The recently released book "101 Best Outdoor Towns: Unspoiled Places to Visit, Live and Play" has ranked Bethel, Maine as the only New England location in its overall top ten.  more...

There is a hang gliding launch at the top of Mount Will. This is rumored to be one of Maine’s last mountainside launches, and one of the best launches for hang gliders on the entire East Coast.

There is great hiking on Mount Will too. Recently developed by the Bethel Conservation Commission, the trails are located on the back side of Mount Will on the opposite side from your home site will be. The Bethel Conservation Commission has developed 3.2 miles that provide wonderful Androscoggin River and mountain vistas. On a good day, it takes 2.5 hours to hike the entire loop from start to finish.

Approximately 7.5 minutes away from The Peaks Atop Mount Will home sites is a quintessential swimming hole. Dubbed “Frenchman’s Hole,” this hidden jewel has something for everyone, from daring jumps to lazy plops off the side and into the pool. A portable grill and big cooler is a common sight while families camp out for the afternoon on those hot summer days. You become an owner at The Peaks, and we’ll happily tell you how to get there. How’s that for a deal?

The Peaks Atop Mount Will is very close to the trail network that can take you all across Maine and into Canada. At this time we are working with the local snowmobile clubs to develop a good access directly from The Peaks At Mt. Will to the local trail system and onto the ITS trail system. (Check back soon for more information on this soon.) If you are an avid snowmobiler, stop in and say “hello” to Rocky at SunValley Sports at the base of Mount Will. He’s a great guy and deserves your business. He does the upkeep on all the trails surrounding Mount Will, so a little donation to the trail system while you pick up a trail map would be greatly appreciated.

The actual Sunday River is formed at the basin of the Mahoosucs and Sunday River Mountain peaks and flows into the Androscoggin River, a mile or two from the entrance to The Peaks Atop Mount Will. Seven major streams and brooks rush out of these mountains and converge to form the head of the Sunday River including:

• Merrill Brook
• Jordon Brooks
• Goose Eye Brook
• South Branch Brook
• Bull Brand Brook
• Miles Notch Brook
• Sargent Brook

Gould Academy is a local prep school. In addition to gaining a stellar education, the students also get a lot of time on the snow. In fact, Gould has the most on-snow offerings of any school in New England, including alpine, freestyle, freeride, Nordic, and snowboarding as well as ski patrol, ski instructing, and recreational programs. The Gould Sunday River (GSR) Competition Center, at Sunday River Ski Resort, is 1.2 miles from The Peaks Atop Mount Will, and serves as the base camp for Gould’s competitive skiing and snowboarding programs. Gould offers a world-class program with coaching to match.

The Peaks Atop Mount Will is located in Oxford County, which is recognized as one of the world’s richest sources of certain minerals and semiprecious gems. More than a third of the world’s mineral varieties can be found here including amethyst, aquamarine, tourmaline and topaz. There is a gem shop located right at the entrance to The Peaks and there is a mineral museum with a crystal cave allowing kids and rockhounds to fill buckets and then identify the stones back in the museum. There are four quarries nearby and maps for rockhounding these areas are available at Perhams in West Paris.

You know you’re almost to your mountainside home when you pass the Elk Farm. The kids love it, especially around Christmas time when the little kids think these are Santa’s reindeer!