The Forks, Maine – Northern Outdoors is pleased to announce its participation as a founding partner of the Maine Woods Discovery initiative. The program will market Maine winter outdoor experiences and adventures and promote nature-based tourism.
Maine Woods Discovery is a collaborative effort among outdoor recreation businesses and organizations including Northern Outdoors, New England Outdoor Center, Maine Huts and Trails, and the Appalachian Mountain Club who are working together to create and promote opportunities for visitors and residents explore and enjoy the Maine Woods as well as help promote nature-based tourism.
The aim of the program is to build a network of tourism providers working together to offer visitors consistently high quality opportunities to experience outdoor activities and the natural destinations of the Katahdin, High Peaks, Upper Kennebec, and Moosehead Lake regions, while learning about local wildlife, history or crafts.
“We are really excited about the collaborative aspect of this program,” noted Russell Walters, of Northern Outdoors and one of the program’s founding partners. “What unites these businesses and organizations is our love for the region and our common interest in sharing it with new and returning visitors. We see greater potential for doing this by working together. These are all well-established businesses and organizations, specialists in this region who have all decided to work together to achieve a common goal.”
Four packages ranging from two to four days combine overnight accommodations with daily core activities and meals. Packages start under $200 per person for two nights and each has optional add-on activities like guided snowmobile tours, dog sledding or skiing. Details on travel packages and the Maine Woods Discovery program can be found at www.mainewoodsdiscovery.com/.
“Any of these packages offer a wonderful way to experience the winter trails of Maine’s north woods first-hand, along with a warm lodge or cabin, delicious meals and friendly staff willing to share their love for the region,” said Bryan Wentzell, Maine Policy Director for the Appalachian Mountain Club, a program participant and one of coordinators for the effort.
“Whether cross-country skiing, snowmobiling or sitting by a warm fire with friends, we have multiple ways to experience what is truly an authentic Maine experience,” says Sarah Hunt of the New England Outdoor Center.
“We see this collaborative effort as helping highlight the Maine woods as a premier outdoor destination within a day’s drive of the Boston-New York area. We simply have spectacular scenery, great trails to experience it, and warm, comfortable places to eat at stay,” said Conrad Klefos of Maine Huts and Trails.
The Maine Woods Discovery Program is a project of the Maine Woods Consortium, an open association of non-profit organizations, businesses and government agencies dedicated to advancing a “triple bottom line” approach (economy, environment, community) to development and conservation in the Maine Woods region. To learn more about the Maine Woods Consortium, visit: www.mainewoodsconsortium.org.
Packages available for 2011 include:
Hut to hut ski tour (Maine Huts and Trails)
Chicks with Sticks: A Winter Fiber Adventure and Yarn Tasting! (New England Outdoor Center)
Inn to Inn Snowmobiling (Northern Outdoors)
Lodge to lodge skiing adventures (Appalachian Mountain Club)
More information is available at www.mainewoodsdiscovery.com/.