A Land for Maine’s Future program grant enabled the Maine Department of Conservation (DOC) to acquire 789 acres of mature woodland and 5 miles of undeveloped lake frontage adjoining its 12,900-acre Seboeis Lake Public Reserved Land. The State’s “Wildlands Lake Assessment” rated Seboeis Lake as of “statewide significance,” due to its sparsely developed shores and impressive views north to Mount Katahdin and west to the Barren Chairback Range.
The lake’s clear waters and scenic vistas make it a popular site for backcountry camping and fishing. Seboeis offers eight primitive campsites and opportunities to catch landlocked salmon, squaretail trout, perch, bass, and pickerel. Mergansers, loons, and wood ducks frequent the lake, and bald eagles and ospreys roost in the vicinity.
The newer acquisition, which lies toward the southern end of the lake, includes mature stands of hardwood, spruce, pine and hemlock, along with three islands that have several sandy beach sites enjoyed by picnickers and campers.
This project involved an innovative agreement in which the DOC, with approval from the Maine Legislature, traded several holdings of limited recreational value for several parcels adjoining two existing Public Reserve Units. This transaction enabled the State to acquire the critical Seboeis Lake addition for a greatly reduced cash outlay and kept the land from being sold for subdivision and development (as the previous owner had initially planned).
Closest Town
Millinocket
Activities
Bird & other wildlife watching, hiking, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, backcountry camping, hunting, fishing, snowmobiling, swimming, canoeing, and kayaking
Region
Maine Highlands – Piscataquis, Penobscot
Acres
789
Directions from nearest town
DeLorme Maine Atlas and Gazetteer Map 43, D-1. Take Route 11 south from Millinocket approximately 11 miles (or north from Brownville Junction about 16 miles). Turn south at the Public Reserved Lands sign opposite the Department of Transportation’s sand/salt facility. After the road turns to gravel, go left across the railroad tracks. Within 1/4 mile, the road forks. The road to the right leads in about 1.7 miles to the boat launch on the inlet of Seboeis Lake. The road to the left leads to a dam and then Endless Lake (about 7 miles from the fork). From the dam to Endless Lake, a four-wheel drive vehicle may be needed.
