Highlands

Understand

The highland region is made of two counties, with a combined population of 169,000 (2020). The region is sparsely populated especially in the Piscataquis region. Penobscot county is named after the Penobscot tribe of the Wabanaki confederation, and Piscataquis for the Abenaki word meaning "branch of the river." The river that is branching is the Penobscot River, a 109-mile tidal river that empties into Penobscot Bay. Historically the Penobscot River was used as a trade corridor into interior Maine.

Hunting, fishing and other outdoor recreation are popular pastimes for the locals and the biggest draws for the region.

Cities

• Bangor
• Corinth
• Dexter
• Dover-Foxcroft
• East Millinocket
• Greenville
• Hampden
• Lincoln
• Millinocket
• Milo
• Monson
• Newport
• Old Town
• Orono
• Patten
• Woodville

Other destinations

• Moosehead Lake Region
• Baxter State Park – possibly Maine's best-preserved wilderness home to the state's highest peak

Get in

By plane

The highlands have one international airport in Bangor, multiple smaller airports and several areas that support landings of seaplanes. Many of the small-town airports do not have a manned control tower, so communication with other airplanes is critical.

By car

I-95 and several other routes will allow you to access much of highlands Maine; however, some towns like Greenville only have one major road going to them, and road closure or damage may result in lengthy detours.

On foot

The Appalachian Trail and its international counterpart both pass through Maine. Combined with hundreds of miles of converted rail beds you can traverse much of Maine through hiking.

Get around

Most of highland Maine, and Maine in general lacks public transportation.

Stay safe

While many people come to Maine with hopes to see moose it is important to keep your distance, as they can be easily agitated and tend to charge those they see as threats. Also remember that moose can be extremely difficult to see at night because their eyes do not reflect light like deer and their dark coloration.

Cell phone coverage can get dicey the further north you move from I-95. If you are exploring less populated regions, it's important to account for this and have plans to self-rescue if you need to. It is always best practice to inform people of where you are going and how long you plan to be when you venture out into more remote regions. If you are hiking or camping, you'll want to check in with a trail or visitor center to make sure officials know you're in the area and to keep an eye or ear out for signs of distress.