How to Get to North Maine Woods

North Maine Woods has no street address — you navigate by checkpoint name and logging road. All visitors must enter through one of 22 checkpoints where you pay fees and register. The trick is choosing the right checkpoint based on your destination region.

Driving Directions from Major Cities

Bangor, ME

~2 hours

I-95 North to Exit 244 (Medway/Millinocket). Follow Route 11 north to Millinocket for southern NMW access, or take Route 15 west to Greenville for western access.

Portland, ME

~4 hours

I-95 North to Bangor (2.5 hours), then Route 11 to Millinocket or Route 15 to Greenville. Total drive is mostly highway with the last 30–60 minutes on state routes.

Boston, MA

~5.5 hours

I-95 North through New Hampshire and southern Maine to Bangor, then as above. Expect tolls on the Maine Turnpike ($4.75 at York).

New York City

~8 hours

I-95 North through Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire to Maine. Alternatively, I-91 to I-93 to I-95 avoids some congestion. Plan for an overnight stop or very early departure.

Montreal, QC

~4.5 hours

Via Jackman border crossing (Route 201) for western NMW access to Ragmuff/Seboomook region. Alternatively, via Fort Kent for northern access to the Allagash and St. John regions. Bring passport or NEXUS card.

Which Checkpoint Should I Use?

Choose your checkpoint based on where you want to camp. Each checkpoint serves different regions of North Maine Woods. See our full checkpoint directory for hours, GPS coordinates, and contact information.

Telos Road Checkpoint

Via Millinocket via Golden Road • ~1.5 hours from Millinocket

Destination: Telos, Chamberlain Lake, Allagash Waterway put-in

Seboomook Checkpoint

Via Greenville via Lily Bay Road • ~1.5–2 hours from Greenville

Destination: Ragmuff/Seboomook region, Seboomook Lake, Chesuncook

Six Mile Checkpoint

Via Ashland via American Realty Road • ~30 minutes from Ashland

Destination: Ashland, Allagash, St. John River regions

Upper Jo-Mary Gate

Via Millinocket or Brownville • ~30 minutes from Millinocket

Destination: KI Jo-Mary Forest, Gulf Hagas, 100-Mile Wilderness

Allagash Waterway Access

Via Varies by put-in location • See Allagash trip guide

Destination: AWW campsites (multiple put-in points)

Navigation Tips

Download offline maps before entering — there is no cell service for GPS navigation. Gaia GPS and onX are popular choices.
Bring a DeLorme Maine Atlas & Gazetteer — the paper atlas is the gold standard for NMW navigation. Available at gateway town stores.
Download NMWMap GPX files — load our free GPS files onto your Garmin, phone, or tablet before your trip.
Program GPS coordinates in advance — enter checkpoint and campsite coordinates while you still have cell service.
Road names change — logging roads are often known by multiple names or numbered differently on different maps. Follow the road, not the name.
Drive slowly and watch for logging trucks — always yield to loaded trucks. They have the right-of-way on all logging roads.

Last Gas & Supply Stops

There are no gas stations, stores, or services of any kind inside North Maine Woods. Fill up completely and stock all supplies in a gateway town before entering: Millinocket (south), Greenville (southwest), Ashland (east), or Jackman (west).