If you would enjoy having a great time while lending your support to a visitor-friendly town, Millinocket beckons. It is home to stunning Baxter State Park, which in turn hosts the formidable Mt. Katahdin, named by the Penobscot Indians. Katahdin translates to “The Greatest Mountain,” Maine’s highest peak at 5,270 feet.

The Young House Bed and Breakfast.

If you walk along the main street in downtown Millinocket, you might wonder where everyone has gone. Even the library closed in August 2015, though it may reopen in the near future.

But wait,  there is light! Still open is the Appalachian Trail Cafe. It features a ceiling autographed by successful Mt. Katahdin climbers who made it all the way to the summit, which is no small accomplishment. They have wonderful pie and other baked goods, all made on the premises and yes, you can judge a pie by its cover.

There are other businesses that have persevered during the difficult economic downturn Millinocket suffered with the closing of its paper mills in 2008 and 2014; The North Light Gallery, the Good Samaritan Thrift Store, and Moose Prints (check out their stunning wildlife photographs), all on Central Street. Anita Mueller and her partner, Mark Picard, conduct photography workshops during moose and foliage seasons. Sign up here: www.markpicard.com/maine-photography-workshops.

Northlight Gallery.

Marsha Donahue’s North Light Gallery is a stellar example of how entrancing local art, when meticulously displayed, can be. Her watercolors are exemplary.

There are a number of over night options. Check out one of Millinocket’s newest Bed & Breakfasts The Ice Fish Inn located located on 177 Central Street. Another local gem is the Young House Bed & Breakfast a perfectly maintained, beautifully-preserved inn with five comfortable guest rooms, each with a private bath, cable TV and DVD player, free wireless, hairdryer and air conditioner. Innkeepers Bethany and Hamilton Ash have clearly found their calling. The breakfast menu is three pages long and the Young House Special Eggs Benedict takes the prize.

Young House’s Special Eggs benedict.

If you are looking for accommodations with a lot of amenities, the Katahdin Inn & Suites has you covered with large heated pool, hot tub, exercise, game and play area, plus a business center for those working during travel.

Dinner at River Drivers Restaurant & Pub provides a perfect finish to the day with its lovely view of the lake, great service and wonderful food. Their lobster bisque has a thin, intensely flavorful broth with ample chunks of fresh lobster.

River Drivers Restaurant & Pub.

There are so many fun things to do in the area that you’ll need the extra energy provided by a good night’s rest at the inn. From climbing Mt. Katahdin, whitewater rafting, camping, kayaking, swimming and hiking to calmer pastimes such as fishing, joining a moose tour, excellent photo ops or taking in the scenery with a cocktail, there is something for every member of the family to enjoy. The residents have spirit, too, as shown when they demonstrated nightly to protest the silencing of the daily fire horn tradition, which began in the 1940s. After two weeks of residents driving their cars through town, horns blasting, the ritual was reinstated, substituting one set of horns for another: the original.

All that fun, with the bonus of knowing that you have helped a town in need of support, makes heading for Millinocket a very rewarding and worthwhile trip!

— Text & Photos: Marcie Brown