Greetings All! My wife and I recently acquired a little cedar strip canoe we named Brasenia, and while we have enjoyed numerous day trips on local (and a few not-so-local) ponds. We are looking for an inaugural, relatively straightforward overnight trip for early September. Numerous people have recommended Lobster Lake, and we’re looking for:
a) confirmation of the destination
b) any pertinent information
A Few Details: We were somewhat competent wilderness padders at one point in our lives, although more kayak than canoe. We are relatively recent transplants to Maine and admit some confusion over fees, where one pays and the road conditions to the put-in. We are both avid fly anglers.
Lobster Road
– Last Updated: Sep-06-16 11:18 AM EST –
can be bumpy. We went there last year and the ruts were impressive. I don't know if its been graded since then as I don't know if logging is underway ( when there is logging the roads are kept up) If you have the option of a high clearance vehicle that is better.
You will have to go through Caribou Checkpoint in any case no matter if you come from Kokadjo or Millinocket.
There you pay your fees.. Must bring cash or check! NO credit cards
http://www.northmainewoods.org/information/faqs.html
There is a big parking area and easy launch at Lobster put in..( actually on Lobster Stream which has virtually zero current) Plus an outhouse.
map of campsites. Ogden Cove and Ogden Point are very nice though its hard to go wrong with any. Launchings and landings are easy
http://www.maine.gov/dacf/parksearch/PropertyGuides/Maps/FullSize/prc-seboomook-map.pdf
Millinocket or Kokadjo?
Thanks! We heard the roads from Caribou Checkpoint to the put-in for Lobster Lake are in great shape this year. I was assuming Millinocket to Caribou would be better than Kokadjo to Caribou, but I may have that wrong.
Lobster Lake is in
MN ?
goo.gl/b68iCQ
They kind of let the pavement go
on the Golden Road. Last year it was misery and its much faster for us up from Kokadjo. That road was good ( for a change from past years!)
How Good is Good?
– Last Updated: Sep-07-16 3:31 PM EST –
Thanks for the beta. How good is good? We were told GR surface from Millinocket has been ground up and is graded. The surface is reportedly good and hard albeit washboard.
Maine
This Lobster Lake is in Maine west of Katahdin.
Unless I were there today
I couldn’t tell you. We have a 4wd truck
If they grade, and then stone you don’t want to go unless you have 2 spare tires. The rock is sharp.
We live on a dirt road and grade 3x a year… I can’t tell you about the roads there except last year it was bone jarring between pavement and non on the Golden Road east of Allagash Gateway Campground. If they have now macerated all the pavement that is good.
For us it just means we go slower if there are bumps. We have Maine vehicles with good ground clearance.
Good choice!
You’ll love Lobster Lake. One of my favorite spots. Kayamedic gave good info. The roads there can change week to week, but in general if you take a high-clearance vehicle and take it slow, you’ll be OK.
I went in a year ago from Kokadjo, and the road was great. I didn’t go to Lobster, though (I headed north to Chesuncook).
Shallow Bay, which is where you enter the lake from Lobster Stream, can be a bit rough in a wind. If you need to, hugging the shore is always an option. Be careful of submerged rocks near Ogden Point on the Shallow Bay side.
If you have time, definitely check out the trail up to Lobster Mountain.
-rs
I better… otherwise it would be
embarrassing. I live three hours away though and road conditions can change.
We’re in a drought but the channel is deep enough so wading is not in your future
A bit late… The road from Kokadjo
– Last Updated: Sep-25-16 9:29 AM EST –
northward, as kayamedic's mentioned, has been "worked on"("worked over"?) and is still a bit rough, but is much better than it was since early Spring(believe it or not)..due to the dry summer we've had, however potholes can occur with showers. Coming down from Millinocket...those potholes to look out for have been filled in from time to time but still have to watch. That's an old surface and they haven't re-paved to Rip Gorge yet, if ever. Most of the length after the Golden Rd. splits from the Park Road to Abol bridge...is a combination of dirt and old paved. From Rip Dam to Caribou isn't bad, they've filled-in most of the potholed areas, although there are still some dirt-filled. Once it becomes dirt it smoothens out, although you never know what a heavy shower might do to nearby brooks, as well as any sharp rocks on Sias Hill. FWIW, Sias Hill's bypass is good for highway tires = mostly dirt with some potholes vs Sias Hill's rocks-->(although grated a bit)...a left as you're nearing the top of hill(BELIEVE there's a big sign, Y/N??. It's the only LEFT you'll see once you get up to Sias's max height).
The Golden Road has never been Great since the demise of the GNP & their payrolled road crew(~late 70s)..only independents= now & then great job done, but with the dry summer...it's not bad. Same goes for the roads exiting southward from it, but most of those roads do get hit with showers from Seboomook's evaporated top inch = potholes.
...fwiw