Bigelow Preserve is an absolutely gorgeous state-owned nature preserve in Western Maine…read more Established in 1976, this protected land is open to the public for hiking, camping, boating, fishing, fall foliage, snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, and so much more! At over 36,000 acres... you're sure to find something of interest. The flora and fauna are just breath-taking and it is absolutely worth a visit! I visited this vast parcel of land with the intent of climbing four out of the seven peaks of the Bigelow Mountain Range that are contained within the preserve. As some of the tallest mountains in all of Maine, I was excited for the challenge. The mountains are named after Major Timothy Bigelow who summitted the peaks in the late 1700s. There are many trails, including the famous Appalachian Trail, that snake through this forested playground. The Maine Appalachian Trail Club maintains these tracks and provides caretakers at the backcountry camping sites. From the mountains there are impressive views of Flagstaff Lake and the mountain range itself. Open all year round. One of the most scenic hikes I've completed in a while! Breath in the fresh air and get outside.

We had a great time fishing on the Kennebec last weekend. It was a beautiful day - not too hot, not…read moretoo cold, and it was so relaxing drifting down the river and casting for bass. We were in two rafts - Mike and Garrett were our guides. We argued after the trip who had the better guide - both were very knowledgeable, patient, and fun. I was particularly grateful to Mike for the attention he gave my daughter - who wasn't all that sure about fishing! He made sure that she caught some fish, and helped her with how and where to cast to find fish. We shared a good laugh when a fish slipped out of her hands, right into her sweater pocket!! A great day on the Kennebec - we will definitely be back!!

From the owner: Guiding fishing trips in Western Maine. Fly fishing or spin casting, novice or expert. Trout,…read moreSalmon and smallmouth bass, full day, 1/2 day or multi day trips.

We went on a family camping trip to hike and go white water rafting. This place surpassed…read moreexpectations for so many reasons. 1. Location is very convenient to Moxie Falls. About a 10 minute drive away. 2. The camping offers many options from hotel rooms in the lodge, to cabins, to RV sites, tent sites and cabin-tents. We tried the cabin-tent and LOVED it. We are use to camping in tents so a cabin-tent felt luxurious. 3. The lodge offers a huge hot tub, a swimming pool, corn hole, billiards, and an arcade...complete with several claw games which all kids love. 4. The food and drinks are really quality. We're talking gourmet food, but good selection of classics and something for everyone. They have a great selection of craft beer. 5. The white water rafting is down to a science! They offer gear for staying warm even when wet...wetsuit parts (jackets, pants, booties), and of course life jackets and helmets. You literally just have to show up. 6. The guides and staff in the lodge are very knowledgeable, very friendly, and some of them are very funny. All of them are great to talk to. We rafted the Kennebec, and we can't wait to come back and do the Dead River and the Penobscot too!

This place is for anyone who loves the outdoors! White Water Rafting, Hiking, Tubing down the…read moreriver, and more. What really stood out was the outstanding woodwork in the restaurant & bar. We rented the King Pine log cabin for a birthday party. It sleeps 14+! I do have pictures that I will share but the beds aren't made because we were leaving & housekeeping does all of that. We all went to breakfast at their restaurant. Delicious & huge portions. Reasonably priced as well. There's a large hot tub, game room, swimming pool & pool table. Nice cozy couches in this area as well. The staff were some of the nicest people I have ever met. This is an all season place. It is definitely worth the trip!

Had a great day at North Country River White Water Rafting for our work team-building day! It was a…read moreperfect time to be out on the river with the fall foliage. The views were awesome, and everyone had a blast. Our guide River was awesome! Super informative, outgoing, and kept things fun the whole time. The guy definitely lives up to his name and absolutely killed it! If you're looking for a fun day on the river, especially during foliage season, I'd definitely recommend these guys. Great experience all around!

I was here for a family gathering to celebrate my sister's 50 th birthday. Our group stayed at a…read morecouple of cabins which were very nice and convenient. We went two days in a row. The first day was the full river trip and the second day was the ultimate on the Kennebec River. Both days were excellent!! It was my and my 16 year old year's first time white water rafting. We absolutely loved it!! We had a big group, 15 people the first day, 19 the second with a large range of ages 6-65 years and mixed of experienced and non experienced. We had the same guides both days-Jackie and Steve. Not only were they great guides but they are beautiful people! Everyone in our group had a wonderful time and we spent all night reminiscing.

Great place Elle was amazing so much fun will be back can't wait…read more Good Food Camping Bar

Aelin made our trip unforgettable! Even with the freezing rain, we had an amazing time. For two of…read moreus, it was our very first experience, and we couldn't have asked for a better guide. We're already looking forward to coming back and booking with Three Rivers again. We did the Kennebac River upper and lower trip.

Outdoor enthusiasts- this is your happy place!! I've never seen so many lakes, streams, and remote…read morehiking trails all in one place!! Absolute heaven!! The Rangeley Lakes region is massive and holds six large lakes, as well as hundreds of smaller lakes, ponds, and streams. I started my adventure driving in on the Rangeley Lakes Scenic Byway which takes you way up on some ridges with vast sweeping views of the valley that holds gigantic Mooselookmeguntic Lake!! You'll have the opportunity to pull off for photos at Height of Land waypoint and I highly recommend the stop - a great way to start your trip! I based myself out of Rangeley and stayed at the quaint Rangeley Inn & Tavern and it was so perfect! Rangeley is right in the heart of the region and sits between lovely Haley Pond (full of Loons!!) and magnificent Rangeley Lake which has spectacular sunsets and seaplane excursions. Apparently modern day fly fishing was born in this region which doesn't surprise me. This is a sportsman's paradise to be sure! Fishing, hunting, ATVing - all very popular here. As well as hiking and tons of birding! In winter it's all about skiing and snowmobiling. I came to this region in search of moose and explored as much as I could - all the way up to the giant Chain of Ponds pushing up to the Canadian border. And while I didn't find any moose, I still had an amazing adventure and will definitely be back!!

I feel the need to preface all of my nature reviews with this: being 90% forested and having around…read more3500 miles of coastline, Maine (and NH) has a tremendous amount of spaces, walkways, paths, and trails of all kinds and of all levels. There's something for everyone. What I'm reviewing is how a spot compares to similar outdoor spots in my personal opinion. Being in nature - and remembering to carry in, carry out - is always five stars! :) Parking? Yes. Loop trail? No. Well marked signs? Yes. Element of surprise? Yes. Heads-up: to even access the parking lot, you'll need to drive down some seriously rough back roads. Maine back roads. You've been warned. Admittedly, this was one of the most difficult hikes I have ever done (to date). It's a (give or take) 3,187' elevation done in about 1.5 miles. Yeah. Let that sink in. It's an out-and-back vertical rock scramble. It's very steep, it's very rocky and it stays that way from the very beginning to the very end. We saw on multiple different hiking websites that "experienced, athletic hikers can make this aggressive climb in 1.5 to 2 hours." We got there at around 4:30pm and left around 8pm (and we were hustling down the mountain at the end because we didn't want to be up there in the dark after having seen a lot of fresh moose scat). We were shocked to see people just starting their climb as we were coming down! "Are we almost there?" one person asked... The answer? No, no you're not. And that's the story of Mt Blue. Just when you think you're almost to the summit... you're not. "Let's just push forward for five more minutes." VERTICAL ROCK SCRAMBLE. "Okay, just another five minutes." MORE VERTICAL ROCK SCRAMBLING. "Five more minutes and then we'll turn around." VERTICAL ROCK SCRAMBLING FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE. When we had reached our absolute physical breaking point we really did go "just five more minutes"... and reached the summit, which offered some of the most spectacular, most rewarding views I have ever seen in Maine. At the top is an old fire tower that you can climb (there are a few levels of stairs; it sways ever so slightly in the wind, so people who get motion sickness or have fear of heights, heads-up), but from there you can see panoramic views of the picturesque, seemingly endless, nearby mountains and lakes. It was one of the most breathtaking scenic summits I have ever experienced or witnessed; Maine in absolutely all of her glory and beauty and impressiveness.

Holy moly! That my friend is a hike to do. Not only does it boast a gorgeous 360 view atop the…read moreobservation tower, it also gives you a workout that you will physically remember...for days. As part of my hike 40 different Maine mountains, I figured this was a good one to add to my list.(This was 36 if you were wondering) I hit up the google maps for direction and got myself within a few miles when I turned it off and followed the signs. I stopped at the multi-use trails to ensure it wasn't what I needed. It gave me good directions to the correct trail head I wanted. I scooted up the road that soon turned to dirt and after passing the sign and turn for Center Hill went .7 miles before seeing the sign for Mt. Blue. This bumpy dirt road went on for 2.5 miles before getting to the parking lot. My hike was all uphill. No switch backs, no meandering easy trails, just all up. Straight up rocks, boulders, and roots. Luckily at .5 there was trail off to the left with a small waterfall and then a bit further up there was a very old and falling apart cabin with more views of the mountain stream behind it. The rest of the hike was as I said before was all straight up. I had brought a jacket in case the overcast day got chilly but definitely didn't need it. I was sweaty and breathing heavy. Along the way I passed all ages of people so while this may be tough it's not impossible for any age. At the top I was delighted by the sight of the observation tower. How many mountains had I done where at the top I wanted to see more! I huffed it up the few flights of steps and took in a breathtaking 360 view! So worth the sweat, achey muscles, and exhaustion I felt. My trip up was 1:40 and trip down was 1:10. I'm in moderate shape and recovering from a leg injury so take that timing as you wish.