tldr; Lighter Meindl option for day hikes. Same German quality, less aggressive than Himalaya. Great all-rounder.
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“I did take them. It was hobby I picked up when I retired from the military and became more disabled. As for towns to stay — Farmington if you don’t mind about a 30-45 minute drive but want to be close to things like a Walmart, larger grocer. They call the town the gateway to the high peaks because lots of folks stop there and grab goods before heading north. They have airbnbs, hotels, etc for staying. New Portland - small “town” close to Kingfield for provisions but still has a lot of airbnbs to grab for decent prices. If you want the high peaks area on the less “touristy” side (long falls dam rd side) — this is the gem. You are close to the eastern shore of Flagstaff lake, you have the AT entrances in various places (Little Bigelow, Safford Brook TH to the AT, Carrying place, etc — plus it is *moooooose* country — like ten walking across the road at 5am moose country). Kingfield — “bedroom community” and the gateway to the Sugarloaf region on RT27. They have hotels, motels, Airbnbs, etc for staying. They also have great little local places to eat (Rollin Fatties is always awesome and Polly/Rob are great folks). Other food is Longfellows and the Woodsman’s (also both great). There is also a smaller grocer (Mainely Provisions) that have anything one could need and a gas station. Carrabassett Valley — at this stage, you are up and into our deep high peaks country and near Sugarloaf (year round mountain resort) — so you get all the restaurants up on the mountain (touch pricier), you can enjoy all sugarloaf has to offer and you walk/hike/bike in the region easily (AT access to Sugarloaf, the Crockers, the front side of the Bigelow Range, Maine Huts and Trails system (which goes 83 miles into backcountry and will head you towards North New Portland and the Long Falls dam road side before heading towards Caratunk region). Also have gas and a small variety store. Stratton-Eustis — one of our “twin towns” up north here and one of my favorite places like the rest. Gas is available, post office, small grocer, etc. Still in the high peaks and what I called the PNW side of Maine. The further north you go toward Chain of Ponds, the more stunning and pristine it gets. Tiny little FCFS camping spots tucked into waterways kinda magic. Also have mountains to climb and has one of the oldest working tree stands in the state (Cathedral Pines is beautiful to just walk through). Stratton also has several easy access points to Flagstaff….where you can do days of paddling and camping (it’s lovely)…if you are lucky you find one of the “islands” because we are dry right now and can sleep under the stars (I haven’t recommended all our waterfalls because we are so dry — but we have a lot of them). Langston — between Stratton and Rangeley on RT16, which locals call “moose ally” and for good reason. You have to do provisions either in Stratton or Rangeley (no gas, no food, etc) and everything is rugged but beautiful. Last I checked, so hostels and Ai”
“Compared to some of the suggestions here this one will probably seem pretty tame And not in line at all with what you’ve outlined, but if you’re ever passing through IL, I suggest Sand Ridge State Forest. What you’ll find there is much more similar to what you’d find in the southwest than the Midwest (although its plentiful prickly pear are native to the state in general and can be found even here in Chicagoland). Still, as a juxtaposition to what you’d normally find here in the Midwest, I think it’s incredibly interesting! I’d also suggest Nachusa Grasslands, an incredible resource for experiencing prairie here in Illinois (and you can view bison), as well as Midewin Tall Grass Prairie. It may not excite some people, but prairies are important, vital, *beautiful* environments. More known, but you can find places to avoid others, is the Shawnee National Forest in the southern part of the state! Although you’ll still find some people, but maybe not quite as bad as bigger national parks, look into the UP of Michigan, as well as the Apostle Islands off the coast of Wisconsin in Lake Superior (and the north shore of Minnesota!). Great views up there!”
138 Reddit opinions analyzed • Last updated 2/24/2026