‘Hiking Maine’ practical guide to variety of trails Seymour’s book omits worthwhile Aroostook sites

HIKING MAINE (second edition): by Tom Seymour, Globe Pequot Press, Guilford, Conn., 203 pages, $15.95

The days in Maine are still short, dark, and cold. Below- zero temperatures may find you inside planning warmer weather outdoors pursuits. If so, you might have come across “Hiking Maine” (second edition) by Maine native Tom Seymour.

“Hiking Maine” is a reader-friendly hiking guide organized by geographical location. For example, readers will find overviews of Inland, Midcoast, Urban, Down East, Southcoast, Island, Acadia and Mount Desert Island, and Aroostook County hikes.

Popular destinations such as Gulf Hagas, Mount Katahdin, and Mount Kineo are described and include an elevation and mileage key to help readers differentiate between easy, moderate, and difficult excursions. This book introduced me to several previously unknown destinations such as Great Pond Mountain in Bucksport and Wells Reserve at Laudholm Farm, situated between Wells and Kennebunkport in York County.

Each destination includes a description of water availability, special attractions, the best season for the respective trail, and valuable information on finding the trailhead. What sets this hiking guide apart from others on the market are: a section titled “Trails for Hikers with Special Needs;” brief but concise introductory information about Maine’s weather, insects, and wildlife; and a thorough planning checklist in the guide’s appendix.

In all, this book describes 72 trails. Although a beginning section of the book acknowledges the trails “listed here are by no means the only worthwhile spots in the state,” I might disagree with its claim that it is “a representative sample of what Maine has to offer.”

I would agree it is a representative sampling of what southern and coastal Maine has to offer, but with only a single destination in Aroostook County (Aroostook State Park) included, it falls short in describing potential outings in “perhaps the wildest and most underdeveloped part of the state.”

Two common but absent Aroostook County destinations, for example, are Haystack Mountain and Debouille Mountain. Also, since the book’s copyright date (2002), the Nordic Heritage Ski Center in Presque Isle has developed a large trail system available to hikers year round. This information would create a more representative sample of Northern Maine’s hiking options and could be easily included in the author’s next edition.

These omissions, however, appear to be the guide’s only practical limitations. This guide could be useful to either experienced or vacationing hikers unfamiliar with Maine’s trails and terrain, and to beginning hikers; it includes outings of all difficulty levels.

It is refreshing to see a Maine hiking guide authored by a Maine resident. Mr. Seymour is a Registered Maine Guide and an outdoor writer. His wilderness experiences lend “Hiking Maine” the “native” credibility Mainers look for.