WILLOW CREEK — Two years of pent-up demand for outdoor recreation has delivered a record-breaking summer to Willow Creek, with trail counters on the Mattawamkeag River Trail logging more than 14,000 visits in June alone — a 340% increase over the same month in 2019.
Selectwoman Eleanor Vance said the surge represents both opportunity and growing pains for a community of 1,200 that has bet heavily on a tourism-driven economy after decades of mill dependency.
“People want wide-open spaces and quiet rivers, and we have those in abundance,” Vance said. “The question is whether we can handle the volume without losing the character that makes Willow Creek appealing.”
Northwoods Outfitters owner Julia Chen reported her guided canoe trips sold out by Memorial Day, a first in the company’s 12-year history. She has since hired three seasonal staff to keep up with demand.
Parking lot expansions along the Mattawamkeag corridor are under consideration, and the town is pursuing a grant for additional trailhead facilities.
Critics warn that the rapid influx risks straining infrastructure, with the General Store’s Maeve O’Donnell reporting occasional stockouts of basic camping supplies.
“We’re not complaining,” O’Donnell said. “But nobody predicted this level of traffic in June.”