Allagash Lake Maine

[lotsoluck]

Planning a trip up the Allagash starting August 1 and want to begin on Allagash Lake. Do not want to enter from Chamberlain via Allagash Stream but from Johnson Pond to Allagash Stream. Has anyone traveled the stream connecting Johnson Pond to Allagash Stream recently and can provide information on passage?

Ken

 

[cmbb]

lotsoluck; I have been in the area recently but not on the Johnson pond outlet to allagash stream. Hopefully for you it will rain a fair amount between then and now, you will need it. The outlet is narrow and shallow. You may be able to break a beaver dam and gain a bit more flow.

How are you getting there? Fly? Drive?

 

[lotsoluck]

We plan on driving in
Ken

 

[Fitz]

Nmw

We are planning a trip up to North Maine Woods that week. If you see wooden canoes on vehicles or on the water in your travels give a shout.

I have been in through Johnson Pond about a decade ago, so can't offer much help. It was a narrow passage through the alders. We did miss the inlet on the way back (it is that small), so keep your eyes peeled. There use to be a piece of orange flagging on Allagash Stream marking it.

 

[cmbb]

Lotsoluck; Have you ever been from Johnson pond to Allagash stream?

 

[lotsoluck]

No. This is our first trip to the Allagash and wanted to check out Allagash Lake before the waterway

 

[cmbb]

You made a good choice, its a nice trip.

I don't know which NM woods gate you will be going thru. But most of us that travel up there on a regular basis use ten ply tires and have a 12v compressor and tire plug kit. plus an extra spare tire. Flats are not uncommon on the gravel roads.

 

[Kevin French]

And have the plugs...

available and not in the spare tire well under all the gear, like I did last month.

I found out most places up there have compressors, if your lucky enough to get to them. I used a couple to limp out with a large gash in a tire. They had just graded Telos rd just before we got there. The road was great but the stones weren't packed back down into the road.

 

[Fitz]

Graded Roads

We came down the freshly graded Telos Road yesterday. After a week running around up North with no tire trouble, I literally got to within 400 yards of the pavement just beyond the West Branch bridge when I picked up a Maine arrowhead! Much colorful language followed, but we were on the road again in short time.

Now, the Moose nose coming out of the alders toward my open driver side window at 40 mph is another story. The same moose nearly got me going north and a week later going south.

 

[shelldrake]

How were the water levels Fitz? We are headed that way next month. Planning on spending some time on Eagle via Indian Stream, but wondering if there will be enough H2O to float the boat.

Matt

 

[Fitz]

Water Levels

I don't think the North Maine Woods has seen the drought like other areas. We were deluged on Weds night with probably 2 inches or more of rain and more hit on Sunday night. We took a look at the St. John at Daaquam Road/Realty Road and it was well up and looked very runnable for this time of year.

Indian Stream is kinda flashy. It is an easy wade with canoe and gear if necessary or there is a portage trail next to it in the woods.

Have fun.

Fitz

 

[shelldrake]

Thanks Fitz. Unusual for St. John to be runnable in Aug. Didn't know about the Portage trail along Indian Stream. Hope I don't have to use it!

Matt

 

[mbrock]

allagash lake access from the fire town end of the lake

I have paddeld into Allagash lake many time through Johnson pond.
I was told that you can access the lake from the other end some what close to the fire tower. Has any one done it? How is the road?
I think it is gated so i assume you would need wheels for your canoe?
I there plenty of parking?

 

[Mike Everett]

"I have paddeld into Allagash lake many time through Johnson pond.
"I was told that you can access the lake from the other end some what close to the fire tower. Has any one done it? How is the road?"

Yes, there's a gated road. It runs approximately 2 1/3 miles from Round Pond into the south end of Allagash Lake. I don't recall a parking lot, but two or three vehicles can park without blocking the gate and parking spots can be found nearby.

The southern terminus of the road into the lake is at 46.253651,-69.564915. It can be clearly seen on Google, satellite map mode.

Check out this old topo map.

http://docs.unh.edu/ME/alll61se.jpg

The road marked as "TELEPHONE" from Round Pond to Allagash Lake is ROUGHLY the same route as the current road.

You don't "need" wheels but I suppose they'd come in handy for a two-mile carry. A lot of people use them.

Also, you might also consider putting in at the spot marked "BR 1058" (on the old topo map) west of the lake on Allagash Stream. Parking for two-three of vehicles is available there. In my experience, that's the easiest entry into the lake. You can drive right to the put-in. You might have to wade and drag in some spots, but at least it's not muddy or bushy (like Johnson Pond) or lengthy (like the road from Round Pond).

 

[mbrock]

Thanks for all the info will be very helpful. The hike in sounds like it might be quite a little hike, we tend to pack a little heavy.Have you done the other two wasy in? I have only done the Johnson pond paddle in. You think the allagash stream is easier and faster? I have heard some say it is and some say it took them along time.

Any favorite fishing spots on the lake?

 

[Fitz]

Allagash Stream from the NW

I have been in to Allagash Lake via Allagash Stream a couple of times(Just so we are clear here: from the NW into the Lake) (I have never slogged up Allagash Stream from Chamberlain Lake). The conditions varied dramatically with the year. First time was a walk in the park. The second time, large beaver dams were encountered impeding progress, but retaining water to float on. Usually, you can paddle down to the lake, but you may end up wading and lining canoes on the way back up to the put in. We day-tripped into the lake and back both times, so you may be able to do it in a reasonable amount of time.

Watch out for the leeches at the put in. They sit there and wait and feed on the Tourists.

 

[Mike Everett]

"You think the allagash stream is easier and faster? I have heard some say it is and some say it took them along time."

"Usually, you can paddle down to the lake, but you may end up wading and lining canoes on the way back up to the put in."

Fitz makes a good point I hadn't considered, since I've never returned to a put-in at Allagash Lake. (I've always kept going downstream.)

Even if one has to wade to return upstream to a vehicle, I'd still say that the Allagash Stream route involves the least effort. A setting pole would be useful.

 

[Fitz]

Pole

Yes, Mike a pole would have helped (and we had one aboard), but on the day in question it was near 90 degrees F, so the wade was quite enjoyable.....

Except for these critters..... All trippers consider yourselves, warned.... (attached). (Jeez, my son's foot is nearly size 12 now. I must be getting old)

 

[birchhillcamps]

I always found Johnson pd to be the essayist way in and out of allagash lake. I made more than 20 trips in there. The outlet of Johnson is muddy,(but always been able to paddle through) but the narrow stream is more sandy and much easier to wade then the round rocks of allagash stream. You can paddle back up to Johnson with out much problem.The pond dose have leeches but never had a problem once in the stream. Allagash pd dose have quite a few though. Been a while since I walked into the fire tower trail but it was always keep good, and a set of wheels and a loaded canoe was not a problem, and less than a mile unless they moved the gate.

 

[MGC]

A tiny bit off topic but has anyone carried Mud Pond recently?
Someone (Rollin?) told me that it's blocked in places by blow downs.
I want to cut through there from Umbazooksus to Chamberlain.
It was always a character building (wet) carry but I never encountered blowdowns.
I do know what Thoreau's Indian guide told him about that carry...I still want to cut through there, presuming it's not blocked.