When you imagine Maine you envision rocky coasts, lobster and the sea. Nice, isn’t it? Now forget all that. We’re going inland, north by northwest, far from the crowds and everything you thought you knew about the state. On the five-hour drive from Portland, you can set the mood and pull off to appreciate the view of Mount Katahdin, Maine’s highest point. After that you’re pretty much on your own. Look out for moose. This area, once known for its potato farms, is lovely in a rugged way and not a place where you’d want to spend the winter.
One of the cabins at Libby Camps, Maine © James Harvey-Kelly
Once you arrive at the North Maine Woods, which is 3.5mn acres, you pull up to a gate with a small outbuilding the size of a phone booth. Here, you fill out a form and put a small fee in an envelope. A decade ago, there was an old man who brought you up to date on local gossip, which mostly had to do with bear sightings. Now you pick up a phone and somebody raises an electric gate remotely. That’s progress, I guess.
Then you hit an interminable dirt road, and you hear yourself saying, “This is longer than I remember.” These roads instil a state of discomfort that seems like it will extend forever. If you’re lucky you’re in a rental car, or you own the ranch at the end. But this particular dirt road is the easiest way to get to Libby Camps – an unromantic journey to a place that’s worth the tooth-rattling ride.
