Hi,

This may be a bit late but I need info about Chesuncook Village in Maine. I am going down the West Branch of the Penobscot River this weekend (6/9-6/11) and taking out at the village. Does anyone know what kind of parking there is at the village?



This may seem like a strange request unless you know the village. It has only just recently been made accessible by anything but snowmobiles.



I have sent an email to the Chesunkook Lake House but I’m not sure how reliable the internet service is there. Any help would be appreciated.



Paul

As the road is so new for summer use
and private property abounds in the village, I simply just don’t know. There is lots of room. I don’t know if you are allowed to use it!



Although the latest Newsletter indicated there might be a parking lot. I would contact North Maine Woods



http://www.chesuncookvillage.org/village-changes-spring-2011/



You might consider going straight across the lake and past Gero Island to the NMaine Woods campground which does have parking but might be lousy wet.



Have fun…maybe with water running high this will be a day trip.

Thanks for the reply
Thanks kayamedic,

That’s what I suspected. Lots of room but is it available for public parking? I’ll give North Maine Woods a call in the morning. Ya, this wet weather has the river up. That should help, especially around Big Island, where it gets kind of scratchy.

Thanks Again,

Paul

I can’t imagine there would be any
problem.

Good News
I just got a email from the village and there is parking at Graveyard Point. No need to go to plan B. Yay



Thanks for the responses



Paul

An aside
BTW - The flow rate is down 619 CFM, down from over 1400 a few days ago. I have done the river in 300 CFM water but complained in my log about itbeing too low. This should be a nice trip.

Trip completed
The trip went off beautifully. The torrential rains of the past week were on their way out; a few showers Friday, beautiful Sunday and Monday. The flow rate listed at the NMW Gate was 1800+ CFM. The water was high, which made the trip carefree. There is a state maintained boat access at Graveyard Point, where you can park your vehicle.

Carefree and just how fast?
The downside of the parking is now the Village is just a long day paddle from Lobster put in.



I would guess you did it in five hours.



To me I liked the inaccessible feel of Chesuncook Village and the necessity for me to push on to get to “civilization” though their root beer floats were civilized. But they were a respite from the “wilderness”.



I fear that while something is gained, something is lost.

It all changed

the moment they stopped driving logs and put the roads all through that country. Still wonderful - but never the same.

I recall just a few years ago one very uncomfortable night in late October when we got pinned on the uncomfortable boulder strewn shore of Chesuncook on our paddle out about my wife who expected us to be out that day. Still - you miss a lot of that Lobster trip if you skip Chesuncook. Beautiful lake. We usually spend a night on Lobster, a night on the WB and a night on Chesuncook. Lots of fun in a long weekend.

You always remember your first time.
The West Branch was my first canoe camping trip (back in 1968). They were still floating logs back then. It has changed, but I still love it. I’m still telling stories about that first trip: Like it was yesterday.

I am hoping to shuttle a car to my trip take-out at Chescuncook Village. I haven’t been there before and haven’t been able to find any specifics about parking there. I tried to call the PRC manager but the voicemail box is full.

Any idea what the parking situation is in Chesuncook these days?

did you pull this off? I’m in the same “boat” right now.