Maine Logging Trails?

p3pete · 12-23-2007, 07:05 PM

Greetings from Brunswick,

I'm looking for what you guys/gals would recommend as a fun logging trail or two to take the FJ out on. Looking for an adventure, but one that we have a good chance of returning from

Cheers,
Pete

**Crotalus** · 12-23-2007, 07:19 PM

The Golden Road (and others) around Mt. Katahdin is beautiful, fairly remote, and a very easy drive for the FJ - its dirt/gravel, but you can get way out there into some beautiful country. I'm not too sure about more offroad-type experiences, but got to think there are some available unless the govt. has made it all strictly forbodden.

I went by there a couple of years ago for an afternoon drive-by on my way to the coast - would really like to explore the area some more - saw three moose!

MaineFJ · 12-23-2007, 08:17 PM

pete - I spend many long weekends up north in the fall - usually head in the woods at Bingham and work my way across to just south of Greenville. From there, i go up the western side of moosehead lake to rockwood, and head in the woods again from there. From that point, it is all logging roads for hundreds of miles. I bird hunt and cover from just near the canadian border, hit the golden road and have worked my way across to millinocket. Done this type of off-road trip for years now. Had a 94 toyota 4x4 regular cab/regular bed that worked great up north, but the FJ is all that and more comfortable.

PM me for more info - I can send you pics of the roads up there - beautiful country and very accessible -

ridgerunner2021 · 12-23-2007, 08:26 PM

Lots of trails all around Moosehead lake, Greenville area. Could be rough going this time of year. I'm mostly familiar with the ones East of Moosehead lake up toward Kokadjo. Buy the delorme book of maps for the state of Maine and have a ball. The trip in to the B52 site is nice. Pretty easy stuff.
Good luck.

**NBFJCruz** · 12-23-2007, 08:32 PM

An "Escape Weekend" for us is to jump in the truck and head to Bangor Maine. Normally we hit the border at Calais and the slide down the 93 miles of US#9 from Calais to Bangor/Brewer....The road is affectionately referred to as the "Airline" around this area.....

This route is primarily through the woods and there are many many dirt roads and trails that shoot off of it. In years past I have run down a few just for fun and it is amazing the scenery that is relatively close to the pavement. Some of these roads are referred to as "fire roads" on an old gov't map that another buddy of mine had years ago.....No idea if any are restricted but there are no signs on them and no gates.....Sounds like open to the public to me....There are also some very cool sand pits along the Airline that a few of us have played in along the way.....Just a thought.

If you do venture up that way you best fill your gas tank since there are not any gas stations once you leave the Brewer area.

MaineFJ · 12-23-2007, 09:22 PM

did the b52 plane crash site this fall - took tons of pics. absolutely amazing place that is a must-see.

there are a few gas spots way north - one at northeast carry, one at seboomok campground, but i always question the "quality" of fuel that comes from these above ground tanks that have been there forever

p3pete · 12-24-2007, 07:57 AM

Great input - THANKS very much... Delorme is just down the road from me so I'll head down there and grab the maps you guys suggested. I'll also be sure to carry some extra fuel up on the rack. I figure I'll fully fit out the truck with essentials inside as well - flashlights, batteries, gps, two-way radio/scanner, blankets, powerbars, shovel, axe, etc. etc. I'll post up with some pics after our jaunt. In the mean time I'll keep taking in your collective great ideas...this forum is awesome - very little flaming/BS while plenty of activity and input!
Cheers,
Pete

MaineFJ · 12-24-2007, 09:55 AM

Pete - i worked at Delorme for several years - i've actually been cruising the logging roads before and run into David Delorme on the roads in the middle of nowhere in his truck - i trust those maps a lot - keep a pencil handy - you'll find you make notes and mark freshly-washed-out bridges to help you on the next trip.

Oh - a good CB radio is a must - these are active, working forests, and there is lots of harvesting equipment around. The 18 wheelers don't need to follow the same rules of the road - private land and all - so they tend to way overload and drive pretty fast - especially on the golden road. One good thing is all truckers are very good about letting you know where they are so you can pull over ahead of time.

one other thing is a good set of tires - the way they grade the roads is to drop large quantites of loose gravel - with lots of slate ground up and mixed in. Over time, the big rigs mash the dirt down and the rain mixes with the slate, making a very concrete-like surface - golden road in particular. Loose gravel and dirt that is several inches thick causes flats pretty easily. I did go up my first year with the FJ with the stock deulers, and i survived, but i upgraded to a set of hankook MTs on steelies for fall/winter driving.

if you are interested in heading up at some point, i'm always looking for an excuse to head north. I actually ran into two other FJs in the woods north this fall..

**Crotalus** · 12-24-2007, 05:22 PM

Quote:

MaineFJ previously said:

one other thing is a good set of tires - the way they grade the roads is to drop large quantites of loose gravel - with lots of slate ground up and mixed in. Over time, the big rigs mash the dirt down and the rain mixes with the slate, making a very concrete-like surface - golden road in particular. Loose gravel and dirt that is several inches thick causes flats pretty easily. I did go up my first year with the FJ with the stock deulers, and i survived, but i upgraded to a set of hankook MTs on steelies for fall/winter driving.

if you are interested in heading up at some point, i'm always looking for an excuse to head north. I actually ran into two other FJs in the woods north this fall..

I second the recommendation for good tires - bring a repair kit as well. I got a flat tire on y short 40-mile excursion into the area (Not in FJ). It's about a 10hr drive for me, but given some lead time, I'd be interested in an organized excursion into the area as well.

**VoltsAndBolts** · 12-26-2007, 08:40 PM

P3,

Ever make the run down to NAS JAX? I used live down there. But was out of Kings Bay. Happy Wheeling!