Lodge-Based Wildlife Watching at Loon Lodge in Maine
Loon Lodge, operated by Ray and Leslie Cooley, is located just 3 miles south of Allagash Lake. This area is rich in its diversity of North Woods wildlife.
Loon Lodge, operated by Ray and Leslie Cooley, is located just 3 miles south of Allagash Lake. This area is rich in its diversity of North Woods wildlife.
| Date(s) | Price(s) |
|---|---|
| July 10-14, 2023 | $1,400 |
This trip combines the comfort of staying in a traditional Maine sporting lodge with canoeing day trips into areas rich with wildlife. We will explore some seldom visited areas by canoe, looking for moose, deer, otters, ospreys, and eagles. Each night, we return to the lodge for a delicious home-cooked meal. This is an ideal trip for seniors who have outgrown the camping experience but still enjoy being in remote and wild country looking for wildlife. Ray and Leslie Cooley, who run Loon Lodge, are old and dear friends of Kevin and Polly and you will feel right at home due to their warm hospitality. To view the trip itinerary, click here.
For trip itinerary, click here
All our Maine canoe trips are fully outfitted and guided by Mahoosuc Guide Service’s owners Polly or Kevin. We provide all the food, camping, paddling, and cooking equipment, as well as a detailed clothing list to help you in packing for your trip. Most of our trips meet in Orono, Maine (just north of Bangor). We provide transportation to and from the river. Many of our canoe trips require no special physical conditioning. If you have any concerns about the physical requirements of a trip, please contact us.
We are experienced teachers and will help you master the art of canoeing by teaching paddle strokes and poling techniques. You will learn how to set up a warm dry camp, and if you want, how to cook and bake over an open fire. All our food is natural or organic, and we source much of our food locally. Natural history, wildlife viewing, and fishing will be covered as your interests warrant.
You are in safe hands with Mahoosuc Guide Service. With more than 40 years guiding experience from Maine and Quebec to the Yukon Territory and Alaska, we have an excellent safety record. We are certified in Wilderness First Aid and Wilderness First Responders. We carry a satellite phone for emergency communication!
Meet at Black Bear Inn in Orono at 7:30 a.m. after breakfast.
Load into van, drive to Loon Lodge.
Intro to paddling on Round Pond.
Supper at Loon Lodge.
After breakfast, day paddle to Poland Pond.
Poland, chain of ponds, has extensive areas of bog and muskeag. Certain boreal bird species can be found here such as the black backed woodpecker, boreal chickadee and the rusty winged black bird.
Look for wildlife such as moose, deer, beaver, fox, eagles, osprey, etc.
Lunch on the trail.
Supper at Loon Lodge.
After breakfast, day paddle to Cias Stream to Caucomgomoc Landing.
Ciss Stream is known for it’s abundance and diversity of waterfowl.
Numerous species of ducks, bittern and snipe can be found here.
Lunch on the trail.
Supper at Loon Lodge.
After breakfast morning paddle on Round Pond to mouth of Dagget Pond.
Lunch at Loon Lodge.
Depart for Orono at 1 p.m.
Arrive at Black Bear Inn at 5 p.m.
Deposits are non-refundable. From 0-14 days before trip starts, no money is refundable. Within 14-30 days before the trip starts, money is non-refundable, but you may apply the amount to another trip for one year (on a space available basis) minus your deposit. If you cancel within 14 days of the starting date, money is non-transferable and non-refundable. We go in all conditions including rain and thaws. If extreme weather conditions prevent you from traveling to Maine for your trip, you may use the full amount less the deposit for another trip for one year from the trip starting date. You may wish to purchase vacation insurance to cover this possibility. If you have to cancel due to Covid related issues we will not be able to give a refund, but will lock in the price of the trip and give a 2 year credit to be used toward any of our trips.
We only cancel a trip for safety reasons (i.e. flooding, bad ice, extreme windchill or lack of conditions – not enough snow or ice.) For canoe trips we may need to cancel due to safety issues such as extremely high or low water on rivers. If we need to cancel, we try to reschedule people to another trip. If we need to cancel for safety or lack of conditions you may choose to use the full amount toward another Mahoosuc trip for 2 years, or receive a 50% refund and apply the other half to a Mahoosuc trip for 2 years.
If you are having any symptoms of Covid before your trip please test yourself before arriving at Mahoosuc Guide Service and if positive contact us to reschedule your trip.
Mushing can be physically demanding. We cannot predict trail conditions as they change daily, sometimes hourly. You should be in good physical condition for an overnight dog sledding trip. The dogs are strong; however, there are limits to their pulling ability. Therefore, we ask individuals who weigh over 215 lbs. to contact us prior to sending in their reservation form.
For canoeing trips sometimes there are portages around falls and we need to carry all of our gear and canoes around them. The better shape you are in will make these carries easier for you.
Tips are appropriate for your guides. If you feel you would like to recognize how hard they worked to provide a safe and reliable trip for you. A common amount is 5% – %10 of your trip cost. At Mahoosuc we split tips evenly among whoever is working on the trip unless people want certain amounts to go directly to certain guides. In this case they should give it to them individually.
I just wanted to thank you again for inviting me on the Allagash trip. I thoroughly enjoyed myself although I did feel a little like I should have done more. Old habits die hard, I guess. It was such a pleasure picking my way down the river, especially below the falls. I always looked forward to that area. What a crew you have. Jason and Mandy were great and you are a natural leader, showing both compassion and firmness when called for. I have admired what you and Kevin have accomplished for a long time and two trips with you just goes to show me why you had such success.
