Flagstaff Lake

By MICHAEL PERRY

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Paddle name: Flagstaff Lake Nearest town: Eustis Region: Kennebec Water type: Lake Difficulty: Intermediate Put-in: The best spot to start is at the state of Maine boat launch facility located on the left side of Route 27, a mile north of Stratton. Take-out: Same as put-in. Other: Afternoon winds are common and sudden storms can occur at any time. Also, can combine paddle with hike along Appalachian Trail. Maps: Get driving directions from MapQuest. View a topo map from Maptech MapServer.

Paddling the length of Maine's sprawling Flagstaff Lake just north of the Bigelow Preserve is an unforgettable experience.

Better yet, combine your paddling trip with a two-day hike back to your starting point and you have the makings of a unique multi-sport adventure. There is only one other place along the 2,100-mile length of the Appalachian Trail that one can combine paddling and backpacking in one continuous four-day, 40-mile loop.

This is one of the best areas in Maine to observe wildlife. There are lots of eyes looking at you as you paddle and hike. A solitary bobcat sunning on a rock on the shore of Flagstaff Lake . . . A black bear ambling toward you in search of blueberries on the open ledges of Little Bigelow . . . A plump male spruce grouse, sporting brilliant red eye feathers, strutting down the middle of the trail . . . Moose, robust in their summer splendor, warily eyeing passing canoeists . . . Migrating hawks soaring in the updrafts above the vertical south face of Little Bigelow . . .

Through the spring and summer a succession of wildflowers catch the attention of paddlers meandering along the driftwood-lined shoreline. Painted and purple trillium in spring give way to asters and hawkweed in August. Then the kaleidoscopic maze of fall colors descends upon the land.

West Peak is the highest point in the Bigelow Range, and one of 10 peaks in Maine over 4,000 feet in elevation. If you decide to hike over the range and back to your vehicle, you will traverse over four major summits in the 18-mile hike back to the sleepy lumbering town of Stratton. Along the way protesting knees will ascend and descend a total of 11,000 vertical feet.

Flagstaff Lake is best paddled west to east. The best spot to start is at the state of Maine boat launch facility located on the left side of Route 27, a mile north of Stratton. It is paved, offers plenty of parking and provides easy assess into the lake.

A fun day-trip option is to paddle up to Cathedral Pines Campground in Eustis, four miles to the north. Here, in the shadows of a majestic stand of red pine, the North Branch of the Dead River widens as it merges with man-made Flagstaff Lake. There is a small swimming beach here and ample room for picnicking under the towering pines. On the way back you will be paddling toward a wall of mountains to the south, rising 3,000 feet above the lake. It is one of the grandest views in all of Maine, the spine of the Appalachian Trail suspended high above you.

In 1949, Central Maine Power created Flagstaff Lake with the construction of Long Falls Dam on the Dead River. This project resulted in the displacement of two villages, and the movement of homes and cemeteries to new locations. In the shallows of the lake you can still find remnants from those villages; an old rusty horseshoe here, a cookstove kettle there.

If you extend your route a few miles you can paddle up to the dam at the very northeastern corner of the lake. The portion of the Dead River that continues northward from the dam is one of Maine's premier whitewater runs. One section contains 16 miles of continuous Class II-III rapids. We will leave that for another time, and for a boat with lots of flotation.

The lake deserves respect. Afternoon winds are legendary, and sudden storms can occur at any time. Keep your senses alert. Snow in the high country is not uncommon by the first of October.

There are many wilderness campsites located along the lakeshore, and one on a small island south of Picked Chicken Hill. Because the lake is shallow there is very little power-boat activity. Sandy beaches ring much of the shoreline as the water levels drop in mid-summer. Just pull over and go for a dip in the warm water whenever you want. As you float on your back, gaze up at the towering ramparts high above you. You will do more looking up on this paddling trip than on any other in Maine.

The shoreline below Jim Eaton Hill is a great place to stop and poke around. Situated halfway down the lake on the northern shoreline, it provides spectacular views of the Bigelow Range rising above the lake. The soft sand makes a comfortable mattress for an afternoon siesta. There are a few cottages dotting the hilltop, so be sure to respect their owners' privacy and stay off any posted land.

At the southeastern tip of the lake, 18 miles from Stratton, the white-blazed Appalachian Trail skirts the shoreline. If you are not interested in hiking over the range and back to Stratton, spot a vehicle here at the start of your trip. If you do decide to combine backpacking with paddling, the Appalachian Trail will be your pathway back to Stratton. This two-day hike is one of the most challenging in Maine and should be undertaken by only those in tip-top shape.

There are a number of summer cottages at the southeastern corner of the lake. Ask around and you will find a cottage owner willing to hold your boats for your return pickup in a few days.

Little Bigelow sits like a flat-topped mesa to the west. This is your first chance to see if your sea legs are up to the task.The summit is a great place to be on a hot day. The south face of the mountain is sheer and there is usually a stiff breeze accelerating up and over the ridgeline from the valley below.

To the east lies the low country of the Carry Ponds and the Kennebec River watershed. On a crystal clear day you will be able to see Katahdin, the northern terminus of the Appalachian Trail, far to the north. Avery Peak, West Peak and the North Horn provide panoramic views down to Flagstaff Lake and out over the vast forests stretching into Canada. Flagstaff Lake appears as a giant blue jigsaw puzzle piece cut out of the wilderness. You can pick out your swim stops and campsite, marvel that you paddled from end to end, and explored various coves and narrows.

This is Benedict Arnold country. One can not help but be amazed at the tenacity of Arnold's men in traversing this wild country under horrible late-fall conditions in their star-crossed march to Quebec in 1775. Your "outfit" may feel lighter the next day if you think about six weeks of dragging a heavy wooden bateaux through a trackless wilderness, soles worn off boots, and rations sparse.

A good place to camp after the first full day of hiking is at Horns Pond Campsite. Horns Pond, one of the highest mountain tarns in Maine, makes for an invigorating swim. If you are a fly-fishing devotee, bring your pack rod.

Upon descending via the Appalachian Trail the next day, keep an eye out for the junction with the Bigelow Range Trail 1.9 miles from Horns Pond. Follow the blue-blazed Bigelow Range Trail to dazzling Cranberry Pond. This is a remote spot with a true western feel to it. Continue on the Bigelow Range Trail over Cranberry Peak, and down into Stratton.

Bigelow Preserve is managed by the Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands. It contains 35,000 acres, including 21 miles of lake frontage. For a detailed map of the preserve, contact the bureau. The preserve is located off Route 27, three hours north of Portland. See the DeLorme Maine Atlas and Gazetteer maps No. 29 and 30 for help in planning your trip and for getting to the boat launch. Can't decide whether you want to hike or paddle? Do both!

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