Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Down East Coast
While many areas claim to represent
“Down East” Maine, those in the
know understand the real Down East
does not begin until you cross over to the
eastern side of the Penobscot River. The
lofty suspension bridge that takes Routes
1 and 3 across the river at Bucksport is
the true portal, although Ellsworth (a
half-hour farther east) claims to be “The
crossroads of Down East Maine.” This is
a place with wild, undeveloped forests,
long, wide, and often shallow lakes
strewn with massive boulders, rocky de-
tritus from the glaciers that ruled the
great ice age.
As Maine grew in the 1800s access to this region was primarily by schoo-
ner and later by steamship and then train. It is no wonder then that com-
munities here developed around safe harbors or on rivers where rapids,
falls or rocks stemmed inland progress.
Towns grew where paper mills sprang up. The Champion Paper Mill in
Bucksport anchors the western side of this region, while on the eastern
end another - the Georgia Pacific Paper Mill in Woodland - is the major
employer.
The land in this part of Maine is very different. Much of it is sandy and
characterized by blueberry barrens and gravel pits. The rest is mostly the
opposite extreme - low and swampy. Still, two ancient granite ridge lines,
their rise to the sky cut short by glaciers, are much in evidence on Mount
Desert Island and in the Franklin area.
For most visitors interested in the outdoors, Acadia National Park on
Mount Desert Island is the top destination. It has more than 50 miles of
groomed gravel carriage roads, where motorized traffic is banned. Nearly
120 miles of hiking trails traverse seven major barren mountaintops.
There is much to see and do here, and plenty of places to explore. The is-
land's many lakes invite paddlers and swimmers of all skill levels. Pocket
cobblestone beaches in hidden coves await discovery by those who wish to
avoid the crowds at Sand Beach.
With thousands of motel rooms, a similar quantity of campsites, and
plenty of private cottages and cabins to rent, Mount Desert Island easily
accommodates the throngs of visitors, although traffic can get heavy in
