2020 Official Maine Camping Guide - 24

The Great Maine Camping Experience

Secluded from it all, but only minutes from
stunning Goose Rocks Beach, Sandy Pines hosts
camp sites, glamping tents, family cottages,
unique retreats, and so much more. Open
277 Mills Road
mid-May to mid-October, Sandy Pines has all the
Kennebunkport, ME
207.967.2483
amenities you need to make your stay fun,
sandypinescamping.com
comfortable and picture-perfect.

Experiencing All That
Maine Offers
continued from page 22

We have excellent seasons for bear,
upland birds, wild turkey, moose and
white-tailed deer. Sure, many finest "secret" spots are passed down in families.
But luckily we have the world's finest
professional guides and sporting camps
if you are looking to put together a hunting party.
The same might be said of fishing in
Maine; happily though, fishing is mostly
a year-round affair. Try spring fly-fishing
along the lakes and streams that caress
our western mountains around Rangeley, or test the waters of the northern
Kennebec River valley. Make the pilgrimage to legendary places like Grand Lake
Stream, or simply charter a summer drift
boat trip for smallmouth bass on one of
our broad cool lakes. Maybe a day of
salty surf casting for mackerel or stripers along the MidCoast region sounds
appealing, or a charter boat bound for
the glory of sport fishing along the edge
of Casco Bay might be what you need.

OUT ON THE WATER
Since we've been talking so much about
being out on the water, let's spend some
more time there. With so much water to
enjoy in Maine, there isn't a water sport
you can't try. Combine camping and kayaking out along the Maine Island Trail; it
runs the entire length of the state. Cut
through Penobscot Bay aboard a chartered yacht - many world-class sailors
regard these waters as some of the
world's best.
For those who love freshwater there is
no lack of opportunity for you either.
Give stand-up paddleboarding a try -
it's a great way to explore the peaceful
calm of a crystal-clear pond at dawn.
Looking for bigger water? Sebago or the
lakes around Monmouth or Belgrade
might work, or maybe Moosehead (the
state's biggest lake is a prime watercraft
destination). Maine has numerous places to put in for a day of fun on the water.
Just use your head and follow the rules,
and you'll always be welcomed back.
Finally, for those looking for a more traditional paddling experience, we offer

the sublime thrill of canoeing or kayaking. Look at the Northern Forest Canoe
Trail for ideas, or paddle the "Moose
River Bow Trip" or the Allagash River
waterway (some say it's the last great
wild river in America).

ACTIVITIES FOR THRILL SEEKERS
We've saved the best for last, well
maybe. For those seeking the thrill of
a lifetime, we have you covered. Start
with white-water rafting on a choice of
three rivers, each delivering daylong
pulse-elevating rides from the controlled release of water from Maine's
hydroelectric dams. Plan your schedule
right, and you'll be rafting during a highwater turbine test where the thrills are
doubled or tripled. The Kennebec (Class
II-IV) and the Dead River (Class II-IV) offer a thrill that is just wild enough for
almost any paddler, while the more
technical Penobscot (Class III-V) is recommended for the slightly more experienced paddler. Once you are back on
dry land, head off into the sunset atop
an ATV. Maine offers thousands of miles
of interconnected trails throughout the
continued on page 27

MAINE CAMPGROUND OWNERS ASSOCIATION * CAMPMAINE.COM

http://www.sandypinescamping.com http://www.CAMPMAINE.COM

2020 Official Maine Camping Guide

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of 2020 Official Maine Camping Guide