It's officially proclaimed - Maine's official government fall foliage report website is saying that this 2008 season is expected to have brilliant foliage colors.  Every year Maine has a weekly report on foliage colors that starts in early September and runs through October.  Maine's season is one of the earliest in the US, thanks to its northern climate. We are watching the colors begin to change here at Northern Outdoors - we are in the "thick of the great North Woods" of course!
Read the full report on the mainefoliage.com site

We still have Maine cabin rentals available for quick fall getaways and Maine family vacations, including lakeside and trailside cabins, and riverside campsites. Our peak fall foliage October lodging special is 35% off all accommodations from October 6th-31st, at our Adventure Resort.  Adventure vacations are still available with classic New England whitewater rafting offered through October 6 and ATV trails & tours, fishing, and hiking available all through October.

Fall is here! This is the first posting of the new bi-weekly Northern Outdoors ATV Trail Report from The Forks, Maine. We hope you find it useful.

• The Maine ATV trails from The Forks south to Bingham, west to Eustis, east to Greenville, and north to Jackman are in good condition, dried out from earlier big rains in early August.
• The new Northern Outdoors ATV Spur Trail is still closed during the week due to logging operations. It is open from Friday through Sunday, and closed Monday-Thursday. All riders from Northern Outdoors will need to trailer their ATV to access trails during the week.
• Gas fuel is now available for sale at Northern Outdoors.
• The local Forks Maine ATV Club is Lake Moxie ATV Riders.
• The local Forks area Maine ATV Trailmaster is Dave Greenleaf.
• Area ATV Trail Maps are available at Northern Outdoors. We are also working to get them online.

We will update this report every two weeks, and also post a link on our ATV Trails and Tours section of our Northern Outdoor’s website.

For more information about Northern Outdoors Adventure Resort and ATV offerings, visit northernoutdoors.com.  Book your lodging accommodations now and lock in 2007 rates for the rest of 2008. Visit our Resort Specials for more info on Fall savings.

This is the last entry in our interview series with Jim Lane, President of A.T.V. Maine, the statewide non-profit organization representing all affiliated ATV clubs in Maine. According to Jim, you can ride 8½ months of the year in Maine, depending on the trail location. Riding season typically starts in later May (after mud season) and goes into December (winter snowfall permitting). Clubs can choose to close trails to protect the landowners’ land during inclement weather.

1. Ride with your headlights on at all times. This helps other riders see you easily, is important in inclement weather, and can even warn animals of upcoming  riders.
2. As you approach machines coming from the opposite direction, give them the hand signal of how many machines are behind you (just like in snowmobiling). For example, a closed fist means there are zero riders behind you.
3. Only a marked trail is a legal trail. It is imperative that ATV vacationers in Maine stay exclusively on marked trails.

Visit Northern Outdoors for more information about Maine ATV Trails, Tours, and Resort.

Insights into Maine’s ATV Trails. Part 4 of our interview series with Jim Lane, President of A.T.V. Maine.

If you are from Maine, or are already a Maine snowmobiler, then you likely already understand the very different circumstances of trail systems in the state of Maine, compared to most other states. If you aren’t from Maine, then these Maine ATV Trail Insights are REALLY IMPORTANT. Jim explained why landowner issues are so important to Maine’s ATV industry.

1. Most of Maine lands, forests, and trails are privately owned, (by large paper companies actually). There are very few public lands, Forest Service lands, etc. in Maine.
2. This means that most ATV trails (and snowmobile trails) are located on private land, and good relations with landowners is of paramount importance.
3. This is why A.T.V.Maine exists -  to facilitate trail access and good relations between landowners, the state of Maine, and the ATV-riding  community.
4. There are over 6,000 miles of active legal trails in the state of Maine. Trails change frequently, and very few maps are available online.
5. Only a marked trail is a legal trail. It is imperative that ATV vacationers in Maine stay exclusively on marked trails.

In Maine a trail is only legal if meets certain standards:

1. The trail has to be signed and maintained by a registered ATV Club:
2. The ATV Club must file specific club paperwork with Maine’s Department of Conservation and Off Road Vehicle Department,
3. The club must have 3 officer positions: a President, a Secretary/Treasurer, and a Trailmaster. Of these 3 roles, the Trailmaster is the most important.
4. To be a legal Club, the club must maintain a minimum of 5 miles of trail.
5. All trails are maintained by private ATV Clubs, not by the state of Maine, Forest Service, or other government entities.
6. The definition of a trail is: something you have to maintain that is through the woods. As a result, all types of old logging roads, dirt roads, etc. are not considered trails.

A.T.V.Maine offers critical credibility to Clubs and accountability to Landowners about responsible ATV riding and trail use.

For more information about Maine ATV Trails and Tours, or Maine's newest ATV resort, visit Northern Outdoors.

This is part 3 in our interview with Jim Lane, President of A.T.V. Maine. Jim didn’t hesitate to share his “Tips for Safe ATV Riding”, and reiterated several times that ATVs are great fun and offer a unique family activity, but must always be handled in recognition that ATVs are heavyweight machinery. As Jim said, “They aren’t toys. Ground is much harder than snow, if you fall off your ATV, crash through water at speed, or flip the machine, you can very quickly be seriously hurt.”

Jim’s short list of what to wear and bring on a ride on Maine's ATV trails:

1. Always ride wearing eye protection, no matter if is sunny, cloudy, or night. Also, it’s a very good practice to cover your mouth with a handkerchief, or similar, for dust while you ride. (If it is raining, the rain will settle any dust.)
2. Wear a helmet! Even though the state of Maine only requires helmets for riders under age 18, adults ought to protect themselves and act as good role models to younger riders.
3. Wear Gloves
4. Wear Long Pants: engines heat up and side pipes can burn you, as well as dirt & rocks can fly up while you are driving.
5. Get a good pair of sturdy boots; don’t wear open toed shoes.
6. Wear a long sleeved shirt for trail rides. It will protect you from branches, bugs, mud, and light scrapes. 
7. Take a pack with you with extra water and rain gear. “It’s Maine”, says Jim, “Wait 5 minutes and the weather will change.”

Learn more about Maine ATV trails & tours at Northern Outdoors.

This is Part 2 in 5 Part Series from our talk with A.T.V.Maine President Jim Lane in late July. 

Did You Know?

1. There are 65,000 registered ATV machines in the state of Maine.
2. You don’t need an ATV license but you do have to register your ATV machine if you ride in Maine. A portion of all registration fees go to Maine’s Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife to oversee enforcement and investigate all accidents and complaints. Over $1.1 million goes to Maine’s Department of Conservation to help purchase lands, educate trail users, safety programs and fund trail  maintenance and improvements. Clubs apply for grants to do trail maintenance. These grants typically cover only a part of a Club’s total costs of maintaining trails, the rest is made up of volunteer time and local fundraising
3. Kids under age 16 have to take an ATV safety course in order to operate an ATV machine by themselves. Otherwise, an adult must ride with a child at all times.
4. The average age of an ATVer in Maine is 54 years of age!
5. A.T.V.Maine maintains $2 million in liability insurance coverage for ATV member Clubs and Landowners
6. Each club gets up to $400,000 per event liability coverage, through their dues to A.T.V.Maine. Landowners are similarly protected with A.T.V.Maine liability insurance. The state of Maine maintains liability coverage for landowners at $400,000 per event, not to exceed $1.2MM per year. Landowners who participate and allow trails on their land are covered under this insurance. If a lawsuit was to develop by an ATV rider, that suit would have to be against the state of Maine. The landowner cannot even be named.  (In fact, says Jim, it has always been the ATVers who have been in the wrong, if they are riding off trails)  This agreement allows the club that has signed and maintained this trail, to act in the landowners behalf against the illegal riders and can file a complaint and then have the riders summoned to court, without having the landowner’s named. The club polices the trails and protects the landowners, it is not up to the landowner to do his or her own policing.
7. Clubs sign a contract with each individual landowner about trail use on their lands, with the state of Maine backing each contract for registered official ATV Clubs.
8. All ATV machines have Spark Arrestors: By law all ATV machines have to have a spark arrestor and are manufactured with them. The only way for there not to be one is if the muffler system has been altered post-purchase, by a consumer. There is a misleading USFS ad that ran this summer alleging that  ATVs cause wildfires through sparks, but in fact this is not the case.

More information from "Captain Jim" coming up from the newest Maine ATV Trails & Resort: Northern Outdoors.

What is A.T.V. Maine?
We recently talked with Jim Lane, President of A.T.V. Maine, about Maine ATV trails  and the sport in general. A new ATV spur trail directly to Northern Outdoors Adventure Resort was officially approved earlier this spring, opening up access to hundreds of miles of exceptional ATV trails to our Northern Outdoors guests right from our cabins and resort.  Though we have years of experience as a premier snowmobiling resort in Maine, we are still  learning about ATVs. Jim has been involved with ATVs for over a decade and is an avid rider. Here’s what we found out:

A.T.V.Maine, the Alliance of Trail Vehicles of Maine, is a private, non-profit organization that represents over 100 affiliated ATV Clubs in Maine when dealing with the state, landowners, and other issues affecting ATV trails and riders in Maine.  ATVMaine has a great list of all the Maine ATV Clubs, with contact info, so you can find out detailed trail, riding, and resort information. A.T.V.Maine membership dues fund the organization’s efforts to assist Landowners and Clubs with trail issues, pro-ATV legislation, and other activities supporting responsible ATV sport.

The atvmaine.org website opening page says it best, here it is:


Look for more from Jim and A.T.V.Maine in upcoming blogs.

We got great news early this summer at Northern Outdoors Adventure Resort in the Forks. A new ATV spur trail directly to Northern Outdoors Adventure Resort was officially approved earlier this spring, opening up access to hundreds of miles of exceptional ATV trails to our Northern Outdoors guests. The new trail connects to Western Maine’s great riding up to Jackman to the north, Greenville to the northeast, Bingham to the south, and of course, to beautiful Moxie Lake and on past to Moosehead Lake. What guests are saying about our area riding so far is that it offers fantastic loop rides, instead of out and back rides, which makes for better touring.

Though we have years of experience as a premier snowmobiling resort in Maine, we are still learning about ATVs. We now have fuel available for sale to ATV riders, just as we do in the winter to snowmobile riders.  We are working on maps for our area and offering GPS coordinates of the great touring options. Our resort makes a perfect basecamp for extended touring, with many lodging options from camping to luxury cabins, a microbrewery and brewpub, swimming pool, game room, and more. Coming up we’ll be blogging about our recent interview with Jim Lane, the President of A.T.V.Maine, who offers tips, resources, and insights about Maine ATVing. We will also hear from one of our guests who is big on ATVing in Maine as a great Family Vacation.  Check back often.
Ride safe, be respectful of landowners, and have fun! 

Happy July 4th weekend! Welcome to our newest blog for Northern Outdoors. This blog is all about rafting and adventure vacations in Maine. We’ll share tips and resources about things to do on your New England vacation with family and friends. With current fuel prices at an all time high of over $4/gallon today, affordable vacations closer to home are more important than ever.  That’s where a Maine family vacation, Girlfriend Getaway or Mancation (the Guy’s Getaway version) can be an ideal solution.  

Our Northern Outdoors Adventure Resort is located in the heart of Maine’s best rivers, lakes, and trails. Only a few hours from Boston, Western Maine is easy and cost effective to get to. Our comfortable resort offers lodging for every budget and taste from luxury North Woods cabins and lakeside cottages to riverside campsites and cabin tents.  A swimming pool, game room, brewpub, big main lodge with a fireplace, and more, welcome you. Our newest addition this season is an ATV spur trail that links our lodge directly to the extensive Maine ATV trails network.


We started rafting in 1976, in fact, we were the very first rafting company in Maine (see more Northern Outdoors history), and have a long record of setting industry standards for quality, safety, and professional guide training. We think we have the best whitewater rafting in New England on our nearby Kennebec, Penobscot, and Dead Rivers. (Yes, of course we are biased - we live here year-round and love it here!) Choose from easy family floats trips to exciting Class IV and IV+ whitewater thrills, May to October.  
We’ll keep you updated on what’s happening at Northern Outdoors this season. Visit also our Adventure Blog for the latest press on Northern Outdoors. When you don’t see recent blog entries from us, it’s because we’re on the river, on the trail, or relaxing at our classic New England lodge by the fireplace with one of our Kennebec River Brewery microbrews. (Yes, we have our own microbrewery on-site. We started it years ago because one of our owners has a passion for specialty beers.) “Ayup” – as they say in Maine – this is a special place. Hope to see you here!