Caribou Pond (Augusta, Lincoln, Millinocket: power lines, renting, houses)

[GreenGene]

My wife and I are planning a week's stay on Caribou Pond (Lincoln County) this summer - renting a small waterfront house. And I'm hoping to get info/opinions on Caribou Pond and the two bodies of water connected to it - Egg Pond and Long Lake.

We'll be bringing our kayaks, and looking forward to some quiet paddling. We're also bringing our small dog.

Right now, we have our pick of several weeks - time is available in July, August, and September. Since we live near Washington DC, getting out of the sauna that this area becomes in August is ALWAYS a good plan!

But ... what would the weather, water temperature, and traffic on the ponds/lake be like for each of those months? I'm thinking that maybe August would be our best choice, since the water temperature would be approaching its warmest, and the air temperature would probably be at its warmest. Also, if we go in September, would we find some places (restaurants, shops) closed for the season?

We have a line on a couple of restaurants in Millinocket, but I suspect we'll be mostly eating in. My wife is a vegetarian (which makes me about two-thirds of a vegetarian), and sometimes it's a challenge finding a restaurant that offers vegetarians anything beyond pasta primavera.

And we know that on one of our days there we'd like to get over Lubec and the West Quoddy Head Lighthouse. We've seen many of the lighthouses along Maine's southern and midcoast shore on previous visits to Maine, but have never been as far down east as Lubec.

Another attraction would be Mount Katahdin, Baxter State Park.

Although we anticipate spending a lot of time paddling and otherwise chilling out, if there are any "must-see" places that anyone would like to recommend, I'd love to hear about them.

Many thanks!

[Northern Maine Land Man]

Welcome to Lincoln, Maine!

I recommend visiting the Mattawamkeag River to see the Slewgundy Heaters. It's a deep gorge with white water. Do not attempt to kayak it unless you are excellent at class 4 or 5 rapids. However, there are deep spectacular pools with easy access and the fishing is excellent.

Go to Almanac Mountain in Springfield where you can see 14 lakes from the top of the cliff.

Caribou, Egg and Long Ponds have excellent fishing for both small mouth and large mouth bass. In the deep hole at the west end of Long Pond you can get trout in August. Lincoln has three good restaurants. Lee has one and Springfield has one.

Don't miss the Penobscot River. It is a kayaker's paradise. You will see eagles fishing right with you. In the Penobscot you will get smallmouth bass, trout, landlocked salmon and pickerel. Every fish is a surprise.

You will love the area.

[GreenGene]

Many thanks for your reply.

Our kayaking skills are basic - after our first experience with kayaks a few years ago (on another visit to Maine), we took a class last summer, purchased our own kayaks, and got out on the water as often as we could last summer/fall. But we're certainly not ready for whitewater kayaking ....

However, I really appreciate your suggestion re: the Mattawamkeag River. It looks like the Mattawamkeag Wilderness Park (and the Upper/Lower Gordon Falls) is well worth seeing. And I'll put a visit to Almanac Mountain in Springfield on our to-do list.

We're really looking forward to the trip. As a kid, I spent many summers in the southern part of the state, on Lake Maranacook (outside Augusta), and my wife and I have taken a few trips along the coast, but didn't get much further north than Bar Harbor.

[Northern Maine Land Man]

The pools below both sets of falls are excellent fishing. The mouths of Upper and lower Gordon Brooks are good fishing for trout since the water is colder than the river. Bass don't care. They tolerate warmer water better.

Almanac Mountain is actually in Lakeville, but you turn in Springfield to get there.

[saberjackoliver]

Hello GreenGene - - My family has had a camp (cabin) on Egg Pond since the late 60's. It is a wonderful place to visit. I have only had one year that I did not take at least one trip up there.

I would recommend going up in the later part of July or beginning of August. Although the weather is always unpredicatble, it seems to be the best during that time frame. Also, as you stated, the water is at its warmest point. It starts to cool down considerably at night in the end of August and the water follows. The best reason though, is the bugs are not as bad. May through the 4th of July can be pretty rough.

I really enjoy going to Baxter State Park and the Golden Road, if you have time. They are close each other. I often go into the park and take a easy few hikes and then go up the Golden Road to Rip Damn. If you don't get to see a moose at the park, you probably will on the GR. You may also see a bear along the power lines. This makes for a pretty long day.

It looks like you are in good hands from the above posts. The Pennobscot River in the Lincoln area is not white water. It would be a nice float and it is great fishing. Although it is hard to beat Egg, Caribou & Long for big bass.

Honestly, there is no more relaxing place than being at camp. I try not to fill up the schedule too much....that is why I go up there. We too live in VA - - Stephens City and I work in Sterling. We are actually discussing our plans now too. We have a new wrinkle though - -a 1 year old making his first trip. Also, as luck would have it, my friend is getting married Aug 1st and that was my original "master plan". Maybe we will see you up there!! We have a gray Honda Pilot w/VA tags.

What ever you decide, I am sure you will enjoy it.

[tankratt]

Sounds like a great place to unwind Saberjack, your one year old has a great place to look forward to.

[GreenGene]

Many thanks for your post, saberjack. I've been in touch with the owner, and we're going up Aug. 1st - 8th. If it turns out that we love the area (and it certainly sounds like we're gonna love it), we can plan (i.e., save) better next year, and maybe make it up for two weeks.

Listen to me - haven't even been there yet, and I'm already talkin' about going back!

I know what you mean about trying not to fill up your schedule too much. The last time we were in Maine, we spent two wonderful weeks on Lake Maranacook, and we spent most of the time sitting on the dock, or enjoying kayaks for the very first time.

This time, given that we're going to be much further north, the only trip away from Caribou Pond that we really, really want to take is over to the coast to see the West Quoddy Head Lighthouse.

Beyond that, I think I can talk my better half into one more day away from the pond & our kayaks, and I suspect Baxter State Park would be the place to go. But I'm going to continue to research, and bookmark resources, and otherwise gather as much information as I can.

If you see a gray Toyota Sienna, VA plates ZUKEYPR, on the local roads, or two kayaks - one blue and one kinda orange - out on the water and just meandering around, that's us.

[saberjackoliver]

Hi GreenGene. Turns out we will be up the 1st week in August (arriving the 3rd) as well. I am very excited because this will be my son's firts trip up there. We may be taking a year off next year becase we just found out we have another on the way!!

Hopefully we will cross paths. Our camp is about 5 or six from the end of Egg, opposite from Caribou.

We have a blue boat with NJ registration as well as the common metal canoe.

Have a safe trip up there!!

[GreenGene]

Originally Posted by saberjackoliver

Have a safe trip up there!!

And you do the same!

As my sister used to say as a kid (and still does to this day) as Christmas inched closer ... I can't wait!