Exploring Maine's Mountains, Rivers, and Lakes | National Geographic

Once, land shaped us all, and water shaped the land. But in Maine, people are still forged by the mountains, lakes, and rivers. I'm National Geographic Explorer Keeley Rien, and traveling from the lakes and mountains to mid-coast Maine to learn how it's all connected. Fly fishing has always been something I've wanted to learn. In Rangeley, I get to see the craft of tying flies firsthand, and then get out on the water to try to catch some fish. We have something really unique here. From the 1800s, it's been good stewardship that's created this area. Fly fishing really is a real special place. It's outstanding up here, you know, there's nothing really like it. There's over 6,000 lakes and ponds and thousands of rivers in the state, and brook trout are native to almost all of those waters. All right, Logan, I'm stoked for this, man. When I'm casting, my shoulders are relaxed, my elbows are kind of down, and I try not to use my body too much. So give it a try, just get warmed up. Maine is unique where there's thousands of privately owned acres of area accessible to the public. It's vast. There's something just meditative about being on the water. Nice, dude. That's nice and smooth right there. Under the Mahoosk Range, I'm meeting with a traditional canoe builder and an incredible couple. Kevin and Polly bring people out on the water, helping them connect to the wildlands. We have 10 people going on this trip. Wow. We do instruction on the land, and then we put the boats in the water and do instruction on the water. The first interstate highway system in Maine were the rivers. The native people could connect all these watersheds. They could travel from all along the coast here to northern hunting areas. In Maine, we still have a lot of beautiful wild country that's undeveloped left, and we have borrowed a lot of the material culture, the canoe, paddles, from the first people of what we now call Maine, the Wabanaki. So many of our friends, their parents and grandparents hid the fact that they were indigenous. My parents did the same. They hid their indigenous ancestry. I mean, I didn't even find out until I was 20. People are much more accepting and open to the knowledge, the values, and the gifts that indigenous culture can bring to ours. It makes me a little teary inside to hear that this is happening here as well, and it's beautiful. How did you originally make friends with Wabanaki? I actually did my student teaching over on the reserve. They wanted to work with someone that understood and respected their culture, but also had a long track record of doing guided canoe trips. We call them our way of the Wabanaki trips, offering cultural canoe trips through their ancestral homelands. I'm headed south to the lake town of Bridgeton to meet Brian Buckland, a potter who sources local materials like clay, seashells, and gems. Welcome to the train kiln. We go around this side, you can see the firebox. Oh wow, it's huge in here. Further, further. That's it. All the wood comes from about 10 minutes from here. We're actually melting wood ash to create the glaze on the pots. So it's like a collaboration with the fire, right? It's a good collaboration. Two ingredients make this glaze. Main clay from Woolwich, and then this is clamshells that I've collected on the beach. Oh really? I get trout a lot with these taller cups. It's a nice community around here. There's other artists nearby, and we've got a lot to offer in Maine. I'm traveling east across the state to the mid-coast. You can see the different rivers and lakes, the fog rolling in, and you can understand why the land is a source of inspiration and creativity for Mainers. At Glidden Point Oyster Farms, I'm headed to learn about the ecology of the Damariscoto River. While we're all growing the same species, each farm is going to have a different flavor profile. Oh look at these guys. Oysters are like wine. They taste like the region and area that they're grown in. I imagine oysters have been growing here since before you guys came too? We're just the latest chapter. We've been here since 1987 as a farm, but oysters have been on this river for thousands of years and stewarded and cared for by the Penobscot Nation, who are indigenous people here. You're still tending the whale, which I think is pretty awesome. It's one of the most sustainable industries because we don't have to feed our product. They're eating what's naturally in the environment. The oysters that we're farming are a native species as well, so we think about a lot of the work that we do as regenerative. We really do provide this link between oysters and waterways. We're here to show that oysters carry such a long history. All right, cheers! Upriver at the Whaleback Shell Midden's historic site, ancient oyster shells were once piled 30 feet high. You can see the remnants, a reminder that rivers have been a source of life here for thousands of years. In Liberty Tool, you can just wander for hours. As a boat builder, I'm so excited about all of it. We sell lots of old tools, as you can see. You're going to find anything and everything. Liberty is not too far from Belfast, so we're close to the ocean and we're close to a community of shipbuilders and carpenters, plumbers, electricians, woodworkers. This is a place they can find items that are useful. In Belfast, I'm tasting some of Maine's most popular food, the lobster. Belfast is a nice place. It's very low-key. If you want peace and quiet, I think here is a place for you. Most business within Belfast area is family-owned and everybody support each other within the community. Yeah, we live more like family around here. After my time here in Maine, I've grown to understand the passion, resourcefulness, and love for the community that the Mainers have. It's a feeling I hope other people get to experience.