Great Moose Lake
Locations
USA > New England > Maine
Great Moose Lake: Description
Great Moose Lake is a wonderful destination spot for people seeking to "get away from it all." The lake covers 3,584 acres with a maximum depth of 62 feet and an average depth of 18 feet. Great Moose Lake is located at the headwaters of the Sebasticook River in Somerset County, part of the Kennebec and Moose River Valleys region of central Maine. This tranquil, rural region is known for year-round recreational activities.
Great Moose Lake and Dam provide flood control, recreation, and fish and wildlife management. The April 1987 flood caused significant damage to the original Great Moose Lake Dam in the Town of Hartland. The replacement dam, known as Morgan's Dam, went into service in 1991.
In the summer months, fishing, boating, windsurfing, swimming, tubing and simply soaking up the sun are popular activities. Anglers can wile away the hours fishing for brown trout, large and small mouth bass, white and yellow perch, and brook trout. An autumn trip to Great Moose Lake is not complete without viewing the picturesque vistas and colorful fall foliage in October. Hunting season begins in November, and crisp autumn weather heralds the entrance of winter. Winter brings cross-country skiing, a wealth of groomed snowmobiling trails, and ice fishing to the area.
Two rare animals, the black tern and bald eagle, make their home on Great Moose Lake, luring bird watchers and nature lovers who hope to observe these proud and beautiful creatures. Black terns, which are found in approximately twelve areas of Maine, have been nesting at the lake since 1988. Bald eagles, a species close to extinction in the past decades, have been nesting on the lake's Round Island since 1994. For the bird watcher, it is not uncommon to find the eagles hunting for food on the northwest side of The Narrows section of the lake. Great Moose Lake is also home to a silver maple hardwood floodplain forest rich in uncommon wildlife. Don't forget your camera!
Great Moose Lake: Statistics
- Type: Natural Freshwater Lake, Dammed
- Area: 3,584 acres
- Normal elevation: 243 feet
- Mean depth: 18 feet
- Maximum depth: 62 feet
- Volume: 23,520 acre-feet
- Catchment area: 228 sq.miles
