Bethel Voted One of America's 10 Best Outdoor Towns
From Alaska to Maine, these spots offer a walk on the wild side for fans of everything from windsurfing to fly-fishing. You can even try the luge.
In choosing the "101 Best Outdoor Towns: Unspoiled Places to Visit, Live & Play" (The Countryman Press, 2007), authors Sarah Tuff and Greg Melville researched access to national and state parks, major bodies of water, hiking and mountain biking trails, and ski and snowboard terrain; population; affordability; and such downtown resources as gear shops, brewpubs and coffee houses.
This top 10 is adapted from the book; these towns have not only back doors to some of the country's best adventure terrain, but also lively, livable communities that are dedicated to playing in and preserving the great American playgrounds.
Bethel, Maine
Even if you can't be here for the annual North American Wife Carrying Championships, Bethel is worth the detour off the well-traveled Maine Coast. Here in the White Mountains and along the Androscoggin River lie some of the state's most exciting adventures, such as backpacking the new 42-mile Grafton Loop Trail, which has premier views of sparkling lakes and rolling hills. The Androscoggin teems with rainbow and brown trout while the town's calendar is filled with community road runs, adventure triathlons and canoe and kayak races. Bethel is also a classic New England town with enough charm to warm cold winter nights after a day dog-sledding and cross-country skiing around the Telemark Inn or skiing and snowboarding Sunday River Ski Resort. The town has several fine B&B's and Inns and a variety of good restaurants and unique shopping venues.