PORTLAND, Maine — In 1976 an exceptionally enthusiastic teenage hiker named Carey Kish walked into the Mr. Paperback store in Bangor and bought a copy of the Appalachian Mountain Club’s “Maine Mountain Guide,” the definitive book on hiking in this state. Nearly half a century later, it still has a place of honor in his home on Mount Desert Island.
Given that history, it seems only fitting that Kish is the writer and editor of the newly published 12th edition of the “Maine Mountain Guide,” a bigger and better volume than ever, one that covers 700 trails—100 of them new—on 330 mountains and hills all over the state. Readers will find maps along with detailed descriptions of hikes ranging from humble Mowes Mountain in Lubec (elevation 130 feet) to majestic Katahdin (5,267 feet).
Although it certainly helps that Kish also wrote and edited the 10th and 11th editions, compiling the 632-page guide was a tremendous boots-on-the-trail undertaking. “Field work is fun,” he said, and it’s obvious he means it. But he said it requires energy, commitment, and long stretches away from home.
“For example, in 2022, I had never visited a lot of the mountains in Aroostook County, and they were way out there,” he said. “I spent a week, drove a thousand miles, camped out for seven days, and just bushwhacked across the county to get [to] those mountains that I personally had never seen.”
The two most renowned hiking destinations in Maine are Baxter State Park and Acadia National Park. Kish’s knowledge of both places runs deep and wide.
“I have hiked pretty much every trail in Baxter State Park, and there’s 210 miles of them,” he said. “There’s 150 miles of Acadia National Park trails, and I have officially hiked all of those.”
The “Maine Mountain Guide,” it’s worth noting, is for people of all ages, skills, and fitness levels. It’s meant to encourage hikers, not intimidate them. It’s also meant to instill a sense of gratitude for all that Maine’s hills and mountains have to offer.
“We’re just lucky people,” Kish said of Mainers. “We’ve got a lot to do out there. We can hike forever.”