Park all vehicles well off the road ways. Obey all the rules established by the various land management organizations for your safety and continued use. Please help us maintain the beauty and the use of these privately owned areas by carrying out your own trash and by not littering our beautiful forests. Camping in the Moosehead Region has changed since the time of Henry Thoreau's visit in 1857. Thoreau and his Indian guide Joe Polis camped wherever they wanted, built fires, cut bushes and live trees, and made mattresses of fir boughs.
People can no longer build fires wherever, they like.
Since 1955, Maine has had a fire permit law whereby a fire permit is required for any outdoor wood or charcoal fire. As of 1980, propane, sterno or Coleman fueled stoves are not subject to the fire permit legislation, but the regulations could change in the near future. There are no fees for fire permits. They can be issued over the phone or at any local Maine Forest Service Ranger station. Still, there is freedom to find the wilderness experience you are looking for.