For serious canoeists and backcountry paddlers, the legendary 94-mile stretch of Maine’s Allagash Wilderness Waterway is a lifelong bucket list trip. This 7–10 day adventure winds through lakes, rivers, and ponds where the outside world simply falls away. Protected since 1966 and designated as part of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System, the Allagash remains one of the most pristine paddling corridors in the Northeast, offering anglers the chance to cast for native Maine brook trout, wildlife watchers the thrill of spotting moose along misty shorelines, and every traveler the rare gift of skies so dark the Milky Way blazes overhead — with the occasional, unforgettable flicker of the northern lights. This is timeless and untamed wilderness, a place where one may simply just be.

Learn more about planning this bucket list paddle > go to 'What to expect on a trip to the Allagash'

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Dark sky chasers delight in Aroostook County. Few experiences compare to witnessing the northern lights break over the skyline of Maine's Aroostook County — the quiet side of Maine, famous among astronomers for its uninterrupted dark skies. As spring settles in and the snow recedes, adventurous travelers pair a quiet night hike to secluded lakes with the simple ritual of facing north and checking the NOAA aurora forecast for geomagnetic hints — because when conditions align, ribbons of green and violet ripple across the horizon. Set up camp beneath those expansive northern skies and the magic deepens: the chorus of spring peepers rising from thawed wetlands, the soft quack of returning wood frogs, and the drumming display of the American woodcock at dusk.

Learn more about viewing the aurora borealis here > go to 'When are the Northern Lights most active?'

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You know the difference between trout and native Maine brook trout - few pursuits compare to chasing the cold, clear waters of Aroostook to legendary catches. Explore the deep waters of Deboullie Township in the North Maine Woods or let a Registered Maine Guide show you to the gems in the Oxbow, Maine area. The North Maine Woods is the last true stronghold for Native brook trout populations in the east. In southern Aroostook, anglers speak in hushed tones about the “golden trout” of Mill Pond — brilliantly colored brookies that glow like burnished copper in spring light. Whether casting a dry fly along a quiet shoreline or paddling into a backcountry pond at first light. This is real Maine fishing: heritage fish, untouched water, and stories earned one cast at a time.

Learn more about where to fish for native brook trout > go to 'Find Maine Brook Trout Waters'

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