Maine Bound and Other Programs

When I was developing the plan for this blog, one of the first things I thought of highlighting was the Outward Bound program at the University of Maine.  It seemed like such a great program to help people get outside and active!  As I’ve been working on this post, though, I realized that there actually isn’t a program called Outward Bound.  I must have been thinking of an old program, or maybe getting the program at UMaine mixed up with something else, because the program that I want to talk about today is actually called Maine Bound.

The Maine Bound programs are based out of the Maine Bound Adventure Center, located on the UMaine campus.  There is an indoor rock climbing facility that offers both a climbing (requiring a harness) and a bouldering (no harness required) wall.  What makes this facility even better is that there are a number of clinics offered each month, which are aimed at both experienced and novice climbers.  Having used the climbing wall once or twice myself, I can tell you that, not only will you have fun, but you’ll also work muscles you didn’t know you had!  Seriously, rock climbing is a great way to work the forearms — mine were actually sore the next day — I didn’t know that could happen!

In addition to the climbing facilities, Maine Bound also offers a variety of both day and overnight trips.  These range from hiking to canoeing, camping to kayaking.  There are programs for experienced outdoorsmen and for those who are just beginning to explore life in the wild.  All of the trips are affordable, even for non-students/members, and you don’t have to be a student to participate!  Anyone can take advantage of these programs to explore outdoor life in Maine.  They even offer equipment rentals!  You can rent snowshoes or cross country skis in the winter, or bikes, camping equipment, and paddling equipment in the summer!

Maine Bound is just one part of the Campus Recreation department at Maine.  There is also the New Balance Student Recreation Center, which offers group fitness classes, personal training, and a variety of sports.  There is the Wallace Pool, for those who like to swim, the Bridge Tennis Courts, and the DeMerritt Forrest Trail System.  Campus Recreation even runs programs for kids, including summer camps.  If the University of Maine is within easy reach for you and you want to stay active and meet new people, then the Campus Recreation programs are definitely worth looking into.  You can find all of the information regarding rates, policies, and general information here.  Which adventure will you choose?

Catherine Hall

About Catherine Hall

Catherine lives in Bangor, Maine with her family. She gained her appreciation for food and cooking from her grandmother and learned most of her technical knowledge from watching the Food Network. When not in the kitchen, Catherine can be found outdoors attempting to grow vegetables (not always successfully), practicing yoga, and taking Capoeira classes in downtown Bangor. Catherine can also be found walking around town with her Guiding Eyes guide dog, Caleb.