Why Maine is a Great Wilderness

The immensity of Maine’s wilderness is hard for most to comprehend, with a total area of 33,215 square miles, the state it nearly as large as the other five New England states combined. In fact, Maine’s largest county, Aroostook alone is comprised of 6,453 square miles, covering an area greater than the combined size of Connecticut and Rhode Island. In addition, Maine contains 32,000 miles of rivers and streams, equal to more than the combined length of the Mississippi, Amazon, Yangtze and Nile rivers.

Despite Maine’s impressive size, it ranks as the most sparsely populated state east of the Mississippi with only 1.2 million residents. This mix of low population density and tens of thousands of miles of explorable wilderness and waters, make Maine an outdoorsman’s paradise.

Maine is a vast, isolated and empty, and this is precisely what is enjoyed by a large number of its 1.2 million inhabitants. To the uninitiated, the woods may seem course and lonely but Maine’s wild lands are in fact not empty and instead possess a wild unbridled energy difficult to explain.

Novice, intermediate or expert outdoorsman, no matter how adventurous you are, Maine’s woods and waters are able to accommodate. Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall and yes even during the infamous “mud season”, Mainer’s enjoy a huge selection of outdoor sports including: canoeing, kayaking, backpacking hiking, flyfishing, hunting, skiing, snowshoeing, ATV riding, snowmobiling, ice fishing . . . just to name a few! No matter your outdoor passion or the season, there exists an exciting bucket list experience for every skill level.

Maine contains a subtle beauty whispered gently to you by the wind in the white pines and the waves lapping at a deserted beach, it will only be understood by those able to slow down and truly listen. One can draw power and healing from these whispers and explorers have come here for centuries to revitalize their souls.