Gravel Adventure Field Guide

Introduction

The Highlands of Maine are the gateway into the storied past of sporting camps, with generational ties to fishing and hunting. Maine’s guiding traditions are influenced by the Wabanaki Nation, and was the first state in 1897 to license guides. Cornelia “Fly Rod” Crosby the first registered one. This Gravel Adventure Field Guide’s cover is inspired by the official Maine Guide patch.

Nestled among scenic mountain ranges, Moosehead Lake is surrounded by vast forest, boasting many recreation opportunities and some of the best moose watching in the country. Now the AMC Maine Woods are emerging as a New England gravel bike destination in Piscataquis County.

Since 2003, the Appalachian Mountain Club Maine Woods Initiative has opened up greater multi-use recreation across 114,000 acres in Piscataquis County. Gravel cycling is benefiting from this effort with access to 330 miles of logging roads.

By balancing outdoor recreation, resource protection, responsible forestry, education, research, climate change mitigation, and community partnerships, AMC has permanently protected this extraordinary landscape with sustainably managed forest lands. It provides access to current and future generations of outdoor recreationists including adventure cyclists. This innovative approach informs this Gravel Adventure Field Guide.

Welcome

Since 1876, AMC has encouraged and welcomed people to be outdoors, and is thrilled to expand their sphere of influence with gravel cycling enthusiasts. The belief is that being outdoors has the power to inspire adventure, educate, and reinforce the protection of natural resources in the Maine Woods.

Whether visiting the Moosehead Lake region for a day, or riding lodge-to-lodge to one of three AMC-lodges , cyclists will find a unique and historically rich destination that inherently energizes a healthy appreciation for a region featuring one of the largest areas of undeveloped forests and lakes in the northeast.

AMC’s commitment to getting more people outdoors is baked into a shared landscape approach to land conservation for the purpose to connect, promote, and enhance the local economy through recreation. The sustainable approach towards recreation, conservation and working forest includes a gravel road network that is rivaled by few East Coast destinations due to its secluded and natural beauty setting.

The AMC Maine Woods is home to many outdoor recreation opportunities. Visit the AMC at outdoors.org

Road Origins

— Maine Highlands: A North American Forest Frontier —

Limited paved road development is distinct for Maine due to its bountiful forested terrain. Ancient waterway routes were used by Native Americans for tribal commerce with coastal communities. Piscataquis translates to “at the river branch.”

Traditional Maine sporting camps emerged in the 1870s. Once in a sporting camp, getting around was done via canoe or on foot. Most who arrived in the 19th and 20th century came either on one of the tote roads that supplied logging camps, or on the railroad.

In the early 1900’s Moosehead Lake became the premier vacation destination for many wanting to escape the heat, noise and crowds of city life. Simultaneously, the lake was being used by the logging industry.

As rivers jammed with logs being driven downstream, Moosehead Lake saw many steamships tow huge booms laden with logs down the length of the lake. Significant logging road construction began in the 1970s when the practice of log river drives ended.

Today, Moosehead Lake is a top destination for eco-tourists and nature lovers, and those seeking outdoor adventure. The AMC Maine Woods Initiative now opens up remote areas with unpaved roads, and gravel cyclists will find this experience very special.

Communities

Rural Life in the Maine Woods

Greenville and Brownville Junction are the two gateway communities near the AMC Maine Woods whose livelihood is connected through timber, railyards, manufacturing, agriculture, outdoor recreation, and tourism.

Brownville resulted from a land grant issued in 1806. Francis Brown, along with a crew of workmen, arrived on the Pleasant River to build some of the first saw and grist mills in the area. Population increased as slate quarries emerged, attracting a notable amount of Welsh immigrants. By 1843, 8,000 to 12,000 squares of slate was produced annually.

Greenville was another land grant that led to an incorporated town on February 6, 1836. It was named in honor of the green forests that surround it. Being the largest lake in Maine, Moosehead Lake accommodated steamboats that were utilized to tow rafted logs. On July 4, 1836, the first boat made a pleasure excursion to Mt Kineo, laying the seeds for an eventual tourism industry.

Today, the legacy of natural resource extraction informs 21st century economic and community development. Brownville and Greenville, along with the nearby communities of Millinocket and Monson, are encouraged by the new economic models that preserve rural Maine’s quality of life while attracting residents and visitors with amenities that complement time outside like art galleries, coffee shops, bike shops, food trucks, museums, breweries and restaurants.

The downside to a modern post-industrial New England is light pollution, which disrupts humankind’s natural connection to the nocturnal sky. Many residents in the eastern U.S. are now unable to see the stars of the Milky Way Galaxy due to excessive and poorly designed outdoor lighting. The AMC Maine Woods Initiative land received the first DarkSky Park designation in New England, thanks to its remote location, robust dark sky educational programming and collaborative lighting and ordinance efforts with regional partners.

Taking in the pristine night sky of the Moosehead Lake region complements any gravel adventure because it assists with a circadian clock reset. Overnighting in the Maine Woods revitalizes the physical, mental, and behavioral rhythms of your body’s 24-hour cycle. After a few nights of stargazing, expect to sleep better and wake up energized for another day of gravel riding.

The AMC Maine Woods is one of the darkest places remaining in the U.S. East Coast. Protecting it not only enhances the region’s wildlife habitat connectivity and the benefits to the rural Maine quality of life, but also furthers AMC’s commitment to supporting climate resiliency.

Conservation Benefits:

• Minimize migratory species behavior disruption

• Provide dark places for pollinating insects and animals

• Reduce circadian rhythm disruption and attributable diseases

• Provide a healthy plant phenology

• Reduction in light pollution

• Reduces associated energy costs

• Returning visibility of the stars in the night sky

Combining the dark sky and gravel adventure experience has the power to inspire you to take health benefits gained back into your daily life. AMC encourages and supports science education and light pollution awareness through dark sky programming, while also supporting regional astro-tourism.

Forest Wildlife

The major upside to a Maine Woods gravel adventure is the high likelihood of a wildlife encounter. In addition to moose, there are black bears, beavers, foxes, and an assortment of birds and insects. While a sighting may provide an ideal moment to capture a photo, please remember that wildlife must be respected.

Moose are massive and imposing animals that are physically capable of moving quickly if they feel threatened. They prefer to be left alone in a bog or foraging for moss. Knowing a moose’s affinity for privacy reminds you to maintain your distance and dismount your bicycle if necessary.

Seeing a black bear in the Maine Woods can be a special moment. The forest provides them with plenty to eat, and living space. Black bears in Maine are shy and on the smaller side of bear morphology, weighing between 200-600 lbs. There hasn’t been a fatal bear attack in Maine since the 1830s.

AMC forest conservation preserves a healthy habitat for a variety of bird species. The wooded ecosystem provides food and a habitat for a high density of breeding birds, including neotropical species. Some of these birds migrate from West Indies, Central and South America and arrive in North America to breed.

Spring is the optimal time of year to see a variety of birds in the Maine Woods. Seeing sunrise songs start at 4 AM.

Common Birds of the AMC Woods

The list is long, here are some you might hear or see on a ride.

An Evolution towards Sustainable Gravel

An underpinning characteristic of the traditional Maine outdoor lifestyle is the sporting camp, and their role introducing people to the outdoors. Now, gravel bikes offer a modern take on the Maine sporting camp experience at AMC. Like the canoe before it, a gravel bike is one of the most efficient ways to explore the Appalachian Mountain Club’s Maine Woods.

Opening access to gravel bikes expands the recreational offerings of AMC’s lodges, and creates a Maine Woods lodge-to-lodge cycling experience. AMC updated three historic sporting camps that now serve as models of sustainable operations and environmental stewardship.

Whether staying at Medawisla, Little Lyford, or Gorman Chairback Lodges and Cabins, guests can comfortably enjoy stellar amenities that reinforce the camaraderie of gravel. Each day of riding offers staffed services that are the basis of a gravel adventure like few others.

Sporting camps emerged in the mid-1870s, and reached a height in popularity by the 1930s. This uniquely Maine tradition has usually been associated with hunting and fishing, but with changing outdoor recreation trends they are becoming increasingly popular again and AMC sees gravel cycling, including bikepacking, as a new way to enhance the AMC Maine sporting camp tradition and get more people to be outdoors.

MEDAWISLA LODGE & CABINS

Accommodations: 82 guests (2 Bunkhouses 9 Cabins) Enter from Greenville

A starting point to many of the Maine Woods routes and offers paddleboarding, fly-fishing, canoing, swimming and stargazing within close proximity to cabins and communal bunkhouses. The modern lodge with a large dinner hall, central stone fireplace and library is a hub for guests to relax and share stories. Solar panels and composting toilet systems, and “green tours” provide a chance to learn about AMC’s conservation practices.

LITTLE LYFORD LODGE & CABINS

Accommodations: 52 (1 Bunkhouse & 10 Cabins). Enter from Greenville or Brownville

Add other on or off bike activities like hiking to Gulf Hagas, saunas or fishing the West Branch of the Pleasant River, or use complimentary canoes and kayaks on Little Lyford Pond. AMC staff are available to assist with trip planning, weather reports and road information. Or simply enjoy the fireplace at the lodge and year-round deck. Dogs are welcome at Little Lyford.

MAINE CULINARY SPORT TOURISM

Accommodations: 62 (1 Bunkhouse & 13 Cabins) Enter from Greenville or Brownville

Located on Long Pond, and built as a private camp in 1867. It provides a central location to set up a gravel bike basecamp. A renovated main lodge features expansive sunset views, cozy living room with wood stove, and a family-style dining room. Other activities include hiking nearby Appalachian Trail, fly fishing, paddle sports, plus swimming, and a sauna.

MAINE CULINARY SPORT TOURISM

A reason to consider an AMC Maine Woods gravel sporting camp stay is the culinary experience. Enjoying the company of new and old friends or family after a day of riding speaks to the grassroots vibe of gravel. Prepared meals are rooted in the sporting camp traditions of catering to “sports” of yesteryear, fishing and hunting.

Sporting camp cooks, similarly to logging camps, carried weight and respect, especially if they knew how to prepare one thing in many different ways. Culinary creativity and knowledge on storing ingredients was critical to the overall hunting and fishing experience. Evolving towards a gravel sporting camp reinforces the farm to table tradition of life in the Maine Woods. Early farmers and loggers formed a bond around food being the means of providing hospitality.

The staff who prepare food at each of the AMC Lodges carry on the camp meal tradition. Menu items include fresh garden salads, homemade breads, soups, and baked goods. The food is sourced locally as much as possible. Communal breakfast, a to-go lunch, and a hearty dinner, bring people together at the table where they can celebrate the camaraderie found in gravel and the outdoor lifestyle.

Book a Cabin

This is a magical home away from home gravel experiences. The hospitality of the AMC staff and the remote location of the Lodge and Cabins make this a rejuvenating experience all should enjoy.

Learn More

The Pine Tree State Outdoor Adventures

In terms of sheer gravel route possibilities, Maine offers what seems unlimited. AMC’s gravel initiative is unique, and the result of strategic planning. Before venturing off to explore The Pine Tree state know a few key rule to public access on private land. The unwritten rule - Always ask permission.

Approximately 94% of Maine’s forest land is privately owned, with more than half of it open to the public. Landowners voluntarily provide access to 10+ million acres of working farms and forests. All of this includes the expansive network of logging roads in the state. Maine operates under an implied permission structure, meaning that if that land is not posted, it is legal to use the land. Several groups are working to help clarify the areas we can ride without being careless.

Visit Outdoor Partners to learn more and to help keep this tradition for future generations. maine.gov/ifw/programs-resources

From Kittery to Fort Kent, Maine offers a number of gravel rides and events. Discover some of the other Maine gravel bike destinations and routes by visiting the Bicycle Coalition of Maine’s collection of routes. This organization works to make Maine a better and safer place to bike and walk. Founded in 1992, it has grown into the leading bicycle and pedestrian advocacy group in the state. More info: bikemaine.org/where-to-ride.

Maine Trail Finder is another robust web tool for finding more information about gravel rides in Maine. Visit: mainetrailfinder.com

Navigate to ‘stories’ and search Maine’s Best Bike Paths, several articles can help you find more gravel in the Pine Tree state.

ROUTE: EASTERN DIVIDE

For those seeking a bikepacking experience, the Lupine Section of Maine’s portion of the Eastern Divide Trail is worth considering. It travels 5,950 miles from Newfoundland to Florida. Of that, nearly 400 miles goes through the Maine frontier, and connects to outdoor towns like Millinocket, home to the Maine Woods Rambler, and one of the gateway communities to the Katahdin Woods & Waters National Monument.

WASHINGTON COUNTY, MAINE

The Downeast Sunrise Trail is 87 miles along the former Maine Central Railroad’s Calais Branch corridor. It’s also the longest off-road section of the East Coast Greenway. This trail connects you to some of the small towns and villages in the “Way Downeast” region of Maine.

CUMBERLAND COUNTY, MAINE

The Eastern Trail is also part of the Maine section of the East Coast Greenway. Approximately 22 miles are on off-road gravel trails that take you through the Scarborough Marsh and ultimately to Bug Light in Portland Harbor.

AROOSTOOK COUNTY, MAINE

The Bangor & Aroostook Trail is 63 miles of gravel in the northeast corner of Maine ending in Van Buren, the town on the St. John River bordering New Brunswick, Canada.

The St. John Valley Heritage Trail is 17-miles following the St. John River offering views of two countries as you ride through the renowned potato fields along the Maine-Canada border between Fort Kent and St. Francis.

EVENTS:

Maine Woods Rambler: Millinocket – A partnership between the Bicycle Coalition of Maine, New England Outdoor Center and Katahdin Area Trails (late September)

Northwoods Gravel Grind: Rangeley (early September)

AMC Slapjack: AMC’s Medawisla Lodge (early September)

The FARM Ride: Fort Kent (mid June)

MAINEly Gravel: New Gloucester, Pineland Farms (mid August)