Maine native Myron H. Avery recruited friends from Washington, DC; Maine forest and warden service personnel; guides and sporting camp operators; and the Civilian Conservation Corps to extend the Appalachian Trail through Maine, despite questions of whether it would be possible to carve a trail through the state's wildlands. Volunteers of Maine's Appalachian Trail Club, created by Avery in 1935, have since maintained the trail, built shelters, relocated more than half of the original hastily constructed route, and taken on the task of managing the trail's protection corridor. Along Maine's Appalachian Trail illustrates the rich history of the trail's rugged mountains and vast forests, which have provided a livelihood for generations of workers and communities.
David B. Field, retired University of Maine professor of Forest Resources, has maintained six miles of the Appalachian Trail for 54 years. He has served as an officer of the Maine Appalachian Trail Club and on the board of managers of the Appalachian Trail Conference. The images in Along Maine's Appalachian Trail come primarily from the MATC archives, Maine State Library, and the author's personal files.