Imagine yourself surrounded by pristine forest and casting a line into a burbling mountain stream, or paddling silently across a misty lake to the accompaniment of a loon’s cry after an afternoon spent hiking on a remote mountain peak. Maine offers all of these outdoor activities and then some.
Since the 1800s, Maine has drawn outdoor enthusiasts of all persuasions, from hunters and anglers to hikers and sailors, and from kayakers and snowmobilers to campers and skiers. In fact, the state is known worldwide for its year-round recreational attractions, and for good reason.
To get the most out of your outdoor experience, visit one of Maine’s many sporting goods shops and outfitters. Whether you need binoculars for bird watching, an extra-light backpack, or a new snowboard, Maine’s sporting goods stores will get you outfitted the right way.
Many outdoor outfitters sell Maine guidebooks, and some even offer tours and trips.
If you really want to get back to nature, enhance your vacation by exploring this New England state with a licensed, registered guide. From white-water rafting trips to hunting expeditions, Maine’s guides really know their way around the wilderness.
The Maine Highlands Region
For one-stop outdoor recreational shopping and adventure, Northwoods Outfitters in Greenville operates a store and a lodge, as well as a range of guided outdoor adventures.
Set on the shores of Moosehead Lake, Maine’s largest body of water, Northwoods Outfitters offers 30 adventure travel and wildlife trips. Search for the mighty moose on a Maine Moose Tour, or float down the scenic Allagash River on a canoe excursion. You can also stay at a lakeside campsite or rent an ATV and explore on your own.
Old Town Canoes and Kayaks in Old Town carries wooden, sporting, recreation, and expedition canoes and touring, recreation, and tandem kayaks, as well as all the accessories to go along with them. Their line of classic wooden canoes is hand-crafted by Maine artisans using cedar forms that are more than a century old.
Northwoods Canoes in Atkinson crafts canoes from hand-selected white cedar. Each boat is custom-made in sizes ranging from 10 to 20 feet. The company also offers canoe restorations, plans, and kits, as well as private classes for those who wish to have a more hands-on experience.
Island Falls Canoe in Atkinson offers custom-designed wood and canvas watercraft. Customers choose from a range of pleasure, cruising, and transom canoes; dinghies; scale model canoes; and special, custom-made projects.
Maine’s Lakes & Mountains Region
If you’re looking for sporting goods, River’s Edge Sports in Oquossoc has them. This massive store—3,500 square feet, to be exact—carries everything you need for a hunting, fishing, canoeing, kayaking, camping, hiking, biking, or snowmobiling excursion. Plus, River’s Edge Sports offers guided fishing, hunting, boating, and snowmobiling adventures, as well as canoe and kayak rentals.
Rangeley Boats offers a true Maine classic, the hand-crafted “Rangeley Boat.” These rowboats were first designed in the 1800s in western Maine’s Rangeley Lakes region. Sturdy, stable, and elegant at once, the Rangeley rowboats carried vacationers on fishing trips. Today, their long, sweeping lines and oak, cedar, fiberglass, and epoxy construction make them a Maine favorite. Their heritage-rich design makes them the perfect choice for recreation in the Rangeley Lakes region.
Bear Creek Canoes in Sebago manufactures its line of fiberglass and vinyl canoes with seats, yokes, thwarts, and carrying handles handcrafted from Maine ash.
Bob & Terry’s Ski & Sports Outlet in Bethel offers ski and snowboard gear, rentals, and tuning during the winter months. Their store in North Conway, New Hampshire, is open year-round and offers ski and snowboard gear as well as a full line of TREK bikes.
L.L. Cote in Errol, New Hampshire—on the border of western Maine—sells a range of outdoor recreation items, from firearms to archery supplies and camping gear to fishing equipment. They also rent canoes and kayaks and provide shuttle service.
MidCoast Region
Ducktrap Kayak sells more than 40 different lake and sea kayaks from their showroom in Lincolnville. They also offer free demonstrations, lessons, tours, and rentals.
Maine Sport Outfitters in Rockport and Camden offer sporting goods and technical clothing for a range of sports, from paddling to skating to cycling to climbing. They also offer sea kayaking trips, day tours and instruction, and bike, boat, camping, and winter sport rentals.
Downeast & Acadia Region
Cadillac Mountain Sports in Bar Harbor and Ellsworth is an outfitter offering rentals for both summer and winter sports. Their partners, Atlantic Climbing School and National Park Sea Kayaking Tours, offer guided adventures. The store was named one of Outdoor USA Magazine’s top 100 Outdoor Specialty Retailers 2015.
Greater Portland & Casco Bay Region
The L.L. Bean flagship store in Freeport has been selling outdoor gear since 1912. This Maine-based retailer offers clothing, footwear, and luggage, as well as camping, hiking, cycling, winter sports, and paddling equipment. L. L. Bean also carries a wide range of hunting and fishing gear and apparel. The flagship store hosts a regular schedule of events, tours, and workshops, such as snowshoe treks, ski waxing clinics, group mountain bike rides, turkey calling demonstrations, and fly-tying seminars.
The Maine Beaches Region
The Eldredge Bros. Fly Shop in Cape Neddick carries everything a serious angler could need, from reels to rods, lines to leaders, and fly-tying materials. The shop also offers guided freshwater and saltwater fishing trips; species include brown trout, largemouth bass, salmon, shad, striped bass, and bluefish.
The Kittery Trading Post has been outfitting outdoor enthusiasts in Kittery since 1938. The store’s three levels brim with sporting gear, footwear, outerwear, and Maine-crafted gifts for outdoor lovers. Specialty areas include fishing, camping, climbing, shooting, and winter and water sports.
The Cabela’s in Scarborough encompasses 130,000 square feet. This massive retail store carries fishing, hunting, and camping supplies and also features aquariums and displays of preserved trophy animals.
Maine Maps
To find the best sites for outdoor recreation in Maine, you’ll need a map. For a comprehensive listing of back roads, boat launches, campsites, and other sites of sporting interest, pick up a DeLorme Maine Atlas and Gazetteer on Amazon.
No matter which outdoor activity floats your boat, a Maine outfitter is sure to have the right gear!
