| Mount Blue State Park | |
|---|---|
 | |
  Location in Maine | |
| Location | Weld, Maine,United States |
| Coordinates | 44°43′41″N70°20′31″W / 44.72806°N 70.34194°W /44.72806; -70.34194[1] |
| Area | 7,489 acres (30.31 km2)[2] |
| Elevation | 3,183 ft (970 m)[1] |
| Established | 1955 |
| Administrator | Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry |
| Website | Mount Blue State Park |
Mount Blue State Park is a public recreation area covering 7,489 acres (3,031 ha) in thetown ofWeld,Franklin County,Maine.[3] Thestate park's bifurcated land includes acreage on the west shore ofWebb Lake as well asMount Blue and other peaks to the east of the lake. The park is connected by road with the 10,555-acre (4,271 ha)[2]Tumbledown Public Lands, the site of Little Jackson Mountain,Tumbledown Mountain, and Tumbledown Pond, analpine lake near the top of Tumbledown and Little Jackson mountains.[4] The park and public lands are managed by the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry.
During the 1930s, workers with theWorks Progress Administration began developing the area that would become Mount Blue State Park. In the 1940s, there was a proposal for a ski hill on Mount Blue and a winter recreation complex nearby; these were illustrated in an engaging flier but apparently developments did not take place.[5] The state of Maine took possession from theU.S. Department of Agriculture in 1955.[6]
The park saw a 50% increase in size in 2002, when the state purchased 2,468 acres from a subsidiary of McDonald Investment Company for $980,000. The funds used to purchase the land came from the Land for Maine’s Future program, the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund, the Maine Outdoor Heritage Fund and private donations. The land purchased included the 1,298-foot peak known as Hedgehog Hill.[7][8]
This park is home to mammalian species includingmoose, squirrels,white-tailed deer,foxes,black bears andcoyotes.
The park offers a nature center, camping at 136 campsites, swimming area, motorized and non-motorized boating, fishing, and hunting. The extensive trail system is used for hiking, horseback riding, cross-country skiing, snowmobiling, and ATV riding. The park is open year-round.[3]