Recreation route
Appalachian Trail
Follow the long-distance trail through Maine’s mountain terrain and northern wilderness.
Geographic discovery
Browse with Maps
Use geography to enter the collection. Explore Maine through trails, historic routes, municipalities, counties, protected landscapes, and coastal islands.
Map collection
Choose a geographic route
Select a map topic to open its associated entry. Each route offers a different way to understand how Maine’s places, landscapes, and history connect.
Historic route
Benedict Arnold Trail
Trace the difficult expedition route through waterways and interior terrain.
Communities
Maine Civil Divisions
Browse the organization of municipalities and other civil divisions across the state.
Government geography
Maine Counties
Examine the county framework used to organize communities and regional government.
Protected landscapes
Nature Preserves by County
Find preserved forests, habitats, and natural areas within Maine’s counties.
Coastal geography
Coastal Islands
Explore islands distributed along Maine’s varied and deeply indented coast.
Reading the collection
Maps reveal relationships.
A map is more than a locator. It can show how trails cross mountains, how historic journeys followed waterways, how government divides territory, and how islands or preserves relate to nearby communities.
Open a mapped subject, read its entry, and use the connected references to move from location to history, ecology, government, or recreation.
How to browse
From map to context
Use this simple process to turn a geographic starting point into a broader line of inquiry.
1
Choose a map
Begin with a trail, route, administrative division, preserve, or island collection.
2
Open the entry
Select the map card to reach the associated subject page and its explanation.
3
Orient the subject
Note the regions, communities, natural features, and boundaries involved.
4
Follow connections
Continue through related categories and internal references for fuller context.
Reference tools
Continue your research
Pair geographic browsing with terminology, search guidance, dates, and other discovery tools.
FAQ
Using the map browser
Answers to common questions about navigating the geographic collection.
What happens when I select a map?
Each card opens an encyclopedia entry associated with that map. The destination provides subject context and may connect to relevant places, events, landscapes, or categories.
Can I browse towns and municipalities?
Yes. Use the Maine Civil Divisions map to begin exploring municipalities and the way communities are organized.
Where can I find county information?
The Maine Counties entry introduces the county map and regional framework. The nature-preserve route also organizes protected landscapes by county.
Are historic routes included?
Yes. The Benedict Arnold Trail provides a geographic route into expedition history, while other history maps are available in Historical Data & Maps.
Can I browse outdoor recreation geographically?
Yes. The Appalachian Trail map connects geography with hiking and mountain landscapes. Nature preserves and coastal islands offer additional outdoor routes.
What if I know a name but not its location?
Use Search Terms, the site’s subject categories, or the alphabetical index available through the main page. These routes can help identify the relevant place before returning to its geography.