Outdoors

ACT OUT WITH AISLINN

11 easy mountain hikes in Maine to try this summer

U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke (left) prepares to go for a canoe trip during a tour of the Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument. The visit was the start of a four-day visit to New England.

Monument supporters plan party for day after Zinke review

Maine national monument backers are holding a $100-a-ticket fundraiser a day after federal officials are due to announce the fate of one of Maine’s most heavily scrutinized chunks of land.

Maine town has regulated lake levels for 300 years. Will state take over now?

The town has controlled the level of Little Ossipee Pond since the 1700s.

Outdoors

Outdoor recreation credited with $8.2 billion annual impact on Maine’s economy

The outdoor economy also generates 76,000 jobs in the state, according to the report.

ACT OUT WITH AISLINN

1-minute hike: Lobster Mountain in Lobster Township

GEORGE'S OUTDOOR NEWS

Attean Lake Lodge is an angler’s dream

A monarch butterfly perches on a flower on July 18, at Charlotte Rhoades Garden and Butterfly Park in Southwest Harbor.

POLL QUESTION

Monarch butterflies return to Southwest Harbor garden after years of absence

The butterflies were roosting on a recent foggy morning in Charlotte Rhoades Park and Butterfly Garden. Wings shut, they clung to the undersides of leaves and colorful blossoms, waiting in shelter for the sun.

OUT THERE

State increases number of any-deer permits by 20,295; lottery now open

CATCHING HEALTH

Tips on staying safe when you’re hiking in Maine

If this is the summer you want to do some hiking in Maine, be sure to plan ahead and follow these simple but important safety tips from some hiking experts.

GOOD BIRDING

Too many birds? Sign me up

“Camping in the North Woods was torment last weekend. I meant for it to be a quiet time, by which I mean that I wouldn’t get obsessed by birds — for once. Alas, the birds had other ideas.”