state parks

Massachusetts residents were getting out of the house and flocking to parks on Memorial Day — so much so that several parks were closed by the morning. Three state parks were closed by Monday morning, with one not accepting anyone for the rest of the day. That’s Walden Pond State Reservation, which had reached maximum capacity by 9:13 a.m. Cochituate…

Maine state parks had a record number of visitors this year for a second year in a row. The Portland Press Herald reports that Maine’s 42 state parks and historic sites had more than 3.2 million visitors through November, according to Jim Britt, spokesman for the Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands. Last year the attendance was 3.1 million visitors,…

Looking for things to do outside in Vermont? All state parks are now open for the season — and parks officials think it could be a record-breaking one.

A possible record season could be coming to the Vermont State Parks system, which Friday saw all locations now open, following gradual openings over the past several weeks. Offerings like cabin rentals are returning in 2021 following a pause in 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic. “It’s a treat, it really is,” said Dave Grossman of Newton, Massachusetts, who biked…

All of Vermont’s state parks will be open for the Memorial Day weekend. Some opened in the beginning of May but by Friday, all 55 Vermont state parks will be open. Following a surge in visitors last year amid the coronavirus pandemic, park officials expect to have one of the busiest seasons ever, said state parks director Nate McKeen. “People…

There is fierce competition for Maine campsites this summer, both at state parks and private campgrounds. According to the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry, roughly half of the advance reservation campsites at state parks are already booked up for peak season. “Some of the reservations are 100% up, 80% up over last year,” said Jim Britt, communications director…

If you’re thinking about booking a weekend camping trip at a Maine state park this summer, sooner may be better than later with reservations being made at a high clip.

Dr. Maria Caffrey, a climate scientist who said she was let go for speaking out after the National Park Service wanted her to remove human causes from her research, talks about how climate change will impact national parks in Massachusetts.

A number of state parks and beaches opened up Monday in Maine as part of Phase 2 of Gov. Janet Mills’ plan to reopen the economy.