the simple, contained nature of this park.

Getting to Bradbury Mountain SP

If you’re visiting Freeport or are heading up into the MidCoast Maine area, Bradbury Mountain State Park is an easy addition to your trip. It’s less than fifteen minutes from downtown Freeport and very close to the Desert of Maine. Even though it’s a popular hiking spot, there is more than enough parking for most nice days, but on a Saturday you may find it filling up early. If you’re visiting in the off season, you can park outside the park gates, but be sure to not block them in case rangers or emergency services need in.

If you’re coming for mountain biking, you can park in the regular parking area to access the following trails:

• Northern Loop
• Tote Road
• Boundary Trail
• Ski Trail
• Switchback Trail

All trails on the east side of the park allow mountain biking, but you still need to park in the regular lot. You may be tempted to park within the campground loop, but please don’t do that and just park in the standard lot.