Hubbard’s (Great) Guide to Moosehead Lake and Northern Maine

I’ve got to thank Tommy Carbone for republishing Hubbard’s Guide to Moosehead Lake and Northern Maine. It’s an amazing book by Lucius Hubbard, first published in 1879. Hubbard updated and republished the book 4 times.

Hubbard really knew Maine’s north woods and his book features his hikes and paddles throughout the north woods. Thankfully, our north woods hasn’t changed much since Hubbard’s time.

Consider this quote from Hubbard: “Each renewed visit to Moosehead Lake attaches one more firmly to its magic presence and lovely views, every feature of which offers the returning traveler an indescribable welcome.” That’s still true today.

I’ve spent time in many of the places Hubbard wrote about, and it was fascinating to learn what those places were like in the 1800s, such as all the wildlife Hubbard saw including caribou.

I also appreciated all the information Carbone added to the book, with help from Fred Willcox. And the photos will put you right there in my favorite places.

Hubbard even wrote about Sourdnahunk Lake, where I have a camp, and Sourdnahunk Stream, where I spent lots of time fishing. And I especially liked Hubbard’s fishing reports, because I fished a lot of the waters he writes about.

I guarantee, if you’ve spent time in the north woods, you will love this book, but even if you haven’t, you’ll enjoy it, and you’ll probably start planning a visit there.

George Smith

About George Smith

George stepped down at the end of 2010 after 18 years as the executive director of the Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine to write full time. He writes a weekly editorial page column in the Kennebec Journal and Waterville Morning Sentinel, a weekly travel column in those same newspapers (with his wife Linda), monthly columns in The Maine Sportsman magazine, two outdoor news blogs (one on his website, georgesmithmaine.com, and one on the website of the Bangor Daily News), and special columns for many publications and newsletters. Islandport Press published a book of George's favorite columns, "A Life Lived Outdoors" in 2014. In 2014, George also won a Maine Press Association award for writing the state's bet sports blog. In 2016, Down East Books published George's book, Maine Sporting Camps, and Islandport Press published George and his wife Linda's travel book, Take It From ME, about their favorite Maine inns and restaurants.