Page 126 - (DK Eyewitness) Top 10 Travel Guide - New England

124 ❯❯ New England Area by Area

Mount Desert Island overlooking the waters of Frenchmen Bay
Mount Desert Island
4 prettiest village in Maine” because
the narrow bridge across the
French explorer Samuel de
Champlain pinned the name Ile des Sheepscot River backs traffic up in
Monts Deserts on this large island in midsummer. Better to park and walk
1604, and “island of bare mountains” around this stunning village where
has stuck ever since. The rocky balds adept 18th- and 19th-century ship-
that Champlain observed are prized wrights turned their talents to build-
among hikers and climbers in Acadia ing houses for sea captains (see p48).
National Park (see pp14–15).
Ski Country
7
MAP N2
Moist air masses sweeping up the
eastern seaboard meet the icy jet
stream bringing Arctic air off the
Canadian shield in northwest Maine,
just east of the White Mountains. The
result is massive dumps of snow that
guarantee the peaks around Bethel,
Newry, Kingfield, and Jackman will
be buried in the white gold that
skiers crave. In the summertime,
Yachts in serene Penobscot Bay long green meadows are transformed
into championship golf courses.
Penobscot Bay
5 Bath and Brunswick
MAP Q3
The west coast of Penobscot Bay is 8
MAP P4
Maine’s best-kept secret, although Nearly half the US ocean-going
most of the state’s wind jammers sailing vessels launched in the late
(see p56) anchor in Rockland and 19th century went down the ways
Camden. Rockland is Maine’s lob ster from Bath shipyards – a history
capital and home of the treasured
Farnsworth Art Museum (see p45);
Camden has a beautiful harbor – a THE MAINE MOOSE
yacht-filled silver bowl at the foot of The official state animal, the moose
a mountain; Belfast is a community (Alces alces) is found all over Maine,
where artisans set the tone. with the greatest concentrations near
Moosehead and Rangeley lakes. They
Wiscasset
6 often cross roads at dawn and dusk,
so take special care driving through
MAP P4
Even simply driving through, you’ll swampy areas. An 800-lb (363-kg)
gentle giant makes a considerable
have plenty of time to contemplate impact in a collision.
Wiscasset’s self-description as “the

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