There are few places in the world today where you can truly disconnect.
As technology continues to advance, we grow accustomed to an internet abuzz with reels and creepy AI-generated content. Cellphones constantly alert us to text messages and social media comments. Digital calendars are crammed with Zoom calls, and virtual assistants Siri and Gemini attempt to answer our every question.
Sometimes, I just need it to stop.
Fortunately, there are still areas of Maine where you can make an escape. In these refuges, trees block satellite signals and you won’t run into many – if any – people. Entertainment is the crackle and glow of a campfire. Music is the trill of tree frogs. The only conversations you’ll have are with the people right in front of you.
Recently, I found one such oasis deep in the North Maine Woods, at a campsite on the edge of a lazy section of the Pleasant River. In addition to it being an excellent place to escape the bustling modern world, it served as a basecamp for some wonderful hikes.
If you’ve never experienced the remoteness of a place like the North Maine Woods – which covers about 3.5 million acres in the northern region of the state – then staying there might be an intimidating proposition.
That’s OK. Outhouses and bumpy gravel roads aren’t everyone’s idea of a relaxing time. But if you’re even a little bit intrigued, I suggest you check it out.
Divided into 155 unincorporated townships, the North Maine Woods management area is sparsely populated and owned by a variety of landowners, from timber companies to state agencies. Lots of logging takes place there, as well as recreation.
Because there are so many different kinds of landowners in the North Maine Woods, rules change throughout. So if you’d like to camp there, you’ll need to do some research ahead of time.
Our campsite on the Pleasant River was located in the KI Jo-Mary Multiple Use Management Forest, approximately 175,000-acres of privately owned, commercial forest located between Millinocket, Greenville and Brownville. To get there, we crossed through the KI (Katahdin Ironworks) Checkpoint where we reserved a campsite and paid a day-use fee of $13 a day, plus a camping fee of $15 per night.
Poring over a map with the gatekeeper, we discussed area trails and mapped out routes on the logging roads. One road that we wanted to explore had a washed out bridge, the gatekeeper said. Another road was rough, but she thought our truck could handle it. We just might want to check a few of the old bridges for protruding nails before driving across.
Many roads in the North Maine Woods are in great condition, but my partner and I enjoy exploring off the beaten track on less-used routes. Plus, if you drive enough miles on logging roads, you’re bound to see a moose.
During our three-day mini adventure, we hiked the Turtle Ridge Loop in Nahmakanta Public Reserved Land. The 9.5-mile figure-eight trail traverses a dramatic, rocky ridge that offers open views of the surrounding area. It also loops around Rabbit Pond and Sing Sing Pond, where we heard a loon calling.
The trail was beautiful and easy to follow, though we did run into quite a few downed trees that we either climbed over or crawled under. This is typical of remote hiking trails. Good navigation skills are crucial when in the backcountry.
Also typical of lesser-traveled trails? Spider webs. As we hiked, the lead person waved a stick in front of them to avoid catching webs in the face. It’s remarkable what distance spiders will span with their silk.
Along the ridge, large patches of reindeer lichen covered the ground, fluffy and so pale that it looked like a blanket of snow. Dragonflies buzzed through the air. Huckleberry bushes displayed countless red, bell-shaped blossoms. Here and there, pale pink ladyslipper flowers rose from the ground on tall, slender stems.
The next day, we hiked a part of the 12-mile trail network that explores Gulf Hagas. An enormous slate gorge, Gulf Hagas is sometimes called the Grand Canyon of Maine. Through it flows the West Branch of Pleasant River.
Though fairly remote, this hike is well-known due to the many spectacular waterfalls that it visits. Nevertheless, we saw no other hikers during our brief exploration of it. Approaching from the west on the Head of the Gulf Trail, we visited Stair Falls and Billings Falls before turning around to return to civilization.
We didn’t see a moose on that particular trip, but we did spot their hoofprints and scat piles on hikes. We kept an eye out for them while driving, but instead observed (and helped) several painted turtles cross the road. I also relocated a ring-necked snake that I found on a bridge (while looking for nails), and in thanks, it left an awful-smelling musk on my hands.
Spending that time in the wilderness, even just a few days, was rejuvenating. The fresh air and birdsong worked their magic, slowing down the whirlwind in my brain.
In the evening at our campsite, I sat on the riverbank and watched emerald damselflies with golden wings as they fluttered among ferns. Upriver, a group of mergansers dipped their heads underwater in search of fish. A yellow-bellied woodpecker hammered on a tree.
It was like hitting the reset button. I suppose that’s one way humans are different from all the technology we’ve created. When we unplug, we’re able to recharge.