Aroostook State Park is public recreation area within the southern municipal boundary of the city of
Presque Isle in
Aroostook County
Aroostook County ( ; french: Comté d'Aroostook) is a county in the U.S. state of Maine along the Canada–U.S. border. As of the 2020 census, the population was 67,105. Its county seat is Houlton, with offices in Caribou and Fort Kent.
...
,
Maine. The state park's encompass
Quaggy Jo Mountain and sit adjacent to
Echo Lake. "Quaggy Jo" is an altered version of the mountain's Native American name, "Qua Qua Jo", which means "twin-peaked."
[
The park is off U.S. Route 1 on the south side of Presque Isle. The similarly named ]Aroostook National Wildlife Refuge
Aroostook National Wildlife Refuge is located on part of the former Loring Air Force Base, in Aroostook County, Maine. It was established in 1998, when were transferred from the United States Air Force to the United States Fish and Wildlife Servi ...
is some to the north.
The park is 1 of 5 Maine State Parks that are in the path of totality for the 2024 solar eclipse, with 3 minutes and 1 second of totality.
History
The park was formed in 1938 as the first of Maine's state parks three years after the creation of the Maine State Park Commission. It was formed through the donation of of land by business persons from the Presque Isle Merchants Association. The park's first ski runs were built by a 35-member crew from the Works Progress Administration.[ In 2009, the park was expanded with the addition of , which cost the Department of Conservation $60,000.][
]
Wildlife
While the park's forest provides a home for black bear and moose, smaller species such as foxes, squirrels, and chipmunks are more commonly seen by visitors. The forest's mix of hardwood trees and cold-tolerant softwoods typical of northern Maine includes various species of ash, maple, and birch, as well as hophornbeam, quaking aspen, American beech
''Fagus grandifolia'', the American beech or North American beech, is a species of beech tree native to the eastern United States and extreme southeast of Canada.
Description
''Fagus grandifolia'' is a large deciduous tree growing to tall, w ...
, and balsam fir.[ Common birds include hawks, owls, and woodpeckers. Brook trout are found in Echo Lake.][
]
Activities and amenities
The park offers a 30-site campground and trails for hiking, cross-country skiing, and snowshoeing.[ Swimming, fishing, and canoeing are offered on Echo Lake.][
]
References
External links
Aroostook State Park
Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry
Aroostook State Park Guide & Map
Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry
{{authority control
State parks of Maine
Protected areas of Aroostook County, Maine
Protected areas established in 1938
Works Progress Administration in Maine
1938 establishments in Maine
Presque Isle, Maine
Campgrounds in Maine