Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument, Nature reserve in Penobscot County, Maine, US.
Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument is a nature reserve in Maine covering approximately 87,500 acres of forest. It stretches along the Penobscot River and contains a mix of maple, oak, ash, beech, birch, aspen, spruce, fir, and hemlock forests set within deep river valleys.
The area became a national monument in 2016 when President Barack Obama designated it as such following years of land purchases in the region. This protected status came after sustained efforts to acquire and preserve the property.
The Penobscot River serves as a traditional travel route for the Wabanaki people, who maintain deep ties to this landscape. You can sense their connection to the land through how they continue to use and value this territory today.
The monument offers hiking, camping, mountain biking, fishing, hunting, and snowmobiling through a network of trails and facilities. Access is easiest from the northwestern entrance, where visitors can reach most activities and facilities.
The rock formations here date back approximately 150 million years in the Paleozoic era, with intact stone layers visible along the East Branch riverbank where you can spot fossils. These geological layers tell a long story of Earth's ancient past that you can actually see exposed in the cliffs.
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