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Escape to a lakeside haven in the heart of Maine’s north woods—an iconic landscape of deep solitude, sparkling lakes, and abundant wildlife. This retreat is designed to spark your creativity through immersion in the natural world, movement, and guided writing.
Each day, we’ll balance time outdoors—hiking, kayaking, or rafting—with writing workshops led by AGC guide and professional outdoor writer, Sarah Holman. Whether you’re just starting out or already having a writing practice, you’ll find inspiration, skill-building, and encouragement to craft stories you’re proud of.
At night, we return to our cozy, sustainably built lodges nestled along Millinocket Lake. We’ll end our time together by sharing our work and celebrating in community. All writing genres and experience levels are welcome!
Maximum group size: 12
Not Included: Travel to and from Bangor ME, alcoholic beverages, guide gratuities and Travel Insurance.
Trip Info
This trip is for women who want to write together in community, guided by a professional, while being inspired and engaged by the natural world. While our days will be full of activities including hiking, paddling, and rafting, we will not be attempting long mileage on any of our excursions. We will also make sure that you have ample downtime to relax, cultivate an awareness of the natural world, and write. Since you always have the option to relax at the house, a 1 rating is appropriate. However, if you choose to do everything we offer, it will be more like a 2. The hikes we've chosen are reasonably short but may have short steep sections with rocks and roots, so women should be in sufficient condition to hike uphill for up to an hour. The kayaking and rafting is appropriate for beginners. A rating of 2 is suitable for any woman who regularly walks at a brisk pace 3 to 4 days a week for 35 - 45 minutes.
Rating: 1 [2] 3 4 5
Curious about how we rate our trips and how to prepare for yours? Explore our AGC Fitness Guide for more details.
Our primary activity this week is writing, but our itinerary also includes hiking, kayaking and rafting. We will have time to explore Millinocket Lake and a few classic North Woods trails, and will spend half a day whitewater rafting. This trip will often have a leisurely pace with writing time interwoven into activities. We will be hiking, rafting or paddling between 3-5 hours a day.
Wondering what kind of gear works well for our trips? Our AGC Gear Guide highlights some of our go-to favorites.
We'll spend the entire trip at the New England Outdoor Center (NEOC), about an hour north of Bangor, where we’ll enjoy stunning views of Katahdin. We will stay in three neighboring, green-built modern lodges on the shore of Millinocket Lake. Each lodge features a full kitchen, a living room with a gas fireplace, a sunroom, and an outdoor patio. Standard-priced spots on the trip are for a shared room with a queen or twin bed, along with shared bathrooms, common areas, and kitchens. There are four single supplements available, which include a private queen room with a shared bathroom.
Trip Resources
Below is the proposed itinerary for the trip. As is true on any adventure travel trip, plans for any specific day may be modified due to weather considerations, unforeseen circumstances, new opportunities, and group interests.
Activities I loved, but time and encouragement to focus on writing
The opportunity to write and learn from others. The opportunity to try Level 4 rafting rapids (without that being the focus of the trip). The community dining. Really felt you got to know everyone by the end of the trip. The location, accommodations, and variety of activities was just right.
Renewal was the correct term to use! This trip allowed me to get to know the guides and participants in a way that was extremely meaningful. Jenny and Claire together is a wonderful combination. Jenny as a writing coach - unbelievable!! Claire as a cook - superb! Their chemistry and love for each other showed. It was a beautiful week.
The group of women, participants and guides, co created a safe, supportive, encouraging environment. This enabled intimate sharing and connections.
Our wonderful guides, who each day each brought something of joyful quality to our trip. Claire with her Haute Cuisine (even for breakfast) and quiet insight; and Jenny with her abundance of life and energy, her kindness and patience.
It was an amazing location with a great balance of moderate activity. I was fully prepared to ignore the writing, but surprisingly enjoyed that.
This was an excellent trip, the perfect combination of physical activities and writing, in a beautiful setting. Jenny and Claire worked together seamlessly. Best combination of guides I have experienced on an AGC trip.
Year | Departure Date | Availability | Price | |
---|---|---|---|---|
2026 |
August 02 to August 07 |
Available |
$3695.00 |
2026
August 02 to August 07, 2026
Available
$3695.00
Turn any trip into a private experience for your group, or let us design a custom itinerary just for you! Whether it’s friends, family, or colleagues, we’ll make your journey unforgettable.
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