Honoring access – A thank you to Private landowners who have opened their land for us to enjoy.

We have roughly 1 million acres of undeveloped land around the Moosehead Region. Most of it is owned privately, but unlike private land in most places ; Logging companies like Weyerhaeuser and even some personal private property owners share this land with the public. Logging companies own most of this land, and they manage the timber in these forests! It’s important to know that with this privilege they have permitted us, that there are some things we can do to keep that relationship, along with access, open.

Know that these lands’ primary use is for logging. This is their office. They work out in the forests most of the year. They are really great about marking the areas they are currently working in but you should always be prepared to come in contact with a fully loaded log truck or heavy machinery at any moment, keep the music down low or even roll the windows down before a big curve and stay sharp. A fully loaded log truck isn’t easy to stop! When parking, make sure you are fully off the road in a designated pull-off, out of the way, and in a safe location for large machinery or passing vehicles to get around. Do not block gates, they are in and out of them often.

The Weyerhaeuser team also takes care of these roads. It’s important to stay off the forest roads during mud season until they dry out to ensure everyone has a smoother summer. Overuse and misuse of a few roads have led to gate closures. Drive slow, take your time, and take it in. You are in the North Woods now, and there’s going to be a giant pothole at any moment. Besides the nice folks that work out there, there will also be 1000-pound Moose using these roadways. Driving slow will help you see more Moose as they can really blend in in our thick brush if you are moving too quickly. 

Some trails in our region run right through someone’s personal land. Trail clubs have successfully been able to get them to agree to share with us in order to keep our trails connected. Please keep on the defined trail, go slow, and be mindful of trash and sound. They may decide not to share their yard with the public if it isn’t treated mindfully. Ensuring everyone in your group is being mindful of the rules keeps access available for everyone. 

Leave it better – We don’t have a lot of public trash options up here, pack wisely and be prepared to carry out what you carried in. The best way we can say thank you for the free pass to a really special place is by taking care of the land that gave us that experience. Ensuring it is pristine for the next person who comes along is part of the process of making sure these places remain special for generations to come. 

While we are waiting for our favorites access roads and trails to dry out, we do a lot of paddling! There are many paved public boat launches available where you won’t have to do battle with the mud!

If you are visiting and not sure where you can or can’t go during mud season be sure to check out destinationmooseheadlake.com , pop by our visitor center or give us a call at 207-695-2702