Knox: Hiking Trails, Museums, and Lighthouse History

Knox offers a range of travel experiences: hiking trails in Camden Hills State Park, historic buildings, art collections, and lighthouse history. When planning a trip, you can first choose the places and themes you want to focus on during your stay.

Hiking Among Lookouts and Multi-use Trails

In Camden Hills State Park, the one-mile, moderate Megunticook Trail leads to the park’s best viewpoints. The Mount Battie Trail is a 0.5-mile, moderate-to-difficult hike with views of Camden and the islands in Penobscot Bay. The 1.2-mile Nature Trail is rated easy to moderate. It runs from the camping area to the Tablelands Trail junction; from there, the trail leads either to Mount Battie or Ocean Lookout. The Ridge Trail runs 2.5 miles along Mount Megunticook and offers viewpoints above Lake Megunticook.

Another option is the five-mile Ski Shelter / Multi-use Trail, rated easy. It is designated for biking, hiking, horseback riding, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and snowmobiling. In Beech Hill Preserve in Rockport, the Summit Trail is 0.6 miles long and easy; the Woods Loop is 0.9 miles long. This gives you a choice of short and longer routes, with different difficulty levels and types of use.

Historic Buildings and Regional History

The Mt. Battie Tower in Camden Hills State Park is an open shelter and observation platform. It was dedicated as a memorial to the men and women who served in World War I. The Conway House is a Cape-style timber-frame house near the boundary between the towns of Camden and Rockport. The property also preserves an 18th-century timber-frame barn south of the house and a blacksmith shop to the southeast.

A different scale is found in the Chestnut Street Historic District: it includes more than 85 buildings on Chestnut Street, Wood Street, and Pleasant Street, as well as a concentration of Camden’s oldest surviving homes and buildings. The history of Henry Knox is represented here, too. Henry and Lucy Knox began building their home, Montpelier, on the Saint George River in 1794. The Knox Museum is the only museum dedicated to Henry Knox and his era.

Art, Lighthouses, and Collections

The Farnsworth Art Museum houses nearly 16,000 works by 1,300 artists. The museum also includes the historic sites Farnsworth Homestead and Olson House. Through its collections, the Maine Lighthouse Museum explores the traditions and development of lighthouse and lifesaving services, as well as the U.S. Coast Guard. The museum describes its collection of lighthouse, lifesaving, and U.S. Coast Guard artifacts as the largest in the United States. The Discovery Center also features exhibits from other local cultural institutions.

Rockland Breakwater Lighthouse was completed in 1902; its grounds and breakwater are part of the site. Marie Reed Park offers picnic tables in a shaded area overlooking the harbor, as well as a wide gravel path to the foot of the Rockland Breakwater. Exhibits at the Marshall Point Lighthouse Museum provide an overview of the history, culture, and people of the Saint George region. On display are also lighthouse memorabilia and tools used in lobster fishing and quarrying. A nature and history trail runs through the scenic grounds of the lighthouse and museum. Access details may change; check them before visiting.

Festival Dates and Getting There

The Maine Lobster Festival in Rockland is a five-day seafood festival held every year from Wednesday to Sunday on the first weekend in August. The exact calendar dates may vary from year to year. Fresh, hot Maine lobster is served in the Main Eating Tent, with views of Penobscot Bay. The Marine Experience Tent features a touch tank and demonstrations by lobster trap builders and fishermen. Food offerings, exhibitors, and demonstrations may vary from one festival to the next; check the dates and program for the year of your visit.

U.S. Route 1 runs along the entire coast of Knox County. Knox County Regional Airport offers charter and commercial flights, including commercial service to Boston. Flight schedules may change; check current connections when planning your trip.

Check the location of a specific accommodation in relation to the destinations you plan to visit.

Discover more destinations: Camden, Rockport, Cumberland, Somerset, Oxford, Kennebec, Franklin County, Waldo County

For the main travel overview: Maine.