Spring, Summer, Fall: The Moosehead Lake region provides hundreds of well marked and maintained trails that provides a great range of terrain. These trails are perfect for all types of hikers including hiking enthusiasts or just a family out for a relaxing hike. All of these trails can be traveled in a day, but that doesn’t mean that they don’t have a lot to offer. Some of the trails are some of the most challenging in Maine. Nearly every trail will supply amazing scenic views of Mount Kineo, Moosehead Lake, and the opportunity to catch sight of some local wildlife. Perhaps you will see a moose bathing in the river, a deer and its fawn grazing in the wild flower field alongside the trails, or birds nesting in the trees. So for your next hiking trip in Maine, consider a visit to the Moosehead Lake region.
Tag: Summer
Lily Bay State Park: A Wildlife Gem On Moosehead Lake
Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall: Maine’s Lily Bay State Park is on the eastern shore of Moosehead Lake and is made up of 925 acres of wooded terrain. The state park maintains 8 miles of trails year round for cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and hiking. The park offers many different campsites either along the water or tucked away in the woods for more privacy. The choice is yours, but make sure that you make your plans and reservations early. The campsites fill up fast, so you’re going to want to get a head start. While camping at the park, you will have the opportunity to enjoy the shores of Moosehead Lake and do some fishing, boating, or swimming. On land, you can enjoy some hunting, leaf peeping, hiking, or just some relaxation and take pleasure in the native wild life around Maine’s largest lake. A visit to Lily Bay State Park is a wonderful way to spend a family vacation bonding in the great outdoors, or just to get away from the fast pace of the world.
Moosehead Marine Museum: Relive Part Of Maine’s Past
Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall: The Moosehead Marine Museum of Maine has a wide-range of steamboat memorabilia along with historical photos of the Moosehead Lake area. In addition to the memorabilia, the museum acquired a 110 foot long steamboat built in Maine at Bath Iron Works in 1914. This steamship was used to transport tourists, food, live stock, and workers to the different islands on the lake. The ships name is the Katahdin and in 1995 it was restored. Owned by the museum, the steamship is now used for some of the same tasks as it was in the early 1900s. The Museum is a great place to bring your family so the children can learn about the methods of transportation used years ago. At the museum, you can learn about the history of the lake and how it was integrated as part of Maine’s economy in the early 1900s.
Climb Mount Kineo Moosehead Lake: It’s More Then Just A Hike
Spring, Summer, Fall: Moosehead Lake’s, Mount Kineo is a beautiful site to see. The mountain features many its rocky ledges and green tree filled slopes. It is perfect for the beginner as well as professional hiker with a variety of trails offered for all skill levels. Mount Kineo is an island inside Moosehead Lake, so you will need to take a water taxi, boat, kayak, or canoe to get to the base to start your climb. On the 800 foot mountain, you can hike to the top, enjoy some rock climbing, or repel down the rock face. Guided rock climbing and repelling trips are available and provide a great way to do something new for your next family vacation. Once at the top, you will be able to enjoy the panoramic views of the surrounding Moosehead Lake region and the old fire tower at the summit of Mount Kineo.
Gulf Hagas: Maine’s Grand Canyon
Spring, Summer, Winter, Fall: The 3.5 mile section of the Pleasant River known as Gulf Hagas is an amazing place to spend a day hiking and exploring. The river has carved a 400 foot deep gorge through slate bedrock, and is commonly referred to as Maine’s “Grand Canyon”. Visitors can enjoy views of the impressive waterfalls and swim in plunge pools along the river by hiking the well maintained trails along its course. It comes as no surprise that Gulf Hagas is registered as a National Natural Landmark. This area is also home to Katahdin Iron Works and remnants of the old blast furnace still remain. The Appalachian trail can be accessed here and features nearby White Cap Mountain with killer north woods views. The Nature Conservancy maintains a 35 acre preserve along the river, another National Natural Landmark, known as the “Hermitage” featuring some of Maine’s oldest and tallest White Pines. There are endless recreational opportunities here including fly fishing, snowmobiling, hiking, swimming, snowshoeing, kayaking, and rock and ice climbing. This amazing canyon has something for everyone to discover.