Big Moose Inn

Getting ready for my trip to Maine again and this year my 25yr.old son is coming for 2 of the weeks. We decided to go to Baxter State park and will be staying overnight at Big Moose Inn %26amp; Cabins. Opted for a cabin by the lake-hope this a a right decision!!! He wants to go whitewater rafting so I guess it will be my first time of total fear!!!

We will be leaving from Swan%26#39;s Island on the 8:15 ferry and heading to Baxter. The next day we will be on the 5:15 ferry back to Swan%26#39;s, will this be enough time to enjoy Baxter abit??? Thanks for any help or info.

Big Moose Inn

I would say definately not. If I understand it correctly you will be leaving Swans Island at 8:15 am and then have to be back at 5:15pm the next day. It is about a 3 hr drive each way, add in the time for the ferry, I am not sure how long that process takes, but lets just say add another hour. That means you would not get there until after noon and would have to leave there around noon the next day. This would not allow for any whitewater rafting as I understand it the rafting starts at around 9am and I think you need to be there earlier than that. Some of the companies may have some type of afternoon run but I still I dont think you are giving yourself time for this, even if you sqeezed rafting in you wouldn%26#39;t have time to do anything else. Also if you dont show up at Baxter real early in the morning you may not get in at all there is normally a line at the gate at 6am or earlier.

If I understand your current plan I think you are seeling yourself way short on your visit to the Baxter area, you would not be able to take any of the popular hikes there, and I dont think you would get rafting. You should add AT LEAST one more night in there. It sounds like you are going to be here for quite a while so why not spend a little of that time in another beautiflu part of the state.

Rafting the Penobscot is a thrill, if you are fearful you may want to try to do just the lower section of the river as the upper section is where the real rapids are (the gorge, the cribworks etc) but I bet your son is looking for the real deal which would be the upper river.

Big Moose Inn

CountyMounty, I read your response this a.m. I must have been reading your mind!!! The first thing I did this a.m. was call Big Moose and added another day!!! I will call today to make reservations for rafting for 1!!!! I will find something else to do!!!! I%26#39;m looking forward to staying there. My son spent 2 weeks out west last year in Yellowstone. He has always loved the outdoors, camping, and all that stuff!!

I leave next Friday and can%26#39;t hardly wait to get back to Maine!!! My 31/2 weeks will go much too fast as always. This year I WILL watch my speed, I%26#39;m not going to get another $180.00 ticket!!!

You will be happy that you extended your stay.

Unless you have something else that you really want to do while your son rafts then I would watch him raft. There are several places where you can watch the rafts come down the river. The river basically parallels the main road (the Golden Road) the whole way and at many points it is a very short hike to places on the river bank to watch the rafts. Go right up to the gorge just below where they start first. The Gorge itself is definately worth a visit. Watch the rafts come down through there and then quickly drive down to the cribworks and watch them there. These are the two most challenging places on the river and you could probably get some great photos of your son rafting. From there you can continue to drive east on the Golden road stopping at different spots to watch them, the most interesting other spot I can think of is at the ';waterfall'; that the rafts go down over and then paddle back up and ';ride'; the wake at the bottom.

This is my suggestion as it should give you some great photo ops and the scenery itself of the gorge, the river, and the Mt. Katahdin across the river is wonderful.

CountyMounty, thanks a lot for the advice on the Golden Road, I will definitely do this!!! I %26#39;ll love watching him!! I didn%26#39;t realize a full river trip was 4-6 hours!!!! At least that%26#39;s what North Counrty Rivers website said. If you think of any other good info for me, jsut let me know before July 6th.!!!