“Trails do not just appear for our enjoyment; it takes many hours of planning, labor and negotiating to develop them." So says the American Hiking Society.

How true. How very true!

"National Trails Day… brings awareness to trails and thanks many people and partners for their support and hard work, including volunteers, land agencies and outdoor businesses.”

National Trails Day 2008 is here: Saturday, June 7th. And there’s a lot going on in Maine again this year to mark the day – 30 events at last count. Hikes, bird walks, paddles, trail work, cleanups, biking, dedications and festivals are scheduled, all in the spirit of celebrating the trails we use and enjoy for recreation, exercise and escape.

I can hardly believe that this will be the 16th year running for the big nationwide event to celebrate trails. There certainly have been many trail miles walked, water bars cleaned, bog bridges built, blazes painted, signs erected, and fun and laughter had in those many years, that’s for sure.

Find about what’s going on for National Trails Day here, then get packed for a full day of fun outdoors! See you out there on the trail, for sure!

Where will you be on National Trails Day?
Carey Kish photo

Outside on the trail helping out of course!
Carey Kish photo

Image courtesy American Hiking Society

WHAT: Get outdoors and onto our trails for the 16th annual National Trails Day!

WHEN: Saturday, June 7th. Important note: National Trails Day is officially only one day. That's bull. I hereby declare that every day is National Trails Day!

WHERE: There are 30 events happening all over Maine. Check out the list, pick one, and GO have some good fun! Our trails NEED you!

WHY: Duh. That's easy. There are several thousand miles of recreation trails in Maine. How do you think they got there. And how do you think they stay open? You got it... Nice people just like you who volunteer their time and energy to help out.

HOW: Pack a day pack with clothes, lunch and water. Be sure to pack gloves and bug dope too. Then go on and get down and dirty in the dirt with a happy group of other like-minded trail crazies.

BONUS: Join up with the Maine Appalachian Trail Club (MATC), the Maine Chapter of the Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC), your local land trust, park, trails group. They ALL need your help, on National Trails Day and throughout the year. Do it!

Trail work is good fun...
Carey Kish photo

... just ask this smiley, happy (and thirsty!) trail crew!
Carey Kish photo

If you haven't yet treated yourself to a hike and a night's stay in one of the AMC White Mountain huts, you've been missing out on a world-class experience.

Having trekked on the other side of the Atlantic quite a bit, I find the AMC hut thing very European, except that it's right here close to home! And I do believe it's time for another go-round at the huts!

AMC operates eight high mountain huts along a 70-mile stretch of the AT, from Lonesome Lake sandwiched between the Kinmans and Cannon Mountain all the way across the Franconias and Presidentials to Carter Notch tucked into the woods beneath Wildcat and Carter Dome.

The Lakes of the Clouds sits at 5,000 feet between Mounts Washington and Monroe in the Presidential Range.
Photo courtesy www.hikethewhites.com

Trail Head near Mt. Eisenhower on the path between Mizpah and Lakes huts last summer.
Carey Kish photo

The huts allow you to enjoy a few days on the trail (or a week or more) encumbered by only a light rucksuck, no heavy overnight gear required. Yep, that''s right. The huts provide warm bunks with blankets and pillows. You need bring only a sheet-sack and pillowcase.

As for meals, well, come hungry. Yeah, you'll need snack foods for the trail and a water bottle. But once at the hut, you'll sit down with the other guests - fellow hikers just like you - gathered from near and far, and enjoy a huge family-style meal for dinner and breakfast. All prepared by the friendly hut crew. You will not walk away hungry!

Relaxing is a big part of the hut experience. Hang out at the tables and read, write, look out the windows, chat with folks from all over the globe, play games. Forget about the busy world below for awhile.

Take in an after-dinner walk to a nearby peak, follow the hut naturalist for a walk and talk on alpine plants. Pull up a rock and watch the sunset. Sleep a deep, restful sleep listening the mountains winds.

Ahhh...

Carter Notch Hut lies in a deep defile between Wildcat Mountain and Carter Dome. It is open all year.
Photo courtesy www.hikethewhites.com

WHAT: Hike the White Mountains and stay overnight in one of the AMC high mountain huts. Better yet, make it a multi-day trip and experience some fine walking and several different huts.

WHEN: The AMC huts open for business on June 4th and remain open until mid-September (a couple are open year-round). Weekends can be busy so do plan ahead. Mid-week is a good bet if you can get away. Either way, reservations are a must! FYI: June is a great time to see the alpine flowers.

WHERE: The huts are located along a 70-mile stretch of the AT in the White Mountains of NH.

WHY: Great mountain hiking with a light pack. Unique and comfy overnight accommodations in spectacular locations.

HOW: Check out the AMC huts online. Plan your trip, get a gear list, check event schedules, and make reservations.

BONUS: Go for a three or five night stay and save 12% on your entire stay (excluding Saturday nights). Hey, why not?! Life is short, hike the huts! By the way, for the multi-day trip, use the AMC hiker shuttle to make it easy to get back to your car (and save on the gas for car shuttling... better used for post-hike chow and beers!).

You ever stayed in the AMC huts? What was your experience like?

Galehead Hut is the most remote in the AMC system. It sits at 3,800 feet between Mount Garfield and the Twins.
Photo courtesy www.hikethewhites.com

The Bold Coast Trail might be the most spectacular coastal hiking venue, outside of Acadia, in the eastern United States. Yep, it be true. Been there, done that. And I'll go back again and again.

Hike a mile in to reach the ocean, then walk southward for four stunning miles, wending your way past precipitous cliff edges, through open grasslands, across wetlands on log bridges and up craggy outlooks, the wide expanse of the Grand Manan Channel ever over your left shoulder.

Make camp at one of 3 cozy sites tucked just into the woods above the rocky shore. There's room for two small tents, logs to sit on for relaxing and cooking dinner, and a crude open-air privy that makes relieving yourself quite an experience.

Take a seat out on the rocks and enjoy a grand campsite view like no other. In clear weather you can look across the Bay of Fundy to the Canadian island of Grand Manan, and down the coast to the lighthouse at the mouth of the Little River and the entrance to Cutler Harbor.

You might eye a tanker plying the deep waters offshore or a lobster boat bobbing closer in, hauling in its catch. Shorebirds will be busy playing on the waves, as will the occasional seal and porpoise. And in late summer, at least three species of whales may be spied offshore.

At nightfall the towers of the old Cutler Naval Station to the west are unmistakable, but strangely, seem not to intrude. The rhythmic clanging of an offshore buoy and the lighthouse foghorn will likely lull you into a restful sleep.

How's it sound so far? Yeah, that's what I thought you'd say. Better get to packing up then. Head for the Sunrise County. Get in some wild and wonderful walking, Bold Coast Trail style...

Backpacking the spectacular Bold Coast Trail.
Carey Kish photo

Typical Bold Coast view. Ho hum.
Carey Kish photo

Nice oceanfront real estate, eh?!
Carey Kish photo

WHAT: Backpack the magnificent trails of the Cutler Coast Unit of the Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands.

WHEN: The long Memorial Day holiday weekend is a good time to go, but any weekend will do nicely. Two days and one night on the trail is great; two nights are always better!

WHERE: Travel Down East on Route 1 to Machias. East of Machias pick up Route 191 and continue to the picturesque lobstering village of Cutler. The trailhead is a couple miles out of town on your right.

WHY: Three oceanfront campsites and four miles of spectacular walking along the Grand Manan Channel! Take the Coastal Trail to and along the water. Camp nestled in the spruce and fir, with a big window view of rugged cliffs and pounding surf. Revel and enjoy! Then follow the Inland Trail back out to the car. It's 10 miles of walking total.

HOW: Get a trail map booklet from the Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands, if there's time. Not time? Go anyway. It's a loop route, well marked, no problem to follow. You'll want your trusty Maine Atlas & Gazetteer, however, for road navigating.

BONUS: Stop at Helen's Restaurant in Machias on your way back for a slice of world famous blueberry pie. With a scoop of vanila ice cream, thank you very much!

Note: There's no good, reliable water sources near the campsites, so you'll need to pack it all in with you. And do bring a camera along. For natural beauty this place is out of this world. Binoculars are also worth their weight for wildlife viewing offshore, like whales, porpoises and seals.

More great oceanfront trail walking.
Carey Kish photo

The trail snakes through a Bold Coast bog.
Carey Kish photo

If you make a visit to the Bold Coast, gimme a holler back here. I'd like to get a trip report, see how things went. Enjoy!

Seeing as how it's National Bike to Work Week, and today is the final day of Commute Another Way Week (it's Bike to Work Day!), I've got bikes on the brain. And why not? It's summer-like outside and time to put the pedal to the, um, er, dirt or gravel, and get a move on.

A great place to do just that this weekend, or anytime, is along the Eastern Trail, a 60-mile on- and off-road multi-use trail route from South Portland to Kittery. A biker's paradise. It's all been made possible by the continuing hard work and dogged determintaion of the folks at the Eastern Trail Alliance. Kudos to you my friends!

So, get the bikes out of the basement, garage, or wherever. Clean 'em up. Put a little oil on that chain. Then glove up, helmet up, put a Camelback on your back and go... to the Eastern Trail!

The Eastern Trail is a 60-mile multi-use route for adventures of many kinds, from the NH-Maine border north to Casco Bay.
Photo courtesy Eastern Trail Alliance

WHO: You and your bicycling buddies...

WHAT: The Eastern Trail is a magnificent work-in-progress 60-mile on- and off-road multi-use recreation route that extends from Kittery to South Portland following the old Eastern Railroad corridor.

WHEN: This weekend, or anytime really. The Eastern Trail is perfect for bike excursions long and short; whatever fits your schedule, desire and energy. Join up with the friendly ETA folks for one of their many outings this summer.

WHERE: You can pick up the Eastern Trail in a host of spots along the route. The ET crosses 12 towns and cities in southern Maine. From Kittery, the trail continues north through Eliot, South Berwick, North Berwick, Wells, Kennebunk, Arundel, Biddeford, Saco, Old Orchard Beach, and Scarborough. It ends in South Portland.

According to the ETA: "The route which starts (or ends) at Bug Light Park on Casco Bay crosses South Portland on already complete sections of South Portland's Greenway. The Eastern Trail crosses Scarborough Marsh just east of the Maine Audubon nature center. It crosses the Cascade Road a few hundred feet from Cascade Falls. The route continues through Saco, Biddeford, and Arundel. In Kennebunk the Eastern Trail is cut by the Maine Turnpike just east of the Kennebunk rest area. The Eastern Trail Alliance is working with the Turnpike Authority to seek a solution perhaps one similar to the Appalachian Trail overpass on the Massachusetts Turnpike, or perhaps a bike path to reach the Route 35 overpass. The ET continues across the western edge of Wells into North Berwick and South Berwick, then into Eliot and on paved roads through Kittery before it crosses into Portsmouth."

HOW: Bicycles of all shapes, sizes and colors can and do navigate the beautiful old rail corridor that is the Eastern Trail. Be prepared for both on and off-road riding. Obey the rules of the road and be safe. And by all means, wear a helmet.

For extra credit, go a little crazy and try one of the 50-mile loop rides:
* The Amtrak Downeaster-Eastern Trail loop trip from Portland to Wells by Amtrak. Bike back 50 miles on Eastern Trail. Yes, The Downeaster takes bicycles on board!
* Bike Wells to Saco River on ET. Bike back to Wells along the shore.

WHY: It's spring, the weather is beautiful, and it's time to get outside on that bicycle of yours and pedal. And if you haven't visited the Eastern Trail, now's a good a time as any!

Get a copy of the Eastern Trail Guide for $10 from the ETA folks to help you plan your next ride(s). And once you fall in love with the ET think about becoming a member and/or volunteer. Trails need people like you... lots of 'em.

Do let me know what section of the ET you rode and how you liked it, what you saw and whatnot. You know me, I live for adventurous tales...

Enjoying the scenery from the seat of a bicycle on the Eastern Trail.
Photo courtesy Eastern Trail Alliance

What's with this work week thing. All these years and I can't seem to get used to it. You, too, you say? Yeah, let's work on that, eh?! Every day should be the weekend.

Speaking of, spring is here and it's time to get on the river. Any river will do, yes. But when it's big spring water, you want to be on the Dead River in a big honking raft.

The Dead is sixteen, count 'em, sixteen wild and woolly miles of rapids and waves and hootin's and hollerin'. That is, of course, provided you stay in the raft and aren't out there bobbing along amid the chaos of the rapids, screaming for your life. Get over it.

Paddle hard, stay in raft, have fun. Trust me. Been there, done that.

Paddling big springtime water on Maine's Dead River.
Photo courtesy Magic Falls Rafting Co.

WHO: You and your crazy paddling and party pals!

WHAT: Going for a wet and wild 16-mile raft trip on the Dead River up they-uh in The Forks.

WHEN: This Saturday, May 17 get ready for a 7,000 CFS dam release on the Dead River. With all the rain we've had plus the snowpack melting big up that way, translate those numbers to mean BIG WATER! Paddle hard or swim, I tells ya!

WHERE: From Portland, head north on I-295 to Augusta. Continue on I-95 to Exit 133 at Fairfield. Follow scenic Route 201 through Skowhegan, Solon, Bingham to The Forks. You be there then. Check in at your choice of lodging. Find a pub and have a beer. Try not to think of going overboard the next day.

HOW: You're gonna need an experienced outfitter to get you safely down the Dead with a maximum of fun. Choose one here.

WHY: Because there's no river in Maine like the Dead River when the water is big. It's 16-miles of near continuous whitewater. From Spencer Rips to Hayden's to Elephant Rock to Little and Big Poplar Falls. You're gonna get wet, but you ain't gonna have time to be scared. Well, maybe a little.

Have mondo fun, and be sure to let me know how your big river trip went! Provided you make it back in one piece, of course...

Raft the Dead this weekend and have a blast!
Photo courtesy The Forks Area Chamber of Commerce

Hey my Trail Head weekend-warrior friends, Friday's a coming... What to do, what to do?

Well, crack a cold one, of course. Relax and ponder awhile. Check the forecast (mostly cloudy but dry, temps in the 60s). Then get your rucksack out of the closet and start stuffing it with goods for the day. 'Cause you're going hiking!

Views to Kearsarge North and Mt. Washington from south summit of Peary Mountain in Brownfield, a fun and easy 2-mile hike, perfect for a spring weekend.
Carey Kish photo

WHO: You and your hiking pals (too early for the company of bugs we hope!).

WHAT: Day hike to Peary Mountain in Brownfield. Added bonus of a quick jaunt up Jockey Cap in Fryeburg. For the full scoop on hiking Peary Mountain and Jockey Cap, read the account of my hike there last spring.

WHEN: This weekend, Saturday or Sunday, you pick! Both days look reasonable weather-wise.

WHERE: From Portland, head west on Route 25 to Limington. Maybe stop for breakfast at Two Trails Diner. Just beyond the dinah, turn right onto Route 113 and cruise to Brownfield.

HOW: You'll need the proper tools of the road and the trail fer navigatin'... The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer and the AMC Maine Mountain Guide.

WHY: It's an easy 2-mile round trip hike to the south summit of Peary and fab views of the snow-capped White Mountains. Take the extra time and bag the north summit as well for a striking vista of Pleasant Mountain.

For extra credit continue north to Fryeburg and scoot up Jockey Cap. Thanks to the monument there it's possible to identify all the mountains around in a 360-degree arc. Outstanding!
Carey Kish photo

Have fun, and be sure to let me know how your trip went!