9 Secluded Towns in Maine
Along with the famous large towns of Augusta and Portland, Maine is full of small towns which, in spite of their remote locations, have much to offer visitors. Most come to Maine for its magnificent outdoors and the recreation it provides. Many towns are located on or near bodies of water, which was critical to their survival back when they were founded, and today offer seemingly endless varieties of recreation and sport. In winter, snow sports are popular, while in warmer weather, water activities abound. There are also great trails to hike and bike and mountains to climb.
Machias
Machias is filled with plenty of treasure waiting to be found, including wild blueberries, as the town contributes to making Maine the world's largest producer of the fruit. The annual Wild Blueberry Festival is held in August, and the Harvest Fair is in September. Try your talents in the seagull calling contest, the rubber ducky race over the falls, and pumpkin tossing.
The Downeast Sunrise Trail is great for hiking and four-wheeling. Visit Burnham Tavern Museum, one of 21 US buildings named as having the most to do with the American Revolution. In fact, the war's first naval battle occurred near Machias' Libby Island Lighthouse.
Millinocket
Maine's "Biggest Small Town" was also called "The Magic City" in the 1900s because of its tremendous rate of growth. After the Great Northern Paper Company set up shop in this remote, thickly forested location, people moved to the town from all over the world to build the mill and work in it, and the mill became the largest in the world. The mill closed in 2008, and today, people appreciate the area for its outdoor splendor, much as Henry David Thoreau did when he wrote about it in his book, "The Maine Woods."
Native Americans dubbed the town Millinocket, which means "land of many lakes," and water activities like kayaking, canoeing, and fishing are popular. It is also the site hikers journey to in order to climb Mt. Katahdin, Maine's highest peak at around 5,270 feet.
Waterville
Located on the west bank of the Kennebec River, the water once powered mills that were integral to the town's growth. Today, it could just as easily be called Artsville. The Maine Film Center, considered one of the best art houses in the country, is a host of the Maine International Film Festival, which screens 100 films over the 10-day event. The Waterville Opera House also hosts the film festival as well as plays, movies, and events throughout the year. Noted writer/producer David E. Kelley is also from Waterville.
Quarry Road Trails park is great for snowshoeing and cross-country skiing, and walking, biking, canoeing, and kayaking in warmer weather. Waterville is sometimes called "The University City of Maine" because of the two private colleges, Colby and Thomas, in its midst. Colby College's Museum of Art specializes in American and contemporary artists and is known for its extensive collection of art by Alex Katz, who lives and creates in Lincolnville, Maine.
Rumford
The main reason visitors "fall" for Rumford is, indeed, the spectacular Rumford Falls. A dam splits the waterfall into three parts: upper, middle, and lower falls, all of which are visible from the road. For a closer look, it's an easy hike to all three parts. The best time to visit is when the snow melts in the spring, ensuring ample water for the falls. Rumford Falls Trail is a 1.6-mile loop with good views of the falls.
Other places to hike include Rumford Whitecap Mountain Preserve, a 5.8-mile climb offering the reward of wild blueberries at the top when they are in season. Swift River Walking Trail meanders a half-mile along the Swift River and is wheelchair accessible. Black Mountain of Maine offers 50 ski trails and two chair lifts. The town also has an extensive network of snowmobile trails that connect to trails throughout the state.
Houlton
Making a stop at the last town in Maine before entering New Brunswick is well worth it. First of all, shopping is duty-free! And second, there's a lot to see and do here, like visiting Pluto. Between Houlton and Presque Isle is the largest scale model of the solar system in the Western hemisphere, and Houlton has Pluto.
The town is full of grand Victorian homes built in the days when the railroad made Houlton a bustling town. Downtown is a National Historic District, giving a glimpse of what it was like in its heyday. Temple Cinema, built in 1919, still has its original lighting, woodwork, and stained glass and still shows movies. Maine's Soap Box Derby Super Stock Car race is the largest in the US and is held in June each year.
Presque Isle
Here comes the sun! While Houlton has the model of Pluto, Presque Isle has the sun. The Aroostook River surrounds the town on three sides. Why, then, is it called an isle? Turns out that "isle" means "almost an island" in French. Prospective Olympic athletes come to PI to compete in the IBU World Cup Biathlon at the Nordic Heritage Center, which also has a hiking/biking trail system for people of all ages. Potato Country Bike Loops weave through farmland with history stops along the way; Southern Bangor and Aroostook Trail is part of a huge network for ATVs and also goes through Houlton. Scopan Public Reserved Land has a 1,400-foot mountain with seasonal waterfalls in view.
Enjoy the Northern Maine Agricultural Fair in late June and early July, Independence Day over the Fourth of July weekend, and the Crown of Maine Balloon Fest, featuring hot air balloons, the weekend before Labor Day weekend.
Stonington
Referred to as the most underrated town in the state, this town has a beautiful location at the southern tip of Deer Isle. Travelers must take a bridge to get there, so it isn't a town one just happens to pass through. And what a pity that is! Stonington's local craftspeople make clothing, pottery, and furniture for sale; check out the Haystack Mountain School of Crafts. The Opera House presents community theater, readings, concerts, and more year-round.
A long-time fishing village for mackerel and cod, the town now specializes in lobster. Being underrated and secluded on this island means Stonington is likely to be less crowded than other, more well-known places.
South Paris
Nicknamed the Gemstone Capital of Maine for the ancient quartz crystals beneath the town, other gems like garnets, amethysts, and tourmaline can also be found here. McLaughlin Garden is another big attraction, open May through October, and has Maine wildflowers and over 125 kinds of lilacs. Celebration Barn Theater hosts unusual performances all year, from plays to jugglers to mimes. Nearby "sister" towns host the Norway Arts Festival in July and the Oxford County Fair in the fall. Locals and visitors hike, bike, picnic, and ski in the Cornwall Nature Preserve in Paris, as well as the Ordway Grove in nearby Norway.
Eustis
The small town of Eustis is known as much for what is no longer there as it is for what it offers today. The towns of Bigelow, Dead River, and Flagstaff (where Benedict Arnold is said to have planted a flagstaff, hence the town's name) once existed and thrived where Flagstaff Lake is today. Then, in 1950, the towns were purposely flooded over to harness the power of the Dead River for a huge hydroelectric project. Residents were compensated for their homes, of course. Today, Flagstaff Lake is a popular recreation site, but when the water is low, parts of the submerged towns (known as "the lost towns" can be seen as reminders of their existence. Tour guides show visitors the area and tell its history, and divers explore the water.
Eustis also has a not-so-hidden "secret" of its own. Inside the town is the village of Stratton, and the two are often grouped together as Eustis-Stratton. Water activities take place on Flagstaff Lake, snowmobiling, and other winter sports in the area, and the Appalachian Trail can be accessed from Stratton.
Hiking the Appalachian Trail. Enjoying your fill of wild blueberries. Finding art and creativity where you'd least expect it. Seeing ghost towns emerge from a lake as reminders of what once was. Whether you are a hiker, skier, snowmobiler, or history buff, Maine has it all. And even though you plan where you will go based on what you'd like to do and see, Maine will still surprise you. Sure, its large cities have every convenience travelers could want. But it's the small towns that welcome you on your journey, happily sharing their little slice of the state, making you feel at home wherever you come from and wherever you are headed.
