To find out the top five things to do in the Katahdin Region this winter, we surveyed visitors like you. Stargazing, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, snowmobiling, and more... every winter, it's #AllInKatahdin. In this guide we share the results of the survey, curating a list of the top five places to find winter fun. Thank you to all the winter adventurers who took the survey and to our supporters who made this Winter #AllInKatahdin Guide possible!
Stargazing from...well, anywhere
Winter, spring, summer, or fall... wait until night, and the darkest skies east of the Mississippi River come into stunning view. In remote places across the Katahdin Region, the skies above are rated 2 on the Bortle Scale, indicating a typical truly dark site where the Milky Way is highly structured to the unaided eye. In the United States, four out of five people can't see the Milky Way from their home. The Katahdin Region is one of the best places in the country to see it shining brilliantly. In 2020, the International Dark Sky Association recognized the exceptional quality of these dark skies and designated Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument as the first International Dark Sky Sanctuary on the Eastern Seaboard. To learn more about the International Dark Sky Sanctuary, night sky viewing, and the efforts to conserve the incredible view, check out the Dark Sky Guide on the Friends of Katahdin Woods & Waters website.
XC Skiing At Penobscot River Trails
World-class is a term that comes to mind when you experience the facilities at Penobscot River Trails. The trail system along the East Branch of the Penobscot River, just south of Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument, is home to 15.5 miles (25km) of state-of-the-art cross-country ski trails. It's free and open to the public seven days a week from dawn to dusk. The visitor center is open on weekends from 9 am to 3 pm. Visit the Penobscot River Trails website for the latest information on hours, maps, and trail conditions.
XC skiing (and snowshoeing!) from the North Gate of Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument
Designated as a national monument in August 2016, Katahdin Woods and Waters offers outdoor fun in all four seasons. Visitors to the Katahdin Region ranked both cross-country skiing and snowshoeing from the north end as part of the top five, though we've condensed them here to make space in the rankings and because the trails are multi-use for skiing and snowshoeing. Visitors are asked to be mindful of snowshoeing off of the machine-packed track to leave fresh corduroy for skiers exploring the trail system. Grooming and conditions depend on snowfall and trail maintenance. There can be up to 16 miles (25.5km) of trail groomed and tracked, offering breath-taking views of the Traveler mountains, Bald Mountain, and Billfish Mountain. Ski the 3.5 mile Old River Road Loop and witness the icy, slow-moving waters of the East Branch of the Penobscot River. Venture farther south and you can visit the wintry pitches of the river, Stair Falls, Haskell Rock, and Pond Pitch. Each is stunning covered in snow and ice and surging with water. For the latest trail conditions, visit the National Park Service website. The National Park Service Cross-Country Ski Trails map can be found here.
Snowmobiling from Shin Pond Village
Whether you're an experienced snowmobiler or new to the sport, Shin Pond Village is a great place to launch a trip. You can bring a "sled" of your own or rent a full set-up from Shin Pond Village. The four-season recreational resort is connected to the Interconnected Trail System ("ITS") and local club trails, giving you access to stunning places like the Katahdin View Loop in the Seboeis parcel of the national monument and the famous abandoned locomotives on the shores of Eagle Lake along the Allagash Wilderness Waterway. Day-trippers can enjoy a number of different loop trips including the loop to Bowlin Camps and Matagamon Wilderness Camps, the loop to Libby Camps and Umcolcus Sporting Camps, and more. Visit the Shin Pond Village website to plan a trip of your own.
XC Skiing at New England Outdoor Center
New England Outdoor Center, along the shores of Millinocket Lake, offers a pristinely groomed network of 16 miles of trail on the nearby Hammond Ridge. The trails are groomed for both classic and skate-style cross-country skiing where skiers can travel to beautiful vantages showing off Millinocket Lake, the Katahdin massif, and the surrounding region. Ski rentals are available from the lodge at New England Outdoor Center. There's also snowmobiling, fat tire biking, snowshoeing, and - new this year - an ice skating rink. To check out their grooming report, the Nordic trail map, and more, visit the New England Outdoor Center website.
And so much more!
Visitors that took the Winter #AllInKatahdin survey identified so many other amazing places to experience around the Katahdin Region. Ice Fishing, which you can do with the help of a local guide or set up at New England Outdoor Center, nearly made the top five. Other top vote-getters included snowshoeing at Penobscot River Trails, snowmobiling from New England Outdoor Center, xc skiing at the Bait Hole trails, and mountaineering at Baxter State Park. The Seboeis River Trail didn't yet make the list, in large part because it's newly improved this year! To snowshoe along the waters of the Seboeis River, park at the river crossing on Grand Lake Rd and follow the signs moving south. For now, we'll leave you with this sneak peek of the view from the trail at the confluence of the Seboeis River and Davis Brook.
This web-based guide, first published in February 2021, was compiled using survey results from over 250 people who took part in the Winter #AllInKatahdin survey. The Friends of Katahdin Woods & Waters staff is working on a physical copy of the guide, which can be made available upon request. To learn more about Friends of Katahdin Woods & Waters and our efforts to support the national monument and the surrounding communities, please visit our website. You can also call our office at (207) 808 - 0020 or reach out to info@friendsofkww.org