Maine

In 2002, TNC acquired the 195,000-acre Katahdin Forest conservation easement to expand the 46,000-acre Debsconeag Lakes Wilderness Area (DLWA), which serves as a vital link in nearly a half-million acres of contiguous conservation land. TNC manages the DLWA as an ecological reserve—an area that is large and resilient enough to stand up to storms, pests, airborne pollution, climate change and other natural disturbances while providing habitat for wide-ranging species such as moose, fisher, bobcat and pine marten.

During this journey, we will reside among the moose, beavers, Canada lynx and other wildlife that inhabit a landscape where local news is delivered through the hoots, yodels and tremolos of loons. This week, we will settle into a comfortable, family-owned resort on Millinocket Lake to enjoy the picture-perfect scenery. Plan on numerous opportunities to take in the solitude and abundant natural beauty during a hike, a paddle or from the porch with a view of Maine’s highest mountain, Mount Katahdin.

DAY-BY-DAY ITINERARY

DATES

September 27 – October 2, 2020

PRICE

Double Occupancy $4,813 Single Occupancy: $5,628

PHOTO: © THE NATURE CONSERVANCY

SCENIC FLIGHT Board a float plane and listen to your local TNC guide narrate an aerial tour of the Maine Highlands. _____

MOOSE AND WILDLIFE Canoe down the Penobscot River catching glimpses of beaver, fishers or maybe a Canadian Lynx while Loon’s yodel in the distance. Or quietly cruise along the shores of Lake Millinocket looking for moose aboard a pontoon boat. _____

MILLINOCKET Explore the charming village on the rebound after the collapse of the local paper industry and visit an active logging operation to see sustainable forestry in action. _____

HIKE DEBSCONEAG LAKES WILDERNESS AREA Just south of Baxter State Park, the Ice Caves Trail features beautiful views of Katahdin, old-growth forest, lakes and surrounding mountains.

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T N C T R A V E L V A L U E S

ACCESS:

Travel with renowned

Conservancy experts and local

partners for an exclusive,

behind-the-scenes

experience. You won’t just see

amazing places, you’ll see

how you are helping save

them.

IMPACT:

See how your commitment to

our planet and your passion

for conservation are making a

difference. You will see the

wild places and the

communities you are

impacting.

KNOWLEDGE: Learn how we are applying the

latest cutting-edge science to

affect global change and drive

conservation.

INSPIRATION:

Immerse yourself in local

cultures and awe-inspiring

landscapes to foster your own

connection to our world.

GLOBALLY MINDED:

Elevate your understanding of

our work by seeing first-hand

how TNC and our partners act

locally and how we turn local

results in to global impact by

scaling solutions that work. Your trip supports the local communities you’re traveling in and The Nature Conservancy’s efforts locally and globally. This trip has been planned specifically by The Nature Conservancy’s team of scientific experts and travel liaisons to immerse you in the work the Conservancy is doing on the ground that has global consequences.

PHOTO: ©BRIDGET BESAW

PHOTO: ©BRIDGET BESAW

ITINERARY HIGHLIGHTS SCENIC FLIGHT

PONTOON BOAT RIDE CANOEING

BIRD WATCHING HIKING

MOOSE TOURS

DEBSCONEAG LAKES WILDERNESS The Nature Conservancy, the Forest Society of Maine, Appalachian Mountain Club, and Plum Creek have achieved an historic conservation easement on 363,000 acres near Greenville. The easement is one of the largest in the history of conservation in the United States, and it serves as the missing piece that connects existing protected lands to create one of the nation’s most extensive conserved working forests. Nestled in the shadow of Mount Katahdin, just south of Baxter State Park, The Nature Conservancy’s Debsconeag Lakes Wilderness Area (DLWA) is a vital link in nearly 500,000 acres of contiguous conservation land. Debsconeag means “carrying place,” named by native people for the portage sites where they carried their birch bark canoes around rapids and waterfalls. The DLWA contains the highest concentration of pristine, remote ponds in New England, as well as thousands of acres of mature forests. These lands are a vital piece of the movement to conserve the forests, waterways and natural habitats of the North Woods. They bring the big picture into focus. It is a picture of pristine waters and forested mountains with remote opportunities for paddling, hiking, camping, skiing, fishing and hunting. It is a picture of protection for priceless ecological treasures: the headwaters of some of Maine’s major rivers, untouched ponds and peatlands and habitat for rare plants and animals. And it is a picture of vast, unfragmented forests managed in a way that supports the local economy while providing a home to wide-ranging mammals such as moose, marten, fisher and Canada lynx.

PHOTO: © BILL PATTERSON

ITINERARY DAY 1 | Meet your guides upon arrival in Bangor and drive to Millinocket where you will be welcomed with lunch and an opportunity to explore the area. After getting settled into our accommodations at Twin Pines, you can take a leisurely hike or paddle on Millinocket Lake. This evening we will gather for a welcome cocktail reception where we will get to meet each other and discuss the week ahead. Dinner will at the award-winning restaurant River Driver’s Restaurant on Millinocket Lake overlooking Katahdin.

OVERNIGHT AT TWIN PINES RESORT DAY 2 | This morning we will board vintage float planes for an aerial tour of the Maine Highlands. Your flight views will include close views of Katahdin, opportunity to spot a moose from the air, and flying over the many lakes and ponds of the Debsconeag Lakes Wilderness Area. We may have an opportunity for an afternoon moose tour on a luxury pontoon boat before dinner at Twin Pines. OVERNIGHT AT TWIN PINES RESORT DAY 3 | After breakfast at River Drivers Restaurant, we will head out to Debsconeag Lakes Wilderness where we will hike the Ice Caves Trail. This classic Maine Trail has beautiful views of Katahdin, old forest, lakes and mountains. We will be rewarded for our morning’s effort with a lunch on the trail provided by our host restaurant for the week, River Drivers Restaurant. There are scenic vista points and a landing at First Debsconeag Lakes that make for excellent picnic spots. The afternoon is spent at your leisure. Give yourself over to relaxing in whichever way you would like, with an optional canoe paddle, fishing on the lake, a gentle stroll or reading a book in the beautiful scenery at the camp. In the evening we will gather over dinner at River Drivers Restaurant. OVERNIGHT AT TWIN PINES RESORT DAY 4 | For those interested, this day will get off to an early start with bird watching walk before breakfast. After breakfast, depart for a paddle trip on the east branch of the Penobscot River. This gentle but steady-flowing river tour will feature TNC’s Penobscot River restoration work. You will enjoy a packed lunch on the river. There will also be opportunities for fishing and hiking along adjacent trails. Afterwards we will enjoy a hearty dinner at a local restaurant. OVERNIGHT AT TWIN PINES RESORT

LODGING

TWIN PINES RESORT

Part of the New England Outdoor Center, this

family owned resort offers a variety of outdoor

activities and lodges overlooking Millinocket

Lake.

RIVER DIVER’S

Award winning restaurant featuring fresh

ingredients inspired by seasonal and local

cuisine.

PHOTO: © NEOC

PHOTO: © NEOC

PHOTO: © NEOC

DAY 5 | This morning we will visit an active logging job to learn about sustainable forestry on the Katahdin Forest Easement before spending the afternoon in the town of Millinocket. You will have the opportunity to visit the local shops on Millinocket’s Maine Street and to hear how the region is being reshaped in the loss of the world’s largest paper mills as well as thousands of jobs over the last two decades. Dinner tonight will be a final celebration at River Driver’s Restaurant. We will recap the week with TNC staff and reflect on the week’s adventures. OVERNIGHT AT TWIN PINES RESORT DAY 6 | Enjoy one last breakfast in the comfort of your cabin or at River Drivers Restaurant before packing up and departing to Bangor Airport.

This itinerary is representative of your trip, and like all-natural history excursions, activities are subject to modification based on weather and unforeseen. We will do our best to keep you informed on any necessary changes. When considering whether this trip is right for you, look closely at the itinerary and consider your ability level. Travelers should be able to walk as much as a mile or two over uneven terrain and get in and out of vans and boats in order to participate in all activities. Expect to spend 4 to 8 hours outdoors most days, including significant time on boats. The climate in Maine is temperate, so prepare for cold evenings and the potential for rain. Please pay special attention to the trip materials and pack accordingly.

PRICE DETAIL Double Occupancy $4,813 Single Occupancy: $5,628 Price includes all lodging, transportation, activities, tips, meals, TNC expert staff and local guides. Price does not include your roundtrip flight to Bangor, Maine.

PHOTO: ©ROSS GEREDIEN

PHOTO: © NEOC