Millinocket

Millinocket, Maine started life as a paper-mill town, carved from the sprawling woods. Today, it’s known more as a headquarters for people wanting to visit the outdoors with snowmobiles, snowshoes, canoes and hiking boots.

Things to Do in Millinocket

Millinocket is smack-dab in the middle of the North Maine Woods, surrounded by thousands of acres of forest, lakes, rivers and mountains.

Snowmobiling is especially big in town. Millinocket has its own trails, groomed by volunteers from local clubs, and access to hundreds of miles of regional trails. One club, the Northern Timber Cruisers Snowmobile Club, grooms snowmobile trails as well as local ski and snowshoe trails. Check with the JoMary Riders Snowmobile Club for information on even more trails.

If you really want to push yourself outdoors, consider the chilly Millinocket Marathon and half-marathon, which runs through town in December. Organized to help reinvigorate the town, the run has exploded into a hugely popular event.

With so much to do outdoors in the Millinocket area, you might want some help crafting your adventure. Some companies to consider include Ktaadn Resorts (formerly New England Outdoors Center), an adventure resort offering lodging and activities including white-water rafting on the nearby Penobscot River in the warmer months and cross-country skiing and snowmobiling the winter; Northern Outdoors’ Katahdin Adventure Base Camp, which offers lodging, boating adventures and rafting on the Penobscot; and North Country Rivers, with area lodging and rafting on the Penobscot.

Even culturally, Millinocket is tied to the outdoors. Amble into MOOSE PRINTS Gallery and Gifts, showing local wildlife photography.

For some shopping, try Timberchic, design elements made with 100% river-reclaimed wood from the depths of the Penobscot River.

Many folks visiting Millinocket are planning to get out of town, specifically to neighboring Baxter State Park and Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument. One is a time-tested classic, the other brand new.

Baxter State Park, Maine’s largest state park, was named for former Maine Governor Percival P. Baxter, who donated more than 200,000 acres to create it. Famous for backcountry hiking and wilderness climbing, Baxter has over 40 peaks and ridges; Maine’s largest peak, Katahdin; and 215 miles of trails. Baxter State Park operates eight roadside campgrounds and two backcountry campgrounds. There are also numerous individual backcountry sites for backpackers.

In 2016, about 87,500 acres east of Baxter were set aside as the Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument. Operated by the National Park Service, the Monument is a wild country open for hiking, mountain biking, cross-country skiing, paddling, fishing and, on its east side, hunting and snowmobiling. The Monument is still new and has few amenities. Campsites, lean-to shelters, etc. on Monument property are available for reservations. For more information, visit the Monument’s Millinocket Welcome Center.

Where to Stay in Millinocket

Looking for Millinocket, Maine lodging? Consider the Gather Inn, New England Outdoor Center, 5 Lakes Lodge and these additional suggestions. Camp near Baxter Park at Wilderness Edge Campground. Also scroll down the list of regional businesses below.

Restaurants in Millinocket

If you’re hungry, consider the River Drivers Restaurant Ktaadn Resorts, or grab a pizza and beer at Knife Edge Brewing. There is also the Scootic In Restaurant, the Sawmill Bar & Grill and these additional suggestions. Also scroll down the list of regional businesses below.