I grew up in the Moosehead area and know it very well. I used to see moose about every 10 feet as a…read morekid. Between what I believe to be overhunting of the moose (I am not a anti-hunt person) and diseases they have suffered such as so many of the young ones dying recently of ticks, they are far and few between. I took my Granddaughter on her first trip to Maine this past July. I knew we had a very short time there and moose were very scarce. Although I knew the area well, I had not been back to Maine in sometime. I knew the best opportunity for my granddaughter to see a moose would be a person who is very experienced in finding them, as well as being out there each and every day. I certainly chose the best guide in Amber of Moosehead area guide service. Her knowledge of the Maine woods, the Moosehead area and of the moose themselves was incredible. We had been out for a while and not seen a moose. She told my granddaughter that she had to get out of the car and do the Moose dance if she wanted to see a moose. Amber looked at me and whispered, I can see she is getting a little sleepy as we started at 4:30 AM in the morning. I thought this would give her a good break. Amber did teach the most dance. It was so funny because minutes after she taught my granddaughter how to do the Moose dance we came upon a beautiful moose. My granddaughter was so excited and I was so happy we had such a knowledgeable, kind, and sweet person as Amber. If you ever get to Maine and want to see a moose, I highly recommend booking your trip with Moosehead area, guide service and Amber. Maybe she will even teach you the most dance.

If you ever want to see a moose but also learn EVERYTHING there is to know about them, you have to…read morebook a moose tour with Moosehead Area Guide Service! I thought I loved these beautiful animals but Harold, the tour guide, surpasses my passion! He goes beyond anyone I know to explain in a detail and in a respectful way how moose live in nature to include their habitat, diet, temperament, physical features, mating season, difference between male and female moose, behavior etc. I could go on and on but you HAVE to experience this yourself! I just took my 12 yo grdson on a tour the end of July. He said it was better than Christmas! This was my 2nd time with Harold where I had taken another grdson. Both experiences unexplainable and wonderful! A memory they'll treasure forever! Call today and book a tour! You'll be so happy you did to see and learn about these amazing, magnificent animals!

The van was full and the people in the last two rows were bounced around uncomfortably and were…read moreunable to see anything for four hours. The two exceptions were when the van stopped and we all got out. The only good seat was in the front passenger spot. At one point two Jeeps were behind our tour van for a long time, the guide made a comment about how they were being impatient, needed to respect the tour bus, and didn't let them pass us by pulling over. She kept them behind us for quite about 1/2 hour. When we finally spotted a moose 2.5 hours in and she pulled over, the two vehicles revved their engines and sped past, scaring the one moose we saw the entire time back into the woods. So we saw a moose running into the woods. The people at the back of the van saw it's butt... As we headed back to the tour lodge, another moose crossed the road in front of us, it took about 4 strides across the street... so, did we see moose? Technically, yes... was it what we signed up for and paid $74, and a four hour ride for? No! So their 89% moose spotting rate includes this... if you're thinking you want to see moose in water, munching away and you have an almost 90% chance that's not really an accurate take on this. Also, our tour guide Natalie was very nice, however she did not know much more than the average Joe- me... she wasn't particularly engaging and didn't have information that didn't pop up on any Google search, as a matter of fact, she didn't necessarily know info that did pop up on a google search... she did give us tasty brownies and water. I was able to capture scenery photos, no moose photos though

My friend and I tried the evening moose tour in which you are driven to a beautiful 'pond' as they…read morecall it and get into 3 person canoes (two paddling, one in the middle) hoping to see moose. Their venue is closer to Bangor than some of the other outfitters that do this, however, the ride to get to the pond is at least an hour. You ride in a van and some of the roads are bumpy. The guide narrates a little, but I feel he could have done more. The home base is nice and they sell souvenirs, coffee, and snacks. They have a bathroom building with changing areas. There was lots of water on the ground there, so I wonder why it wasn't moped. Once you get into the van, there is no bathroom area (unless there is a porta potty that I missed. The scenery by the water was very beautiful and peaceful and even though no moose were spotted, it was still a very nice experience. The price was fair and there was always someone that answered the phone when we called to ask questions. Overall a great experience.

We have been rafting with US rafting Maine for 3 years now. we have never had a bad trip!…read moreGreat guides, reasonable lodging. No reason to go anywhere else. We usually go for "big release" dates & have enjoyed the extra thrill. Pig roasts are FABULOUS when available. Nice to have food back at base when done & ready to hit the road. Michelle is fabulous when booking your reservations & most helpful.

Had an amazing time. The rapids were great, the scenery was beautiful and our rafting guide Emily…read morewas great and knowledgeable. If you're in the area please stop by.

I feel the need to preface all of my nature reviews with this: being 90% forested and having around…read more3500 miles of coastline, Maine (and NH) has a tremendous amount of spaces, walkways, paths, and trails of all kinds and of all levels. There's something for everyone. What I'm reviewing is how a spot compares to similar outdoor spots in my personal opinion. Being in nature - and remembering to carry in, carry out - is always five stars! :) Parking? Yes (limited). Loop trail? Yes (mostly) Well marked signs? Ehhhhh... (more on that below). Element of surprise? Yes. Gulf Hagas is considered "The Grand Canyon of Maine" (and "The Grand Canyon of The East"). It's a slate gorge with waterfalls, enormous rock walls, and very deep valleys. It's towards the end of the Appalachian Trail (if you're northbound, that is) and there's a really great plaque on a rock at the beginning of the hike by ridge runner Ron Curtis: "Gulf Hagas is an unknown area to many folks, and it belongs to everyone. Everyone should see it to foster the feelings of protecting an everlasting wild place." It is absolutely breathtaking, but it is NOT an easy hike. Parts of the terrain - despite having a trail to walk on - are so wild and primitive that you really, really need to pay attention to your footing (wear sturdy shoes!!! as they say time and time again: "​​Do not underestimate the difficulty of hiking the Appalachian Trail."). When you arrive, you'll need to pay a fee at Katahdin Iron Works (they will also give you a map with points of interest, like the Hermitage and Screw Auger Falls); for two of us it was $22 - they only take checks or cash. After driving over a very small bridge, and down a rough logging road, you have two parking options. We were encouraged by the man at KIW to start at the closer one. This puts you at the West Branch of the Pleasant River - you will need to ford this. It's about 150 feet wide; the water can be deep, and rush quickly, depending on the season. When we came in early August, the water was slow and came up to around our mid-shin/bottom-knee. There were loads of walking sticks waiting for folks to use to help them cross (TAKE ONE, the rocks under the water can be slippery) and there was a ranger waiting on the other side. A pair of young women had recently gotten lost on the AT nearby, so the ranger was there to talk to us/remind us about the difficulty of the trail system ahead. We stuck to the Rim Trail, made it about 1/2 way (Buttermilk Falls) before connecting to the much easier Pleasant River Tote Road to return. If you love hiking *and* you love Maine *and* you love adventure *and* you like a challenge *and* you've got proper gear and a reliable car... this is a must do at least once in your life!

Why are there not a ton of 5 star reviews about this spot!!! It is amazingggg, I went with my…read moredaughter on a warm summer day. You do have to cross a river but it was shallow and we wore water shoes. The hike to the 1st falls was amazing we spent a lot of time there and swam. I believe it is call screw auger falls. This is a hidden gem do not miss it!

Had my bachelor party here 7/26 - 7/29 and it was just simply balls to the walls awesome. There…read morewas 7 of us, most came up in my fathers 35' RV, we chose the wilderness campsite so we could rage at all hours and not be disturbed by people looking for peace and quiet, great decision! The Wilderness site is about a qtr mile from the main campground and Lodge, which was fine because we would all pile into my buddys pickup and go back and forth. The site was basically a huge field with multiple sites laid right next to the Kennebec River so it was BEAUTIFUL! Def. bring mosquito and bug deterrent (obviously) Not once did any staff member come to check on us which we loved (nothings worse than feeling monitored) RV site had electric hookups which was great for my father so he could relax away from us party animals. The lodge is fantastic, corn hole tournaments, awesome bar with GREAT craft beer! They brew their own beer at the lodge downstairs, it is very delicious. We dined at the lodge our first night after 7+ hours of driving we didn't feel like cooking. Food was A+!!!!! The rafting was very cool, we were a rowdy group to say the least, the guide was very chill and laid back as we wrestled inside the raft trying to throw each other out of the raft even in the middle of rapids (which one of my groomsmen succeeded in doing so with me, it was a rush!) Hitting each other with our paddles, the guide couldn't have been better. Older guides would have screamed at us several times, def. made the experience very memorable letting us bicker amongst ourselves and have fun! It's a total hipster ran place which makes it totally chill, we are by no means hipsters but being around hipsters is never a bad time. Everyone who worked there was cool and relaxed. Not a single complaint! Shower house was clean and water was hot. Def bring gear and supplies, if you run out you're screwed, its about 45 minutes to the closest market of any kind. You're cell phone WILL NOT WORK here!!!!! The wifi in the Lodge is REALLY strong so you can make calls in the lodge once connected, don't expect to be on your Facebook if you're camping, you will be disappointed. Awesome campground! We are doing the Penobscot next year and hopefuly we find a campground as solid as this for that trip (Northern's campground at Penobscot doesn't have electric RV hookups so we can't stay there unfortunately but will use them for the rafting for sure!) Thanks for making my big weekend everything I envisioned it being Northern Outdoors!

This place is for anyone who loves the outdoors! White Water Rafting, Hiking, Tubing down the…read moreriver, and more. What really stood out was the outstanding woodwork in the restaurant & bar. We rented the King Pine log cabin for a birthday party. It sleeps 14+! I do have pictures that I will share but the beds aren't made because we were leaving & housekeeping does all of that. We all went to breakfast at their restaurant. Delicious & huge portions. Reasonably priced as well. There's a large hot tub, game room, swimming pool & pool table. Nice cozy couches in this area as well. The staff were some of the nicest people I have ever met. This is an all season place. It is definitely worth the trip!

7 guys on a week long snowmobile trip. our plans got altered due to an oncoming storm so we needed…read morea place last minute to stay for the night. Found contact info on a 15 year old snowmobile map and gave a call. They were happy to take in our group on short notice and feed us dinner even though we arrived very late and breakfast the next morning. We had a brand new cabin and the main lodge was new as well. The owner was very accommodating and hung out as if he were one of our group members. There was a bar in the main lodge if you like to have a few drinks after a long day. We liked it so much we made arrangements to stay for another night on our return trip home.

I booked a trip for 6 friends deer hunting, the first week of the 2023 rifle season. The food and…read morehospitality at Bulldog are both excellent. Our group had varied schedules and Darren was very accommodating, allowing guys to float in on different days as their schedules permitted. The location is beautiful. I would recommend getting directions from Darren and getting to camp when it is still light outside (signage can be difficult to see in the dark). We did not opt for guides but will be getting them this year for a return trip. The woods are big up in Jackman. And if you don't have the time to scout in advance, getting a guide is money well spent. Do your sighting in prior to the trip. I plan to come back to Bulldog every year to hunt and fish and highly recommend the camp for hunters and families

We rented the Lakeside Cabin.A perfect setting for an awesome relaxing vacation. The unit was very…read moreclean and well appointed.Heather was very helpful in making sure our stay went well.

I wanted to wait before writing this review in hopes that the new owner, Glen, would get things…read morefigured out. Unfortunately, it's been several years now and while it pains me to say this, Spencer Pond Camp has completely lost everything that once made it so special. This used to be my favorite place in the world. We visited every year, often multiple times, for a decade. It was a peaceful retreat with cozy cabins tucked into the woods, where you'd wake up to the sound of loons, occasionally spot a moose wandering through camp and truly feel immersed in nature. The grounds were beautiful, simple and thoughtfully cared for. We looked forward to visiting all year. Our last visit was heartbreaking to say the least. The natural beauty and serenity have been replaced with clutter, visible trash EVERYWHERE and a general sense of neglect. A large communal building was constructed right in the middle of camp, changing the feel of the property and we listened to construction noise for hours during our stay. After that came the sound of a generator from Glens cabin (against the rules, according to him), his dog off leash (also against rules) repeatedly wandering into our cabin area which upset our dogs, and an overwhelming smell from an unkempt chicken area. The dock area with a kayak/canoe rack as broken and just left there in pieces. The camp yard is no longer a place you want to hang out, rather just quickly walk past to get to your cabin. Glen claims to be a Maine guide, someone you'd expect to have a deep respect for the outdoors and for preserving places like this. He clearly doesn't respect nature or this place at all. I hope no critters eat any of the garbage left around. It feels like the camp has been treated as someone's personal property rather than the quiet wilderness retreat so many people fell in love with. Looking back at old photos honestly breaks my heart. We no longer feel it's worth the long drive or the cost and I SINCERELY hope things change someday and he takes note of the "regulars" who are no longer visit, and why. This place deserves so much better than what it has become. I only hope that someday it will be restored to the beautiful, peaceful place so many of us fell in love with.

My recent visit was filled with natural beauty and peaceful hours. I enjoyed hiking, reading, and…read morewatching the wildlife. It was wonderful to unplug and reset. I thoroughly enjoyed the charm of my rustic cabin and carefree days. The hosts, Holly and Glen, were very accommodating and fun to talk with. One morning I took an early boat trip with Glen, a Maine Guide, to view the wildlife. It was a highlight for me. Weeks later I am still thinking about this special place and when I can return.