MAINE SUNDAY TELEGRAM • July 4, 2021
From the North Maine Woods to western Maine, down through southern Maine and along the coast to the Downeast region, land managers echo similar reports on hiker traffic: It is down from the wild spike that occurred in 2020 due to COVID-19 – when trail use doubled in many places – but Maine’s trails are still busy. Given that Maine is home to more than 80 non-profit conservation land organizations and 500,000 acres of Maine Public Reserve Lands, there’s hundreds of miles of trails here. Jane Arbuckle at Maine Coast Heritage Trust suggested people this year research and find lesser-known or lesser-used trails – and then check kiosks at trailheads for land-use rules.