The Maine Highlands Guidebook Maine Highlands Guidebook 2019-2021 | Page 9

Moose
Watching
MAINE HAS THE LARGEST POPULATION OF MOOSE IN THE
CONTIGUOUS UNITED STATES. You might catch a glimpse of a moose
in any of the state’s wild areas, but some of the best places to see them
are in The Maine Highlands. Especially at Moosehead Lake and in Baxter
State Park, if you’re patient and lucky, you might catch a moose snacking
on vegetation or pausing from a long drink, knee-deep in a pond.
BIG TIME
The moose is Maine’s largest mammal. Adult
males can weigh 1,000 pounds or more,
with an antler span of around six feet.
IT’S OFFICIAL
The moose is Maine’s official State Animal,
and the moose has been on the state seal
since the state was founded in 1820.
MAJORITY RULES
In and around Moosehead, moose
outnumber people 3 to 1.
BE ALERT AND DRIVE SAFELY
Watch for moose in roadways, especially in
areas that are marked as a moose crossing.
Birding &
Wildlife Watching
In The Maine
Highlands
>  THE BANGOR CITY FOREST
AND BOG BOARDWALK
BANGOR & ORONO, ME
The mile long boardwalk trail offers views
of bog wildlife on the border of Bangor
and Orono. The bog is home to hundreds
of species of hardy yet fragile plants and
some of Maine’s rarest bird species. The
4-5 miles of trails that run through the
Bangor City Forest are great for jogs or for
snowshoeing or cross country skiing.
>  BORESTONE MOUNTAIN
AUDUBON SANCTUARY
MONSON, ME
Located just southeast of Greenville and
near the southern end of Maine’s “100-Mile
Wilderness,” this Maine Audubon sanctuary
offers beautiful ponds and a lake, set within a
forest that has remained uncut for more than
a century. A moderately strenuous, yet kid-
friendly, climb culminates with spectacular
views at the summit of Borestone Mountain.
>  FIELDS POND AUDUBON CENTER
HOLDEN, ME
Located seven miles southeast of Bangor,
Fields Pond features a modern visitor center,
an 85-acre pond, and trails winding through
192 acres of field, wetland, forest, and
lakeshore, where you’ll see many kinds of
birds, including songbirds and waterfowl.
>  HIRUNDO WILDLIFE REFUGE
OLD TOWN, ME
This 2,400 acre nature preserve spans
several streams and a lake. Extensive peat
lands, reverting farmland, and diverse
forests offer seven miles of hiking trails and
numerous waterways suitable for kayaking
and canoeing, with many opportunities
to view beaver, mink, and birds.
Guided Tours
A well-trained, registered Maine guide can outfit you for your
adventure and help you track down a moose or other wildlife by
water or by land. With a guide’s help and knowledge you can safely
and comfortably access the best spots for wildlife-watching—or
photographing—and enjoy the scenery along the way. Look for
outfitters that specialize in moose watching tours, or “moose safaris”
to maximize your chances of seeing one of these majestic creatures.
>  DEBSCONEAG LAKES
WILDERNESS AREA
MILLINOCKET, ME
Nestled in the shadow of Katahdin, the
DLWC contains the highest concentration
of pristine, remote ponds in New England,
as well as thousands of acres of mature
forests. Debsconeag means "carrying
place," named by the native people for the
portage sites where they carried their birch
bark canoes around rapids and waterfalls.
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