Wild Winter Walks: Lily Bay State Park, Beaver Cove

AMC Outdoors, December 2004

Also used by: Portions by snowmobilers
Distance: 4.6-mile loop
Terrain: The trails serve up vistas of Moosehead Lake
Trail difficulty: Easiest to more difficult
Surface quality: Skier tracked, snowmobile packed
Time: 2 hours (skiing), 4 1/2 hours (shoeing)

The largest lake in New England is located in the north of Maine. Greenville, a small town buzzing with snowmobiles and sea planes, is the gateway to Moosehead Lake, a glacier-made basin that amasses 117 square miles. Forty miles long, the deep and chilly lake harbors landlocked salmon, trout, and togue. Ice shanties dot the lake in the deep chill of winter.

Nine miles from Greenville are the 925 acres of Lily Bay State Park. On the eastern shore of Moosehead Lake, the park maintains about eight miles of trails for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. Some trails hug the meandering coastline of the shore, while others follow the park roads into camping areas where you can gaze out upon the distant mountains while having lunch.

Be forewarned, the park also has a network of snowmobile trails. The wide, signed park road allows room for skiers one way and snowmobiles the other. The 1.4-mile-long trail that runs from the park entrance to the shore of Moosehead Lake is shared by all users. There are two loop trails—Rowell Cove and Dunn Point—which head through camping areas. These are meant only for skiers, but tracks indicate otherwise. Skiers and snowshoers looking for more solitude should stick to the trail closest to shore, which links the two loops.

The trails begin just beyond the check-in station. Along the way, there are well-placed maps. Blue signs with little skiers point the way for skiers and snowshoers. The trail between Rowell Cove and Dunn Point is blazed in white.

Follow the main trail to Moosehead Lake approximately 0.2 mile before the Rowell Cove Loop runs by an island of trees. The loop is 1.4 miles in length and rolls to a gate where skiers bear to the right. The loop passes through the campground. Stick to the main road and pass the toilets and handpumps to find campsite 17 where there is a nice view of the lake. Explore the lake or find site 35 and have a picnic lunch. The beauty of the park is that the trails lead to spots for you to make your own paths. The Rowell Cove Loop is good for beginners and kids. For those curious about what is behind the loop, the main road leads to a boat launch ramp.

More experienced snowshoers and skiers should opt to take the trail that leaves at the gate junction. The narrow and winding shore trail meanders along the water’s edge, weaving close and far from the shoreline. Pine forests and birches dominate the landscape.

After about a half mile a spur trail leads to the lake shore for a good view. Stay straight and the wooded trail will soon come out to another loop where a residence can be spotted to the right. (Note: To shorten the loop, turn left and then left again on the main road.)

Turn right by the wooden post and head for the other wooden post. The trail will now be blazed in white and sweeps down through the mixed forest before rising up again. It’s a rollercoaster ride where birch trees dominate the landscape.

Take a look through the trees along the shore and notice that the trail takes a hard left, but then winds up and down before coming back out by a campground road and site 235. Either way will bring you back to the main trail. This is the Dunn Point campground and 0.8 mile loop through it. The shortest way is to turn left and head back to the main trail. Then take a right and be on the wide thoroughfare again. Head up the hill and then enjoy the cruise back to the entrance.

Wild Winter Walks, main | Lily Bay State Park | Gulf Hagas, Little Lyford Pond Camps | Big Lyford Pond