Undiscovered Maine

Wildlife & Wilderness

Maine is home to abundant wildlife including moose, loons, deer, fox, LOTS of beautiful birds and other exquisite animals!

Since Maine is also known for its beautiful foliage, here is a Foliage Tracker. Check out this list of places for wildlife- birding in Maine!

Aroostook County

• Aroostook National Wildlife Refuge Refuge Rd, Limestone, ME 04750 | (207) 328-4634
  • Canoe, hike, cross-country ski, and enjoy viewing and learning about nature at this wonderful site. The Refuge is a conservation success story, as it has turned part of the grounds of the former Loring Air Force Base into a healthy natural haven!
• Crystal Bog Cow Team Rd, Crystal, ME 04747
  • Also known as the 1000 Acre Bog and recognized as a Focus Area of Statewide Ecological Significance, this wilderness area can be reached and explored via the multi-use, 6-mile Cow Team Road
• Franks Mountain View Lodge 818 Benedicta Rd, Benedicta, ME 04733 | 207-365-4316
  • Great lodge catering to hunters, fishers, and other outdoor enthusiasts.
• Houlton Riverfront Park Riverside Trail 21 Water St, Houlton, ME 04730
  • This trail runs along the Meduxnekeag River in the Houlton Riverfront Park. Along this trail are educational plaques with details of local history, wildlife, and plants.
• Nylander Museum of Natural History 657 Main Street, Caribou, ME 04736
  • If you’re interested in learning more about Aroostook County’s fauna, be sure to visit this museum. Displays of Aroostook County’s biodiversity can be seen here.

    

DownEast Maine

• Amherst Mountains Community Forest Rte 9, Amherst, ME 04605 | (207) 941-4412
  • If you’re looking for an outdoor adventure, look no further! Here you can find recreation trails, wildlife, remote camping, and more!
• Barred Island Preserve Goose Cove Rd, Deer Isle, ME 04627 | (207) 348-2455
  • Easy 1.5-mile trail with sights of Barred Island, Crockett Cove, and a sandy beach.
• Bog Brook Cove ME-191, Cutler, ME 04626 | (207) 729-7366
  • Features gravel and cobble beaches, views of the Bold Coast, and abundant wildlife. It is great for hiking, photography, and birding. There are four hiking trails for various skill levels and lengths.
• Bold Coast Charter Company 2687-2699 Cutler Rd, Cutler, ME 04626
  • Puffin tours from Cutler to Machias Seal Island, which is the largest puffin colony on the coast of Maine.
• Boot Head Preserve Boot Cove Rd, Lubec, ME 04652
  • Great hiking spot with moss-lined paths to coastal bogs and cobble beaches along the rocky coastline. Look for nesting bald eagles, spruce grouse, songbirds, and small mammals.
• Cobscook Bay State Park 40 South Edmunds Rd, Dennysville, ME 04628 | (207) 853-4644
  • At this state park, there are a variety of activities available all year long, including cross country skiing, snowshoeing, winter camping, hiking, and biking.
• Devil’s Head Conservation Area Rural US-1, Calais, ME 04619 | (207) 454-2521 ext. 10
  • “Devil’s Head has a rich cultural history going back thousands of years. Today, it features the habitats of numerous forms of floral and fauna that thrive in the combination of salty waters, rocky woodlands, and forest marshes. Visitors are invited to explore the park along two distinct trails and the access road that leads from Route One down to the beach, or to spend time alongside the river at a cleared picnic spot.”
• Donnell Park Public Reserved Land Schoodic Beach Rd, Franklin, ME 04634 | (207) 941-4412
  • Water access campsites can be found on Donnell Pond, the southern end of Tunk Lake, and Spring River Lake. Walk-in access to campsites is available from the Schoodic Beach access trail. This area is a great spot for long hikes and beautiful views.
• Duck Lake Public Reserved Land Lakeville Twp, ME 04487 | (207) 941-4412
  • Visitors enjoy camping and fishing in this semi-remote area surrounded by lakes. Duck Lake, the Unknown Lakes, and Gassabias Lake offer fishing, boating, swimming, camping, and snowmobiling.
• Eastport Windjammers 104 Water St, Eastport, ME 04631 | (207) 853-2500
  • Go on one of their cruises to see whales, seals, eagles and more.
• Edgar Tennis Preserve Tennis Rd, Deer Isle, ME 04627 | (207) 348-2455
  • This beautiful path hugs the shore for beautiful views.  Again, be careful of the roots. There are several options; long and short.
• Jordan Homestead Preserve 46-34 Bayside Rd, Ellsworth, ME 04605 | (207) 422-2328
  • Historic land owned by the Jordan family, with trails and river access.
• Kilkenny Cove/Old Pond Railway Trail Point Rd, Hancock, ME 04640
  • Containing a well-marked 3.25 miles trail, great for birding!
• Machias River Corridor Machias River, Machias, ME 04654 | (207) 941-4412
  • This corridor envelopes the Machias River, which features the country’s largest self-sustaining wild Atlantic salmon run. This spot is great for camping, birding, fishing, hunting, and it is particularly popular with experienced paddlers.
• Moosehorn National Wildlife Refuge 103 Headquarters Rd, Baring, ME 04694 | (207) 454-7161
  • Located just outside Calais, this is the easternmost National Wildlife Refuge in the Atlantic Flyway. Its main purpose is to protect bird wildlife.
• Rocky Lake Public Reserved Land Rocky Lake, ME 04691 | (207) 941-4412
  • “With 11,000 acres of woodlands and wetlands bordering three lakes near East Machias, the Rocky Lake Public Lands provide opportunities for boating, camping, and fishing in a wildlife-rich setting.”
• Seal Island National Wildlife Refuge Penobscot Bay, ME 04476
  • The home of a restored seabird colony of puffins, razorbills, and terns. The island is closed to public visitation but can be seen with boat tours.
• Shackford Head State Park Eastport, ME 04631 | (207) 853-4644
  • “The Shackford Head and Overlook Trails (1.2-mile round-trip) provide fantastic views of Cobscook Bay and surrounding peninsulas.”
• Shore Acres Preserve Greenlaw District Rd, Deer Isle, ME 04627 | (207) 348-2455
  • This has a relatively easy walk through the woods to the shore. Be careful of the many roots on the path and bring bug spray for mosquitos!
• Sipp Bay Preserve Burby Rd, Perry, ME 04667 | (207) 259-5040
  • Great spot for kayaking with a hand-carry boat launch, 1.5 miles of hiking trails with great views of the rugged coastline, pleasant picnic spots, and bird watching with sightings including bald eagles, migrating shorebirds, and more.

Western Maine

• Attean Pond Jackman, ME 04945 | (207) 668-3792
  • “15 miles of Attean Pond and Moose River shorefront, scenic islands, mountain slopes, and productive forestland were conserved in a way that met the landowner’s needs while also maintaining the many attributes of the land”
• Bemis Mountain Rangeley, ME 04970
  • Also, part of the Appalachian Trail, just southwest of Rangeley is known for having spruce grouse, boreal chickadee, gray jay, and other northern species of birds to watch.
• Bethel, Maine Wildlife Bethel, Maine 04261
  • “The wildlife abounds in Bethel and the surrounding mountains and valleys of western Maine and Northern New Hampshire.”
• Bigelow Preserve Public Reserved Land Farmington, ME 04938 | (207) 778-8231
  • About 40 miles out of Farmington is this reservation that has the most beautiful views around by canoe.
• Big Wood Lake Jackman, ME 04945 | (207) 668-4171
  • A great place for seeing ducks. There is also an eagle’s nest resting in a large tree at the end of the lake near Wood Stream, and will show the baby eagles taking their first flights from mid-June to early August.
• Bird Watching Carrabassett Valley, ME 04947 | (888) 688-0099
  • If you visit any of the hiking or boating locations, you will see LOTS of birds including eagles!
• Chesterville Wildlife Management Area Chesterville, ME 04938
  • This beautiful tract of preserved land, accessible from the center of Chesterville, is a great location for some wilderness paddling, fishing, and waterfowl hunting.
• Coburn Mountain Trail Jackman, ME 04945
  • This strenuous hike goes up 3,718 feet high on the tallest mountain in the area. At the top are great views of Moose Valley River.
• Flagstaff Lake Stratton-Eustis, ME 04982 
  • Take out a kayak, especially early in the morning, to see lots of birds including eagles and loons.
• Greater Lovell Land Trust Trails Lovell, ME, 04051 | (207) 925-1056
  • The Greater Lovell Land Trust maintains public hiking trail networks across the town, offering a wide variety of trail lengths, difficulty levels, and scenery, from lakeside to mountaintop!
• Long Pond 12 Loop Rd, Jackman, ME 04945 | (207) 668-4872
  • Home to blue herons, loons, and ducks.
• Maine Huts & Trails Carrabassett Valley, ME 04947| (207) 265-2400
  • The beautiful trails provide a perfect spot for bird watching!
• Maine Moose Watching 155 Greenville Rd, Shirley Mills, ME 04485 | (207) 695-0151
  • Even in western Maine (where moose can outnumber people!), you need a little help finding the elusive Maine moose. The Northeast Whitewater has moose watching tours, private moose safaris, and photography tours.
• Maine Scenic Byway Old Canada Rd, Rte 201 (through Kennebec and Moose River Valley) | (207) 672-3971
  • This 78-mile road is a great scenic trip traveling through various towns, including Jackman. It is a great place for viewing scenery and wildlife, camping, hiking, fishing, and more.

    

• Moose Watching “Hot Spots” Rangeley Lakes Region, ME
  • Here are several popular spots for moose watching. We have personally seen moose on Route 16 between Stratton and Rangeley, especially around dawn or dusk.
• Mt. Blue State Park Weld, ME 04285 | (207) 585-2347
  • Open year-round, Mt. Blue State Park is a beautiful attraction including all sorts of outdoor activities like hiking, trail riding, biking, swimming and picnicking.
• Saddleback Mountain Rangeley, ME 04970
  • Part of the Appalachian Trail, just east of Rangeley is known for having many warblers, black-backed woodpeckers, gray-cheeked thrush, and other northern species of birds to watch.
• Sally Mountain Trail Attean Rd, Jackman, ME 04945
  • 4.8-mile trail of moderate difficulty with seasonal blueberry picking available.

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