The height of summer is the perfect time for outdoor adventures, and if you live in or plan to visit Aroostook County, you can find plenty of options.
Tourism powers every region in Maine. Most visitors seek respite and relaxation, so nature-based trips rank high, from coastal regions, lakes and mountains, to the rugged wilderness of The County. And with a 20% jump in Mainers vacationing within the state last year, more people are looking for interesting places to go.
Last year tourism represented a $16.6 billion economic impact statewide, up $200 million from the year prior, according to the 2025 impact and visitor report from the Maine Office of Tourism.
The state saw 14.1 million visitors in 2025, who spent $9.4 billion statewide. More than half visited in the summer, and nearly two-thirds came to relax or sightsee. Though the total number of visitors dipped from 2024, they stayed longer and spent more money, the report stated.
Aroostook County also had fewer visitors, but they, too, spent more: $170 million, with an economic impact north of $251 million, both up about 2% from 2024.
Almost everyone knows about the big draws, such as the Allagash Wilderness Waterway, but The County has other intriguing spots that are within reach for anyone who has a few hours and a willingness to explore.
Here are five of them.
Aroostook National Wildlife Refuge
Located next to the former Loring Air Force Base in Limestone and accessible by road, this 5,300-acre federal nature preserve launched in 1998. The U.S. Air Force donated the original 4,700 acres to the Fish and Wildlife Service after the base closed in 1994.
The reserve features a trailhead and visitor kiosk, parking areas and 13 miles of walking trails, along with two wildlife observation blinds near the headquarters at 97 Refuge Road. There’s also a driveable road through portions of the area.
While there, you can observe waterways along with hundreds of species of animals, birds, fish and plants in a serene space.
The Aroostook National Wildlife Refuge is open 365 days a year from a half-hour before sunrise to a half-hour after sunset. Some areas form a wildlife sanctuary and are not open to the public.
The drive will also bring you into the famed North River Depot — Loring’s former nuclear weapons storage facilities — where you’ll see the remains of bunkers nestled into the landscape, an eerie reminder of the site’s Cold War past.
Salmon Brook Lake Bog
In Perham, you can access the 1,857-acre Salmon Brook Lake Bog Public Reserved Land from two points: the Bangor and Aroostook multipurpose gravel trail across from the Perham Town Office on High Meadow Road, or a more primitive trail off Tangle Ridge Road.
Most may prefer the first option. You can walk or bicycle 1.2 miles along the gravel trail, and then you’ll see a spur to the right with a sign saying “Calvin Wardwell Salmon Brook Lake Trail.” Hike or bike for about 2/10ths of a mile to a visitor kiosk and picnic table. From there, you’ll be on foot.
To the right, there’s a short, narrow trail that leads to an inlet of the lake. To the left, you’ll find a wooden-plank bog walk. This reasonably flat path traverses a tree-root-covered woods area. You’ll want sturdy shoes with rubber soles because the planks can be damp.
Not too far down the trail and to the right is another short, planked spur that widens out to a viewing platform overlooking the shallow, 51-acre Salmon Brook Lake.
Fish River Falls
The Fort Kent area boasts Fish River Falls and the mouth of Fish River, which connects several area lakes and flows north into the St. John River. The region is known for its scenery and — as the name suggests — fishing.
Throughout area streams, rivers, ponds and lakes, anglers can find brook trout, landlocked salmon and lake trout, according to the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife.
But at the trailhead, just off Airport Road in Fort Kent, you’re in for a view of cascading water on one side and the river nearby. It’s driveable, albeit a bit rough, but you’ll find a parking and picnic area with exquisite views.
To the left is Fish River itself, and to the right, you can follow a walking trail on a ridge above the river’s edge that looks down over the bubbling, cascading falls. Get a bit closer by following the rocks, but watch your step.
Million Dollar View
Down in southern Aroostook lies Weston, long known for its Million Dollar View that is now encompassed in an 8-mile scenic byway along U.S. route 1.
The scenic turnout along U.S. Route 1 is a popular spot for photos and drinking in the lay of the land.
But you can find an even more intriguing view at the summit of adjacent Peekaboo Mountain, which looks over Grand Lake and nearby mountains, including Katahdin and some in New Brunswick.
The trail is short and ATV accessible, and you’ll also find a fire tower there to climb. If you’re into geocaching — using maps and GPS coordinates to find hidden log books in the outdoors — you’ll find one here, according to international network Geocaching.com.
Crashed plane site
In a project that took two years, Woodland teen Landin Spooner created a walkway to the site of a 1951 plane crash, the wreckage of which still rests in the woods of Stockholm.
The community service effort, which helped Spooner become an Eagle Scout, chronicles the last flight of 1st Lt. Leonard Levin Jr., who died in simulated air combat.
Take Sullivan Road, a logging road just off Route 161 about 2.5 miles north of Madawaska Lake. After several miles, take a right on to Deschene Road, and the site appears near that road’s mile marker 4.
There are painted signs leading the way from there. It takes about 10 minutes on the plank-covered walkway to reach the main area of the plane’s remains.