[11] Isle Maree holds the remains of a Pre-Reformation chapel and Christian pilgrimage shrine believed to be the 8th century hermitage of Saint Máel Ruba (d. 722), a Celtic Church missionary from Bangor Abbey in Gaelic Ireland who also founded the monastery of Applecross in 672.

[17] The entire length of the northeastern shore of Loch Maree forms part of the 35,072 ha (86,664 acres) Letterewe, Heights of Kinlochewe & Tournaig Estate, which extends north over an area known as the Fisherfield Forest.

[21] Between 671 and 722, Celtic Church missionary St Máel Ruba arrived at Loch Maree, and founded a chapel and Christian pilgrimage shrine on Eilean Maolruibhe.

Investigation of the island in 1965 found a fortified area measuring 44 by 36 metres with walls 1 m thick and 2 m high, with a 1.8 m deep dungeon in the southeast corner.

During the seventeenth century up to 8 hectares of oak woodlands a day were turned into charcoal to fuel the smelting of bog iron at Letterewe on the northeast shore.

[12] Remains of one iron furnace can be seen at a site known as the Red Smiddy on the northeast bank of the River Ewe between the outflow from the loch and Poolewe.

The railway would have increased Victorian tourist traffic, as well as providing a service for fisheries and the mail and a connection to Stornoway, however the plan was later abandoned.

[26] Loch Maree is of international importance for its special wildlife and biodiversity, and is the site of one of the largest breeding concentrations of black-throated diver in Great Britain.

Sea trout gathered in huge numbers in certain bays, providing some of the most exciting angling in Scotland for which the loch had an international reputation.

The islands of Loch Maree are particularly noted for their dragonflies, with 12 species having been recorded, including the northern emerald, azure hawker and white-faced darter.

[33] The presence of black-throated divers on the loch has led to it being designated as Special Protection Area (SPA) under the EU Habitats Directive.

[38] The Beinn Eighe and Loch Maree Islands NNR forms part of the designated Core Zone of the Wester Ross UNESCO Biosphere reserve.

[39] Loch Maree is classified as a Category IV protected area by the International Union for Conservation of Nature,[34] and has been designated as a Ramsar site since 19 September 1994.

[43] In the 2009-10 series of the BBC's Natural World, episode 6, Highland Haven, stayed closer to home than usual, with a year-long look at the environment and wildlife of Loch Maree and its surroundings.

It is near the traditional Christian pilgrimage shrine and holy well of local Celtic Church missionary St. Máel Rubha, whose intercession was believed to cure mental illnesses.