I am taking a trip to New England and spending 5 nights in Bar Harbor,ME. After that I have 3 nights to spend. I am looking for somewhere inland in the mountains, that has very good hiking and is not taking me too much farther away from home (east or north). I live in the mid-atlantic region. Plus, I want to go somewhere I can see moose. I have looked at Moosehead Lake, Baxter State Park area, and am thinking about maybe new hampshire's white mountains. Like I said I am looking for a place with great hiking, I want to be in the heart of the mountains with rushing mountain streams and waterfalls. I love the mountains! Does anybody have what I am looking for?
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NH's White Mountains are convenient to your travel route. When you head south to Portland ME (from Bar Harbor) you can then go west to the Conway area - about an hour from Portland. You have lots of options from a paid visit to the Flume (popular tourist walk thru a gorge), to free swimming in rivers or hikes to waterfalls. Near the Twin Mtn area is a popular hike to Arethusa Falls. Moose are pretty much guaranteed if you continue further north to the Pittsburg NH area but it's a lot further north. My favorite area is between Lake Winnipesaukee and the White Mountains in the Sandwich NH area. If you get a NH Atlas and Gazetteer (published by DeLorme) you will find a listing of all the covered bridges, waterfalls, etc. The maps are very detailed. Hence you can find the small waterfall off the Sandwich Notch Rd (seasonal but good condition) that you wouldn't know was there. Some of the more popular hikes in the White Mountains are also listed. I still have not seen a moose in NH although my sister saw one last week right by the road and our son once surprised one behind our house. OTH We twice seen black bears in the Sandwich area just ambling along. There's a huge variety of accomodations. You might pick a particular area that's convenient to where you want to hike. You could easily do day trips to anyplace in the mountains but you probably would prefer something convenient. For your return, just head south on Rt 93 which cuts thru the mountains. It connects with Rt 495 and Rt 95 in MA.

Take a look at the Appalachian Mountain Club website if you really like to hike. They have a series of lodges and huts in the White Mountains that allow you to do overnight hikes without camping or carrying a serious backpack. The area is beautiful, and there are trails for every level of ability. For more conventional lodgings, try Jackson, NH. North Conway in particular has been overrun with outlets and is a lot like Route 22 in New Jersey with a mountain flavor, but the good stuff is only a few miles away. I have seen moose by the side of the road in Pinkham Notch, and smelled and heard bears in the Sandwich area, but I was moving too fast in the other direction to see them!

I am not into backpacking (overnight hikes), I am more into dayhikes 5-6 miles RT and less. What about the north woods of maine like Baxter or Moosehead Lake? Is moosehead lake in the mountains? The NH White Mountains is a popular choice for me, but I kind of like Maine. Is the white mountains similar to those areas? Is the white mountains a good place to see moose?
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Moosehead is surrounded by mountains and it is one of the most beautiful unspoiled areas that I have ever seen.

www.mooseheadlake.org/hiking.shtml

the one and only time I saw a moose while hiking was in Grafton State Park in Maine. We stayed at a ski lodge near the Sunday River ski area in Bethel (this was off season, the ski condos can be quite reasonable).

I think the hiking in Maine is quieter, more remote, fewer tourists, and hence you are more likely to see moose. The White Mountains are certainly beautiful with many nice hikes as well. I've just generally found more people on the trails, and less wildlife. that's my anecdotal experience anyways.

I've not been to Baxter, but I've heard it squite beautiful and may be exactly what you are looking for.

The problem I found with Baxter is that all the park roads are dirt and you can't really see anything except on the trails. Moosehead has paved roads, but some stuff to see and trailheads are on dirt roads, some long-distances. The White Mountains is a lot more paved roads. I would perfer not to drive on dirt/gravel roads and ruin my car's paintjob. Does moosehead rival the white mountains and the maine coast in terms of scenery?
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Personally, I think Moosehead's strength is canoing/fishing on the multitude of surrounding ponds and streams, along with random moose sightings ... and yes, there are lots of unimproved roads that will take it's toll on your shock absorbers ...

I'd recommend the Kangamangus Highway region of the White Mountains in new Hampshire for travelable mountain scenary, waterfalls and hiking .

The moose are a big + for me. I think my chances are less in the white mountains. I have driven the Kamangaus Hwy (don't know the spelling) in the white mountains on my way to Maine. It was cloudy and foggy, so there were no views, but there was a pretty stream towards the end. It was still pretty even though it was foggy. I just drove thorough and didin't hike. So, I have driven through the white mountains. I have not seen any of the interior of Maine. Does anybody know of any hikes in the moosehead area that are reached on paved roads? I read there was white-water rafting near moosehead lake, does anybody know of any outfitters in Greenville?
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have hiked around moosehead and in the whites. imo the hiking is better in NH. i like franconia notch state park. the only time i saw moose in either state was driving along the highways and in maine it was much more remote, on one of the lumber company toll roads. but it was beautiful... there are more lodging options in NH. there are great hiking books see appalachian mountain club guides

Why is the hiking better in NH? How is the scenery of moosehead lake compare to the White Mountains? What hikes in the moosehead area do you recommend?
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well it's a matter of opnion, i like to go up and get views, and there is a little less of that in maine, in nh hkes can get you above treeline. in the moosehead area i hiked the beehives, and an area with a scottish name it escapes me, but it involved hiking thru a low running river.... It is only opinion so i should have said IMO on my last post. i don't want to discourage you from the moosehead area. If you are going in the summer, the mosquitos can be moderate to annoying at moosehead, but mainly at dusk. if you are going in the spring, the black flies will get you (and so will mud season) in NH. I guess if i were in maine i'd be headed to acadia and in NH it's the white mountains. all is beautiful country. i hope i didn't diss moosehead. didn't mean to.

I believe the Beehive is in Acadia. I am going there for 5 days. Then, I have 3 nights for inland maine. I like the sound of Baxter. I like a park. Moosehead and the white mountains, the hikes are spread out. Baxter they are all contained in one park. For the 3 nights I have, this may be a better option. Doing quick mapquest calcalations Baxter or Moosehead are not any longer driving from my house than Bar Harbor is. But, moosehead and the white mountains are still fair game. Keep on with the opinions. let's make it a vote and say why.
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One post mentioned the Pittsburg area of New Hampshire. There have got to be places in the white mountains that are just like maine with few tourists and quiet. If I decide to do the White Mountains, is there any place in or around that region, that the moose watching is as good as areas of maine like Moosehead Lake or Baxter SP? Moosehead Lake sounds like it is more for boating. I like some serious mountains with rushing streams and waterfalls. But, I am still not ruling out Moosehead Lake.
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I figured out where to stay. I am staying in Greenville,ME. I need help with a route back home to Maryland. I am looking at going through New Hampshire and Vermont into Upstate New York that won't be too long for 2 days. I am thinking of taking Route 15 from Greenville to Route 150 south to Route 2 west through Maine and into New Hampshire, then Route 115 south to Route 3 south to Route 302 west to I-93 north to Route 302 west into Vermont to I-91 South to I-89 North to Route 4 west into New York to Route 149 to I-87 south through New York and hook up with the Jersey Turnpike and home. Is this a good way? Is it scenic? Is there anything bad about going this way? I have 2 days to drive home, staying a night in between. I would not want to drive anymore than 8-9 hours a day, preferably not even that.
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