Buy at Art.com
Maine Moose
Gene Cyr
Buy From Art.com
Subscribe Today -- It's Free!
The Heart of New England
Celebrating the unique character & culture of Maine ~ New Hampshire ~ Vermont
©The Heart of New England online magazine
...celebrating the unique character & culture of Maine, New Hampshire & Vermont!
Contact| The Heart of New England HOME | Search

Click Here to Get Your FREE Weekly Newsletter Today!
Springtime in Maine:
Moose watching, maple cotton candy and picking flowers on horseback

Spring in Maine is highlighted by the reawakening of nature -- birds, animals,
flowers, rivers and waterfalls. It's also a season full of "bests": Best time to spot
a moose, best rates on ocean view rooms, best time to sample nature's
sweetener fresh from a sugar shack, and best time to explore quaint villages
without the crowds.               

These spring traditions and activities are sure to make classic Maine memories.

Why a moose won't smile for the camera: May and June are the most likely
months to see a moose on a Maine roadside. They wander out of the woods to
stock up on sodium deposits found in mud puddles and water-filled ditches.
Moose also gather at open bodies of water to snack on aquatic plants. The best
times for sightings are early morning and at dusk. "Take things slow," says State
Deer Biologist Lee Kantar. "If you see a small body of water through the forest,
pull your vehicle off the road and take a good look around." You might find a
family ready for your camera. But don't expect them to smile because moose
don't have top front teeth.

The eagle has landed, and landed, and landed: A 2006 U.S. Fish & Wildlife
Service count showed that Maine is home to 74 percent of the northeast's
nesting bald eagles. More than 400 eagle pairs breed in all 16 counties but are
most plentiful on the KennebecRiver in central Maine, CobscookBay and the
Penobscot River in the east, and the lakes of northern Maine. Spring is the time
to catch a glimpse of newly hatched eaglets in the nest.       

A sappy story that turns sweet: Maine is one of the world's largest producers of
pure maple syrup and home to the top syrup producing county (Somerset) in
the United States. Each spring, nearly 100 sugarhouses collect sap from maple
trees and boil it to create sweet amber-hued syrup. Strawberry Hill Farms in
Skowhegan makes certified organic syrup, Kinney's Sugarhouse in Knox
specializes in maple candies, and Merrifield Farm in North Gorham whips up
its own maple cotton candy.

How four legs keep two feet dry on the trail: Yes, in order to enjoy the best of
spring in Maine you might meet up with mud. But if a horse is your mode of
transportation you'll be able to see your reflection in your footwear at the end
of the day. CF Farm in the town of Monmouth offers multiple trail rides
through forest, open meadows and down country roads. Pack a lunch and take
a day ride through the wilderness of the Moosehead Lake region with Rockies
Golden Acres in Greenville. Or, get that early summer treat the old fashioned
way on a one hour beginner ride to an ice cream stand from Carousel Horse
Farm in Casco.

For more information on springtime in Maine, visit the Office of Tourism's Web
site at
Visit Maine.
Join us on
Facebook or
Twitter
for exclusive updates
on travel specials,
giveaways
& more!

Click here for your FREE
weekly New England
newsletter! (And get 12
FREE desktop
backgrounds)


Bring the heart of
Maine into your home
with beautiful, affordable,
high-quality Maine prints.
Visit our
Maine Print Gallery
today!


Visit our
Marketplace for
everything New England!


More Travel Info:
Maine