Hike, bike, paddle, pedal, surf, raft, or cruise

July 17, 2011|By Hilary Nangle, Globe Correspondent

Don’t let the summer slip away without embracing it. Here are 10 made-for-the-memory-books Maine experiences.

HIKE IN THE 100-MILE WILDERNESS

Using the Appalachian Mountain Club’s new Gorman Chairback Lodge and Cabins as a base, spend a few days hiking in this region northeast of Greenville. The lodge was built as a private camp in 1867. The AMC has completely renovated the lakefront facilities, which comprise a main lodge, where homestyle meals are served, eight rustic cabins, a bunkhouse, and a central bathhouse with hot showers and a sauna. Pack a lunch, and head out to explore more than 20 miles of trails, including one to Screw Auger Falls, in Gulf Hagas, called the Grand Canyon of Maine. Other good choices include Third and Fourth mountains and West Chairback Pond Falls. Guests have free use of canoes and kayaks on Long Pond and stashed on more remote ones, such as Trout Pond, a 6-mile hike. All-inclusive cabin rates for nonmembers are $134 adult, $114 teenagers, $36 children ages 3-12. 207-358-5187, wwwoutdoors.org/gormanchairback

PEDAL THE COAST

Join Summer Feet on a guided bicycle trip along the coast from Boothbay Harbor to Bar Harbor. The six-night tour includes lodging, most meals, a schooner sail, entrance fees for attractions, van support, and more. Highlights include detours down coastal peninsulas, visits to out-of-the-way towns, and island excursions. Pedal inn-to-inn ($2,375) or campsite-to-campsite ($1,195). Bike rental is available for $100-$160 per week. Summer Feet also has shorter excursions and self-guided tours. 866-857-9544, www.summerfeet.net

WORK ON YOUR LIFE LIST

Osprey or eagle? Woodpecker or warbler? Spend a few hours or days with Maine Guide Michael Good, of Down East Nature Tours, and beginning birders will gain an understanding of native East Coast species, while avid ornithologists might add a coveted bird to their life list. Programs range from a four-hour introductory session on Mount Desert Island to advanced searches for unique species in Down East Maine, with prices beginning around $75. Good provides transportation, with pickup at local accommodations, as well as a spotting scope. 207-288-8128, www.downeastnaturetours.com

PADDLE A NATIVE ROUTE

READER COMMENTS »

View reader comments » Comment on this story »