Concord, Maine

Concord Township is the kind of place that doesn’t appear on most maps, and that’s exactly how those who know it prefer things. This remote corner of northern Somerset County sits in the heart of Maine’s commercial forestlands, accessible only via a network of private logging roads that wind through hundreds of thousands of acres of working woods.

The handful of year-round residents have chosen a life that most people can’t imagine. There’s no grid power, no municipal water, no cell service, and no stores within an hour’s drive. Homes are heated with wood cut from the surrounding forest. Power comes from generators and solar panels. Supplies are stocked during trips to Jackman or The Forks, and winters are spent in profound isolation as the logging roads become impassable except by snowmobile.

But for hunters, anglers, and those seeking true wilderness, Concord represents something increasingly rare: genuine backcountry. The surrounding forestlands support healthy populations of moose, deer, and bear. Remote ponds hold native brook trout that have never seen a hatchery. Grouse flush from the regenerating cuts, and at night, the darkness is absolute, no light pollution, no traffic noise, just the sounds of the North Woods.

The township’s status as unorganized territory means it has no municipal government. Services that residents of organized towns take for granted. Road maintenance, fire protection, schools, are either provided by the county, contracted privately, or simply don’t exist. This governmental minimalism suits those who live here, who generally prefer to handle their own affairs without bureaucratic involvement.

Seasonal camps dot the landscape, many owned by families who have hunted these woods for generations. These aren’t fancy vacation homes but utilitarian structures designed for hunting season, wood stoves, bunks, and basic kitchens. Some date back decades, built when access was even more difficult and the commitment to reaching them was part of the appeal.

The commercial timber operations that own most of Concord’s land manage it on sustained-yield principles, cycling through harvest and regrowth that creates diverse wildlife habitat. Active cuts provide browse for moose and deer; regenerating stands offer cover; mature forest provides mast crops and shelter. This working landscape may lack the polish of protected wilderness, but it sustains the wildlife that makes Concord valuable to hunters.

Visiting Concord requires preparation and respect for the land. Access roads are private, and permission or fees may be required. GPS is unreliable in the deep woods, and there’s no calling for help if something goes wrong. But for those willing to do the work, Concord offers an experience of Maine that most visitors never find. A place where the wild still dominates and human presence remains an afterthought.