In his book Maine Woods, the philosopher and naturalist Henry David Thoreau glorified the Maine hiking experience. Back in Thoreau’s day in the 1850s, the Maine hiking trails were the few places in the East that had remained unspoiled or undeveloped by the European settlers. Thoreau believed that he had experienced a “deeper wilderness” while hiking in Maine than Herman Melville had as a castaway at sea. He was also convinced that “only daring and insolent men” followed the Maine hiking trails to the tops of the mountains. Today, thousands of daring, insolent and not so insolent men and women set out on the hiking trails in Maine. Some, on a quest for spiritual enlightenment, choose to follow in Thoreau’s footsteps through the Maine woods. Others prefer to find their own road. Whether you choose to lead or follow, a Maine hiking trip will be a truly memorable experience.

There are hundreds of hiking trails in Maine to choose from. Rugged outdoor athletes enjoy the challenge of the long Maine hiking trails that extend above tree line. Others enjoy the simplicity of a relaxing trail that meanders lazily through a cool pine forest. Still others can be found somewhere off the coast of Maine, hiking the rocky and rugged shorelines.

Needless to say, a vast multitude of people choose to go hiking in the Appalachian Trail in Maine. While the grandeur of Mount Katahdin and the serene beauty of Baxter State Park are indeed enticing, there are other hiking trails in Maine that are worth exploring.

Maine Map

Do you like blueberries? If you follow the Stone House Trail up Blueberry Mountain, you can spend a day picking the sweet blue morsels that grow from the shrubs along this Maine hiking trail. This trail not only provides a treat for the taste buds. Along the way, you will see splendid views of the Baldface Ridge, as well as the hills that surround the Cold River Valley. This is a delicious way to go hiking in Maine.

If you think you would enjoy bird watching while you are hiking in Maine, pay a visit to the Moosehorn National Wildlife Preserve. Moosehorn is one of the northern most national wildlife refuges in the Atlantic Flyway, which is a migratory route along the eastern coast of North America. The wildlife refuge provides a feeding and nesting habitat for a variety of New England bird species, including waterfowl wading birds, shorebirds, upland game birds, songbirds, and birds of prey. The Maine hiking trail in the Moosehorn Preserve is characterized by rolling hills, large ledge outcrops, streams, lakes, bogs, and marshes. The hardwood forests are filled with aspen, fir, maple, birch and spruce.