Chapter 1 - RULES FOR STATE PARKS AND HISTORIC SITESThe following rules and regulations are established by the Bureau of Parks and Lands (Bureau) pursuant to the provisions of the "Maine Revised Statutes Annotated," Title 12, Section 1803, subsection 6.
1. The use of all State Parks and Historic Sites, as defined in the Title 12 MRSA section 1801 (5), (7), shall be limited to the purposes for which they are being preserved and to activities determined by the Bureau to be compatible with the intended use of the facility. Activities which endanger persons or property are prohibited. The removal, molesting, injury or damage of anything natural, physical, prehistorical, or historical within these areas is strictly prohibited except as outlined in section 21 regarding hunting, trapping and firearms.2. Feeding or touching wild animals found in the parks or historic sites is prohibited. For health and safety reasons, visitors are required to put away food securely and leave picnic areas and campsites clean.3. Day use areas will be open from 9:00 a.m. to sunset daily, unless posted otherwise due to operational constraints.4. Use of metal detectors at historic sites is prohibited. Metal detectors are allowed in other areas only by written permit obtained at the park.5. Intoxicating beverages are not permitted in historic sites, day use areas, or in common public areas in campgrounds. Disorderly conduct is prohibited. This includes, but is not limited to, indecent acts, intoxication or coarse language.6. Open fires are allowed only in grills or fireplaces provided by the Bureau. No fires are allowed on beaches. No fires shall be left unattended.7. No pets are allowed in the Sebago Lake State Park campground. Pets are not allowed on beaches between April! and September 30. Pets must be on a leash under the physical control of the pet handler and must not be left unattended. Pet owners must immediately clean up any fecal deposits left by their pets. Pet owners may be assigned picnic or campsites in a less congested area of the park.8. Wheeled vehicles including bicycles shall be parked only in places designated for that purpose, conform to posted traffic regulations, be confined to roads and trails specifically designated for their use and otherwise comply with all applicable State laws. Vehicles parked in unauthorized areas may be towed at the vehicle owner's expense.9. The discharging of wastes, including soaps and detergents, is prohibited except in a receptacle specifically designated for that purpose.10. All refuse shall be placed in designated containers provided by the Bureau. No refuse shall be deposited in any type of toilet facility. At those areas where the Bureau has a carry in/carry out policy, users shall be responsible for carrying out all their refuse. 11. Soliciting is prohibited.12. Campsite vacancies will be filled either by the State Park Campsite Reservation System or on a first come, first served basis. All campers must register in person when arriving at a State Park campground.13.a. The camping day is from 1 :00 p.m. until 11 :00 a.m. Camping, at anyone park, shall be limited to a cumulative total of fourteen (14) nights from the last Saturday in June through the third Saturday in August.b. Sites may not be left unattended more than two nights. Absences exceeding two nights require prior approval of the Park Manager or designee. The Bureau may remove unattended equipment at the equipment owner's expense.14. Campsite occupancy and use is limited to: a. A minimum of one (1) adult 18 years of age or older per camping party b. A family consisting of up to two (2) adults and any number of their children under 18 c. A maximum of six (6) individuals including children, except as set forth in 14b.d. One (1) motor home, trailer, camper van, or slide-in camper is allowed per campsite e. For tent campsites - as many tents as will comfortably fit within the designated site f. Not more than two (2) motor vehicles including the visitor's vehicle g. Picnic table(s) provided at the site by the Bureau. Moving picnic table(s) from site to site and using one site by several parties is prohibited.15. Campsite visitors will be allowed as follows: a. After 9:00 a.m. by paying the day use fee and leaving before 8:00 p.m. Limit one visiting party to a campsite. The total number of people at the campsite will not exceed ten, and the limit at Sebago Lake State Park will not exceed eight.16. Quiet in camping areas is required between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m.17. Trails will be opened and closed by the Bureau as warranted by environmental and safety conditions.18. The use of chain saws and power equipment is prohibited. Generators may be used between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. as long as they do not bother other visitors.19. The use of floating devices, face masks or snorkels is prohibited at surf beaches. Scuba diving may be allowed by permit obtained at the park.20. Hunting, trapping and firearms a. All hunting and trapping shall take place in accordance with the laws of the State of Maine, the laws and rules of the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, and local ordinances.b. A concealed handgun may be carried by qualifying individuals consistent with the provisions of 12 M.R.S.A. §1803, (7). Open carry is not permitted under this provision. c. The possession and/or use of firearms or weapons is prohibited in all areas between June I and Labor Day except in accordance with 20b above.d. Hunting is not permitted at any time at State Historic Sites or Memorials, or at any of the properties listed below: Andrews Beach State Park: that portion of Bradbury Mountain State Park west of State Route 9; Cobscook Bay State Park: Crescent Beach and Kettle Cove State Parks; Damariscotta Lake State Park; Ferry Beach State Park; Holbrook Island Sanctuary State Park; Mackworth Island; Nickerson Lake State Park; Owls Head Light State Park; that portion of Quoddy Head State Park within 1,000 feet of the lighthouse; Reid State Park; Sebago Lake State Park; Shackford Head State Park; Two Lights State Park; and Wolfe's Neck Woods State Park.
e. Hunting is not permitted between June land Labor Day at any of the properties listed below: Aroostook State Park; Birch Point Beach State Park; Bradbury Mountain State Park east of Route 9; Camden Hills State Park; Grafton Notch State Park; Mt. Kineo State Park; Lake St. George State Park; Lamoine State Park; Lily Bay State Park; Moose Point State Park; Mount Blue State Park; Moxie Falls State Park; Peaks-Kenny State Park; Popham Beach State Park; Quoddy Head State Park, Range Pond State Park; Rangeley Lake State Park, except that portion posted as part of the Rangeley Lake Game Sanctuary; Roque Bluffs State Park; Swan Lake State Park; Warren Island State Park.
f. The discharge of any weapon is prohibited from or within 300 feet of any picnic area, camping area or campsite, parking area, building, shelter, boat launch site, posted trail or other developed area.g. Trails which are closed to hunting will be posted to that effect at access points. On trails posted as closed to hunting, loaded weapons are not permitted on the tread way except in accordance with 20b above and weapons may not be discharged within 300 feet of the trail.
h. Work areas and areas with significant public use may be temporarily posted as closed to hunting by park management in the interest of public safety.i. Baiting of wildlife for the purpose of hunting is prohibited. j. Trapping may take place only in accordance with the laws of the State of Maine, the laws and rules of the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife and local ordinances. Trapping on state parks or historic sites in organized townships requires the written permission of the Bureau.21. The launching or retrieving of whitewater craft on the Lower West Branch of the Penobscot River by commercial whitewater outfitters is prohibited except at sites designated by the Bureau of Parks and Lands. For safety reasons access may be allowed at other locations with prior approval of the bureau. Designated commercial access sites are:
e. Nevers Comer. In addition to any criminal and civil sanctions imposed by law, the Bureau may evict any person violating these rules or other State laws or regulations. Bureau employees or their representatives in the official conduct of their duties and in accordance with bureau policy are exempt from the above rules.
Penalties: Violation of any of these rules, that constitutes a criminal offense as designated in Title 12 MRAS §1806 (4) is a Class E crime.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
March 14, 1975 (filed 8-14-78)
AMENDED:
July 1, 1979
April 21, 1983 (EMERGENCY)
May 27, 1983 (EMERGENCY)
May 21, 1984
May 7, 1986
June 8, 1987
April 6, 1988
May 17, 1989
March 8, 1992
September 23, 1995
EFFECTIVE DATE (ELECTRONIC CONVERSION):
May 4, 1996
AMENDED:
May 27, 1997 - Section 22 added
NON-SUBSTANTIVE CORRECTIONS:
August 7, 1998 - Missing words "including bicycles" from September 23, 1995 amendment reinserted; stray parenthesis removed from 16; under VIOLATION OF RULES AND REGULATIONS, "markers" corrected to "marker."
AMENDED:
October 23, 1999
June 3, 2012 - filing 2012-163
CORRECTIONS
February, 2014 - agency names, formatting
AMENDED:
7/19/2014- filing 2014- 147STATUTORY AUTHORITY: 12 M.R.S.A. §606