When I first got into hiking, climbing, and the outdoors, I had a hard time finding other women with whom to enjoy my hobbies. At times, I felt like an imposter, an outsider in a macho culture that emphasized performance over enjoyment. Maine natives Sarah McLean and Cait Bourgault felt the same way. When they founded the Alpine Women Collective in 2016, they were a pair of Portland creatives increasingly pulled to the mountains on weekends. As they realized how much hiking was improving their lives and friendship, they started organizing “babe hikes,” group hikes and camping trips where women of all ages (especially outdoor newbies) could hit the trail with a crew of supportive peers. “There’s just this irreplaceable team mentality and energy,” McLean says. “It’s the same camaraderie that brought Cait and me to the mountains.”

McLean, a graphic designer, and Bourgault, a photographer (and regular Down East contributor) launched a website and a hashtag on the photo app Instagram — and an upbeat digital community has since evolved around #alpinewomencollective, with women sharing hiking pics and tons of encouragement. AWC hikers log a lot of miles in New Hampshire’s White Mountains, but as McLean says, “Maine and its mountains are special to us. We’ve grown up appreciating how beautiful it is to find yourself in the outdoors here.”

Below, find 10 of Maine’s best mountain hikes for all skill levels, with pics and insight from McLean, Bourgault, and other AWC hikers. Then get yourself to a trailhead this summer. Because no one is an imposter in the mountains.