Sunkhaze Meadows National Wildlife Refuge
Curious moose, beavers and otters regularly appear before visitors at the Sunkhaze Meadows National Wildlife Refuge, not far outside Bangor. The refuge features four walking trails, including Ash Landing, a 0.3-mile boardwalk trail with an interpretive panel highlighting the nearby flora and fauna.
“The birding, wildlife and natural scenery is beautiful,” said Tripp. “You forget you are in the middle of vibrant communities because you are out enjoying nature. It’s a great place to go for light hiking.”
The mixed-woods forest offers a wide range of habitats, including a wetlands and grasslands area, which helps attract many species of wildlife.
Warblers and other neotropical birds migrating to the refuge have brought much attention to the 11,000-acre forest. Officials have documented 200 species of birds in the refuge, including bald eagles, bobolinks and kingbirds.
Many visitors opt to extend their hike on Ash Landing with a canoe or kayak ride down the Sunkhaze Stream. These paddle trips often encounter beaver dams, snapping turtles and playful otters.
Penobscot River Walkway
Though now a peaceful riverfront walk, the Penobscot River Walkway hugs a waterway that once served as the world’s largest lumber port, with 150 million feet of lumber a year shipping from Bangor in 1860. Bangor shipped not only lumber, but also bricks, leather and ice across the globe to Boston, China, the West Indies and South America.
The half-mile-long accessible walkway follows the river past landscaped parks, public art, food trucks and benches.
“The River Walkway is a great opportunity to walk a beautiful path on the riverfront,” said Tripp. “There are restaurants adjacent to the walking path. There are also local breweries. You could do some sampling and walk from one to the other.”
Over the next two years, officials plan to extend the Penobscot River Walkway, as well as the connected Brewer River Walkway, located across the river in Brewer, Maine. Groups can extend their hikes to Brewer or connect to the Kenduskeag Stream, which runs farther into downtown Bangor.
Old and new combine along the city’s lower Maine and State streets with early-20th-century granite and brick buildings. Locally owned shops, restaurants and charming neighborhoods line the downtown area for those seeking some city life amidst Bangor’s wild outdoor offerings.
