To the editor:
This letter is in response to an article in the Oct. 7 Aroostook Republican written by Anthony Brino regarding the International Appalachian Trail, or IAT. Although the article gave a mostly good description of the trail in Maine, there were a few things that weren’t quite accurate and some additional information might better describe it for potential hikers.
First, the IAT in Maine begins or ends at the Katahdin Lake East access to Baxter State Park in the southeastern edge of the park, not the southwestern edge, as stated in the article. Heading north, the first 31 miles, or the East Branch Section, runs through beautiful remote Maine woods to Grand Lake Road near the outlet of Matagamon Lake and parallels the east branch of the Penobscot River for much of its length. There are four IAT lean-tos in this section and two MFS campsites, as well as easy access to Bowlin Camps and Matagamon Wilderness Campground & Cabins.
From Matagamon to Houlton, the trail follows gravel and paved back roads through rural areas, with one lean-to and other lodging options. There are less than five miles on Route 11 and less than seven miles on Route 2. The Maine Chapter has been diligently working to get trail sections off the roads, especially off Route 11 and over Mt. Chase, but permission has yet to be granted by property owners.
Second, the trail from Houlton to Mars Hill does not follow Route 1, as indicated in the article, but is instead 28 miles of wooded multi-use trail on the former B&A Railroad bed, with lean-tos at the Meduxnekeag River in Monticello and on Mars Hill, as well as other lodging options.
Lastly, hikers should notify the Fort Fairfield Border Patrol before hiking on the “Border Trail” and, if you enter from the U.S. side, you can go into the U.S. at any point along the trail. Also, there is a flagged dry path on the U.S. side of the abandoned side-by-side beaver dams in Easton and the 11-mile section following the international border from East Ridge Road in Mars Hill to Sam Everett Road in Fort Fairfield offers primarily great hiking with gorgeous views of fields and forest.
If you’re interested in learning more about the IAT in Maine or elsewhere, there is a Trail Guide with invaluable information and maps available on the Maine IAT website www.internationalatmaine.org, with a link to other trail sections and IAT chapters throughout the world (http://www.iat-sia.org/), including Canada, Greenland, Iceland, the Faroe Islands, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, the Netherlands, England, Scotland, Northern Ireland, Ireland, Isle of Man, Wales, France, Spain, Portugal and Morocco!
Also, please feel free to contact the Maine Chapter (contacts are listed on the website), join our membership, and/or attend the annual meeting to be held at UMPI from May 6-8, 2016. We’re always looking for new members and trail crew volunteers. Or you could just head out on the trail for a great fall hike in northern Maine!
