Is Northern and Western Maine the most remote part of the US, east of the Mississippi?

[Northern Maine Land Man]

Now the National Park Service is considering the North Maine Woods National Park because, "it's really dark out there". Hey, you can't make this stuff up.

[mainebrokerman]

here is an article on the north maine woods

Maine North WoodsFrom Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Maine North Woods is the northern geographic area of the state of Maine in the United States. The thinly populated region is overseen by a combination of private individual and private industrial owners and state government agencies, and is divided into 155 unincorporated townships within the NMW management area.[1]

The region covers more than 3.5 million acres (14,000 km²) of forest land bordered by Canada to the west and north and by the early 20th century transportation corridors of the Canadian Pacific International Railway of Maine to the south and the Bangor and Aroostook Railroad Ashland branch to the east. It includes western Aroostook and northern Somerset, Penobscot, and Piscataquis counties.[2] Much of the woods is currently owned by the timber corporations, including Seven Islands Land Company, Plum Creek, Maibec, Orion Timberlands and Irving timber corporations. Ownership changes hands quite frequently and is often difficult to determine.

Its main products are timber for pulp and lumber, as well as hunting and outdoor recreation .

Included within its boundaries are two wild rivers of the Northeastern United States: the St. John and the Allagash. The North Maine Woods completely surrounds the Allagash Wilderness Waterway State Park.

[7th generation]

Originally Posted by GraniteStater

Is this related to the continued job losses in mill towns that still had some remaining jobs. Did they close the paper mill in Rumford or is it still operating? Could you elaborate a bit more on the transfer of land ownership in the very rural areas of Maine? I know New Hampshire does not face many of these issues due to the fact that it is a much smaller state in land area and many of its unpopulated areas are comprised of national forest lands, state forest lands, and conservation lands.

10 years ago Meade sold 665,00 acres in western Maine and northern New Hampshire. Most lots consisted of 1000-10,000 acres. Meade reserved stumpage on 100,000 acres to supply the mill (Rumford) with pulp for 50 years. Wagner oversees the harvesting of these woods but have taken the approach of harvesting the easiest to get to wood first, making a logging operation exspensive for the local choppers.
Having large parcels in state land or conservationship looks nice on paper but does not put food on the table.

[Revi]

I live on the edge of the North Woods and it's a great place, but it is not a place of great wealth. It is a large, relatively undeveloped place. I would say that the only real towns in this part of the world are Jackman, Greenville and Millinocket. There aren't any other towns that really are in the middle of the North Woods.

[Revi]

I forgot Ashland, Bingham and Allagash, but the other towns are actually a ways from the North Woods. Rangely and Phillips could be included as well.

[maineguy8888]

That's the neat thing about Allagash; it's right in the Big Woods and it's at the "end of the road".

[mainebrokerman]

one of the most scenic rides i drive is rte 26 from newry (outside of bethel) to colebrook n.h
go through grafton notch upton, errol, dixfield notch to colebrook...

went thru there today and a quiet, peaceful spectacular scenic- ride

and this is through the great north woods

i go up this way at least once a month....and i will head off on a tote road if i have 5 minutes and eat a snack or lunch, hopeful to see a moose or deer.... and today i got a treat, i saw a black bear , he meandered around the car, about 50 yards away, very cautious... his nose in the air,,

i got out of the car slowly, he is staring at me through low pine growth-he's far enough away so i have time to jump in the car if he charges (always think the worst) he was pretty good size
he just seemed curious- we stared at each other for 2 minutes-
i whistled and he bolted,,,,

[7th generation]

Originally Posted by mainebrokerman

one of the most scenic rides i drive is rte 26 from newry (outside of bethel) to colebrook n.h
go through grafton notch upton, errol, dixfield notch to colebrook...

....then continue on 16 to 17 thru Rangeley and back to rt.#2-the moose loop.

[MassVt]

To answer the OP's query, from over two years ago: Yes, I believe that northern/western Maine constitute the most remote region east of the Mississippi.

Parts of far upstate NY might qualify, too, or parts of northern VT/NH...

Even north central Pennsylvania, outside of State College, is pretty remote..