Let’s face it, you didn’t come to the Maine woods for the cuisine or the culture—you came to get out into the woods. The Moosehead region offers a good jumping-off point to get out into the wilderness, either to the two star attractions of Baxter State Park and the Allagash Wilderness Waterway or to white-water rapids or skiing or snowmobiling trails, depending on the season.

It’s impossible to shop for groceries or fill up on gas without coming across a flyer for a wilderness guide or outfitter. Many hotels and resorts also lead hiking, rafting, or canoeing trips as a side venture. While guides vary in skill and experience, you can’t go wrong with a Registered Maine Guide (www.registeredmaineguides.com), a member of a tradition that stretches back to Cornelia Thurza “Fly Rod” Crosby, who established a system of training and vetting guides more than 100 years ago.

Within that designation, some guides also belong to the Maine Professional Guides Association (www.maineguides.org), whose website offers the ability to search for guides in specific geographical areas or areas of interest on its website.