Clouds from a light snowfall shroud the peaks of the Bigelow Mountain Range, which reigns over western Maine forest trails, luring snowshoers and cross-country skiers on a winter afternoon.

Maine's vast backcountry backyard offers outdoors lovers 3.3 million acres set aside from development in recent years, roughly the size of Connecticut, nearly 18 percent of the entire state of Maine. Not everyone is thrilled about the conservation _ foes say it takes lands off tax rolls and restricts use of snowmobiles _ but others revel in the unspoiled playland.

The mountains are pale blue backdrops to shimmering, pristine lakes. Forests of poplar, birch and fir form an almost unbroken canopy from the highlands more than 100 miles to the Down East marshlands.

Snowmobilers take to their trails, and ice fishermen find their best spots. When the weather's warmer, hikers, kayakers, mountain bikers, campers and hunters enjoy the land, lakes and rivers within. It's theirs to use, and it's getting bigger.

For generations, Maine residents and visitors took for granted their access to this land as guests of the paper companies and other big landowners who allowed recreational use. But that long-standing tradition was threatened as the land was sold, broken into smaller parcels and taken over by developers.

Development inspired the creation in the late 1980s of the Land for Maine's Future program for buying and preserving those long-cherished open spaces. The lands set aside, at a cost of hundreds of millions of dollars, now include state and national parks, public lots and preserves like the one surrounding the majestic Bigelow and privately owned areas protected by easements. The land was either bought outright by the state and private conservation groups or public access was granted by landowners who, in many cases, continue their traditional logging enterprises.

Outdoors lover Chris Jordan is delighted with the backcountry access.

"We need more places where people can go outside and do things," Jordan, of Marshfield, Mass., said after a morning of snowshoeing along winding mountain trails. "People need to get access to the backcountry."

If he's not running his insurance brokerage back home, Jordan, who's in his 40s, is probably in Maine's wildlands. He and his wife canoed the Allagash River two years ago. They snowshoe and climb mountains, like thousands of others who find the North Woods alluring.

Surveys have repeatedly shown strong support among Maine residents for open-space preservation, and voters have approved bond issues to continue public purchases. But there is strong sentiment against the trend, especially in the northern part of the state.