Anyone used this state campground as a base for paddling the Moosehead lake area? From a map, it looks like waters around this campground are more protected than the huge open lake waters beyond. Any must see drive-to lakes or ponds from the campground if Moosehead is to rough? Is this too far away from Mt.Kitahdin for views of it?
No exp…should be okay…others
– Last Updated: Sep-05-09 11:24 PM EST –
martin,
Here's link(probably seen):
http://www.stateparks.com/lily_bay.html
FWIW...A camp just up the road ~1mile was part of family's since 1950...to be honest I've never gone into the Park...but it receives average amount of visitors..and hot shower facilities..y/n? sounds golden!..
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EDIT: Public Showers up at Kokadjo cabin(s)..
sorry..forgot these. For exact name..I think just a Google Search...haven't looked at sign the last half-dozen times past.
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*If not..see below(Harrington Lake campground). LilyBay State Pk. is along the BeaverCove area...part of LilyBay. The road along that Eastern side of Moosehead continues(changes name to Sias Hill Rd) all the way up to intersection with Golden Road. There are nice ponds to paddle up ~5mi+ on the LilyBay Rd..just short of Kokadjo(store/cabins)...head eastward on road along 1st Roach Pond's south shoreline...Big Lyford Pond, 1st/*2nd Branch Ponds, Yoke Pond...etc.
**LilyBay State Pk is about 20mi to the intersection of the Golden Road..then up ~12mi to the West Branch/Katahdin(west end) area...~17mi+ to Katahdin/BSP Range..
You'll be looking at ~15mi of dirt roads(from Kokadjo) up to ~8mi south of Ripogenus Dam area
Few short stretches of road are cut from rocky areas..so is rather hard. Take your time and you'll be ok. Make sure of healthy spare tire...just in case.
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2nd Campground: Harrington Lake campground(no hot shower facilities):
If you look off the western end of the Katahdin Range (on map) you'll see Harrington Lake(to get to..between Ripogenus Dam and "Big Eddy" there is a tiny bridge(the "Telos Bridge") crossing over "Cribworks"-section of WestBranch(Penobscot R.))..that heads north to Telos Gate & above..but up ~5.5miles...nice campground on the right as you come to the lake(can't see lake from main road) but no hot showers. Williams Pond Rd is just past it..so you've gone too far if you reach this.
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3rd Option: Thissell Pond campgrounds(no hot shwrs)...
From WestBranch area, cross Telos Bridge, past Harrington Lake...take a Right(on "East" Road) off Telos Road, just before the Telos Gate..for ~3mi..then a left for a mile+ to Thissell Pond with campsites leading down to shore..
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steve
How is that road from Kokadjo
to the Golden Road? Last winter we just went as far as Mediwisla (thats a nice overnight trip launching from the AMC facility on Second Roach Pond go over to Third Roach Pond). The road was much faster in the winter than in the spring where it took me 90 minutes to go that 15 miles. I heard perhaps incorrectly that that road is no longer maintained for haul so may not be graded. There are a fair number of camps so it is certainly used.
Kokadjo northward…$.01
– Last Updated: Sep-03-09 8:15 PM EST –
Yep...a few stretches here & there from Kokadjo up to Sias Hill is the rockiest stretch of the whole trip...has been, still is...by nature, and IMHO...nothing much will change unless someone can drop some dirt now & then. Does look like something has been over it in places, but no new dirt. The Sias Hill plunge HAS been worked on...is fine(truely amazing) from there on up. Some other rough stretches in Spring, lying over springs have smoothed out with summer's dryness.
From Sias Hill on up is pretty good...*still have to watch for potholes though, *a few culvert's losing some dirt(near road edges). The potholes in the pavement from Caribou L. up to Rip Dam have been filled nicely.
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steve
Hey Steve
Everytime I see your handle I think of the mountain up in the subject neighborhood called Big Spencer. Is that where you got your handle or some other meaning?
As to OP’s question, he might try Prong Pond, south of Lilly Bay park. You can make a day of that and it is easy to get to over mostly paved road.
~~Chip
BigSpencerMtn…
– Last Updated: Sep-05-09 12:40 AM EST –
Yes Chip,.. nothing original...well I often paddle that little pond with the warm & fuzzy Hollywood-slasher name that's off the eastern edge of it...Blood Pond...so am used to looking at the mountain;-).
*short afternoon footage, cheap camera, bright sunshine, unskilled photographer..;-)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P0-YIkX_sg0
*You paddle around Moosehead_and_beyond..or was/is Prong Pond handy?
been there lots of times
if the wind is out of the Northwest, Lilly bay can get quite rough, other wise its well protected—you can either camp in the park at 16 dollars a night but with all the amenities or just park you car there at 3 dollars a night and camp on the islands(Sugar Island is quite close) or some of the other North Maine woods sites for free ----enjoy it and have fun–due to a big move career wise to the Metro DC area, this is the first year in about 5 that I haven’t gone on an extended trip on the lake so I"m envious