Moosehead Lake

The mostly bare rock mountains, deep lakes (ponds) and streams/rivers that comprise the topographic features of the Moosehead Lake area in western Maine are the products of the last Ice Age. The Paleindians were the first inhabitants, followed by the Wabanaki Indians. A scattering of Europeans settled the area starting in the 1820s, establishing a productive lumber industry sourced on the surrounding forests. Thoreau’s The Maine Woods brought in seasonal visitors and opened opportunities in outdoor tourism. Moosehead Lake is irregularly shaped, roughly 20 miles long, 10 miles wide, and 275 foot deep at its expanses, covering about 100 square miles. Today, the population of Greenville is about 1,600. The lumber industry continues, with a large portion of the village’s economy based in outdoor tourism: camping, hiking, fishing, boating, paddling, photography, hunting, ATVing, ice fishing, cross country skiing, snowmobiling and associated services. Moosehead and the surrounding lakes and woods are beautiful, the wildlife abundant, and the people very welcoming and eager to help visitors enjoy themselves.