MOOSEHEAD LAKE, LOBSTER LAKE, PRONG POND paddling in Maine

 


  • Sep 6, 2014 - MOOSEHEAD LAKE & PRONG POND.  Showers & storms predicted, am was nice.  ML is only slightly longer than NY's Lake George but its surface area of 120 sq. miles is about 3 times that of LG making it New England's largest lake; less developed, too.  Paddled the Prospector from Rowell Cove at LBSP N & E past Twomile Island with view of Mt Kineo (on an island!? joined to the E shore by a narrow isthmus) & its 900' cliffs, exploring Tussle Lagoon & the islands? of Mathews Cove, tough finding a way between with low water & rocks.  2 hours.  Weather still looked ok so drove to nearby PP.  30 mph headwind gusts as we returned to the put-in.  

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  • Sep 1-5 - LOBSTER LAKE in central Maine.  From Lily Bay drove 45 miles to LL, 30 miles on dirt roads.  The dirt started at Kakadjo, a bit on the rough side but close to 2-lane (30-40mph), no signs telling us we were on the Sias Hill Rd, then L on the smoother & wider Golden Rd (40mph+) to Caribou Checkpoint where we had to stop & pay fees - $12 per car per day to North Maine Woods, $8 + tax pp per night to State of Maine for backcountry camping on LL.  9 more miles on the Golden Rd then a L & 3 miles to the put-in on Lobster Stream, a hundred yards off the W Br Penobscot River.  2 mile paddle down LS which is ~150' wide entering LL from the NW with view to Mt. Katahdin 30 miles to the E.  Camped at Ogden Point for 4 nights, the most awesome campsite on the lake with view SE down Little Claw to nearby Big Spencer Mtn, sandy beach & scraggly jack pines (red squirrels knocking the cones down early in the am), 2 picnic tables & a new log outhouse.  Light mosquito (near the trees, not the sandy point) & mouse activity.  Bald eagle, loons.  Lie-down-Thermaresting. Big Claw.  A few generally well-hidden cottages on N, E, & S shores, a float plane took off when we arrived, saw 2 motor boats on the last day, otherwise just a few canoes & kayaks.  Big Island.  Lobster Mtn hike.  Sunsets (had to paddle to get a view W), sunrises from campsite.  Moose in Halfway Brook.  West Branch Penobscot River - otters.  ...tbc...            Drove back to Lily Bay SP campground & got a nice on-water site for 2 nights .  Dinner in Greenville - good food & craft beer at Stress Free Moose Pub & Cafe + Rod n' Reel Cafe.










  • Aug 31 - LILY BAY STATE PARK on MOOSEHEAD LAKE in central Maine, a 7+ hour drive from APnP.  LBSP has a nice campground on the E side of ML & quite possibly the best shower rooms of any SP campground I've ever been to.  It is a short drive from Greenville which is at the S end of the lake.  Greenville is a small tourist village without pretensions & ATV's are allowed on its roads.  We had a site with water access & a view across to Sugar Island the biggest island on the lake.

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