Great pond, Maine (Brunswick, Bath, Topsham: for sale, to rent, credit card)

[forest beekeeper]

I was snooping around the links on an email that the Navy sent me, and I found a website for MWR facilities in Maine.

http://www.mwr.navy.mil/mwrprgms/cabin.htm

https://www.cnic.navy.mil/Brunswick/MWR/Recreation/Camp/index.htm

Apparantly Great Pond has a Navy owned campground
(7) 3 br rustic cabins,
(5) yurts,
(15) campsites W/E

A four season recreational facility, with 375 acres. Fishing, hiking, canoe & kayaking and scenic vistas.

They rent: Sailboats, Sea Kayaks, 14' Motorboats with 10 HP motors, Canoes with life jackets and paddles, Backpacks and assorted camping equipment, Hiking equipment, Snowshoes, Cross County Skis, Miscellaneous Camping Equipment, Ice Fishing Gear

Brochure Click here for a brochure on this facility.
http://www.mwr.navy.mil/mwrprgms/cab...pond_ME_08.pdf



I had no idea that we live so close to a Navy facility.

Looking at a map it lies about 20 miles East of our home.

Google says that I nearly can't get there from here. It says I have to drive a big loop around for 2 hours to get there. But I think if I went to Milford and out the county road and stud mill road, I should be able to get there much quicker.

Does anyone have any experience with Great Pond?

If I can convince my Dw, we might be able to rent a cabin and a couple camp sites, host a CD party there [if anyone thought they might like to join us].

[arzachena]

Originally Posted by forest beekeeper

I had no idea that we live so close to a Navy facility.

Looking at a map it lies about 20 miles East of our home.

Google says that I nearly can't get there from here. It says I have to drive a big loop around for 2 hours to get there.

That's Maine for yah....can't get there for here.

[Maine Writer]

It's easy to find. You can take the County Road and go on from there but it's faster to go out 9.

[arzachena]

Our dog Lacey is from Great Pond. It is hard to believe it has been 5 years since we picked her up.

We have heard about the Navy campground, but have yet to plan a stay. Maybe next summer. Does Great pond have a boat launch?

[reloop]

We went there around 4 years ago and had a blast! We rented a very clean and comfortable cabin (although I'm not exactly sure how much it was, I recall it was very reasonable).

We went ice fishing as it was February 'tho, but I would imagine it would be tons of fun in the summer too.

It offers discounts to any branch of the military (active duty or guard as well). As one would expect, it's cheaper in winter.

[Christinerica]

I would think with NAS Bwick closing on 2 years that Great pond will shut down as a military rec site. Perhaps the state will take it over as happens with alot of the BRAC facilites...stay tuned....but check out the Cottage at prospect harbor....neat place...though i think you have to be retired, active duty or affiliated with the Gov. somehow.





Some info for you.


Great Pond Outdoor Adventure Center
9 Dow Pines Road
Great Pond, ME 04408-5000

Beautiful remote lakeside setting with lakes nearby; water access is available.
Eligibility: NA Telephone: (207) 584-2000 Season: Open all year. Directions: Off base. From I-95 north or south, take exit 182A onto I-395. Take US-1 Alternate and drive southeast to ME-46. Turn left on ME-46, proceed to ME-9 and make a right. Travel east about 22 miles to Great Pond sign and turn left. Go approximately 1.4 miles and take left onto Great Pond Rd. Adventure Center is approximately 7 miles.
Reservations: Reservations are encouraged. Credit Cards accepted: MC and Visa.
Type of Site Spaces Hook-Ups Daily Weekly Monthly RV / Tent 18 W/E $20.00 $120.00 Cabins
(2 Bedrooms & Loft) 5 Fully Furnished $90.00 $540.00 Caretaker Cabin
(2 Bedrooms) 1 Fully Furnished $90.00 $540.00 Bigelow Lodge
(2 Bedroom/loft/sleeper sofa) 1 Fully Furnished $125.00 $740.00 Note: Pets are allowed but must be on leash. Fee for pets is $5.00 per pet per day. Facility includes Bath House, dumping station, beach, boat launch, boat rental/storage, grills, ice, shoppette.
Return to State Map
Gull Cottage at Prospect Harbor
Prospect Harbor Naval Satellite Operations Center
PO Box 229
Prospect Harbor, ME 04669-0229

Remote lighthouse and lighthouse keeper’s cottage.
Eligibility: NA Telephone: (207) 963-7700 Season: All Year Directions: Call for Directions
Reservations: Reservation request for 05 & below accepted by calling (207) 963-7700 between 0800-1100 hours (East Coast time) on the first working day of the month preceding the month in which reservations are desired. 06 and above must call (805) 989-4212 between 0800-1100 hours (West Coast Time) on the first working day of the month preceding the month in which reservations are desired.
Lighthouse Keeper’s Cottage: Two story building with two (2) bedrooms and one (1) bathroom upstairs. Two (2) living rooms with queen size sleeper sofas downstairs. Cottage will accommodate six (6) occupants. Fully furnished. Washer and dryer in basement of cottage. No pets allowed. Rates are based on rank and grade: Per day.
E-4 and below $35.00 E-5 – E-6 $45.00 E-7 – E-9 $55.00 WO – 03 $60.00 04 – 05 $65.00 06 & DOD Civilians $75.00 Note: NA

[forest beekeeper]

Originally Posted by Christinerica

I would think with NAS Bwick closing on 2 years that Great pond will shut down as a military rec site. Perhaps the state will take it over as happens with alot of the BRAC facilites...stay tuned..

MWR is a separate entity. There are many MWR facilities around the nation where there once was a DOD facility. When the DOD facility closes, the MWR facility may continue, if the MWR corporation decides to.

We have visited MWR facilities that no longer had a nearby base.

... but check out the Cottage at prospect harbor .... neat place ... though i think you have to be retired, active duty or affiliated with the Gov. somehow.

No local politician should have any access to Federal facilities due to holding an office.

If a local governor was a DOD ID card-holder then he would have MWR facilities as one of his benefits. I am not aware of our governor being a US servicemember.

NG members hold DOD ID cards, so they would have access to all MWR facilities.



Maine has a lot of Active-Duty servicemembers' families, and DOD retirees, and a large amount of reservists, and lots of NG. All of whom can use MWR facilities, and they can each bring as many guests as they choose.

[Christinerica]

mwr is not a corporation, it is a part of the military (Morale, Welfare, Recreation).

Nas Bwick has several MWR facilities, golf course, auto hobby shop, bowling center and gym....none of those will remain open after the base closes...in fact you can see that the buildings, equipment are up for sale and described in detail on the web. The commisary in Topsham might remain open for retirees and any surrounding military (recruiters, reservists, ect.)

Yes, you do have to have an id card (military) to access the base, or to use the commissary ect. "affiilated with the gov" i meant that certain positions (contractors) allow for temporary use of military facilities....

After retiring (20 years on active duty), i still enjoy my bennies. Will be sad to see Bwick close.

[forest beekeeper]

"Dow Pines" appears to have been setup when Dow AFB was a going concern. Later Dow AFB went away, and 'Dow Pines' became 'Great Pond MWR'.

MWR is separate and distinct from the military, with it's own board of directors, yada yada. It's budget comes from 'non-appropriated funds', which means that the profits made from MWR activities go back into MWR operation. Also AFEES provide income streams to help support MWR. So that MWR does not exactly fall under congressional over-sight [since MWR does not spend Federal budget money].

Stuff that MWR owns on a base somewhere, must be dealt with when that base closes. Sometimes MWR has been able to completely take over a closed base [Like 'PacificCoast' ].

When I last visited Cutler, Security there told me that much of the old base has been turned over to MWR. Though I can not find any website listing for it, yet. Only the base housing and office buildings were sold for private development [and of course the antenna farm is still in operation].

Remember to support AFEES!

[IRV007]

Yes I have some experience at Great Pond. For about thirty years our summer destination has been Great Pond 20+ times. Mrs. IRV grew up in Great Pond. At one point her father was Head Selectman, her Mother the Tax Collector and her brother Road Commissioner. In a town of 46 everybody gets to participate.

The Great Pond Outdoor Camp (MWR) was indeed once Dow Pines. In fact as I recall it was completely dormant for at least a few years. Seems like it was much more primitive as Dow Pines.

Public access is limited to the Pond itself. The Recreation Camp has some pretty strict rules as to who can use it. Other than the camp out in the pond that the wifes family has had for 60+ years there are no other people or building around the pond. Just forested mountains and a swampy area on the west end.

If you do happen to get a power boat out on Great Pond extreme caution is needed. The water is tea brown and many many boulders lurk just beneath the surface high water or low. Oh, and don’t bother the loons.