West Branch Pond Camps

We ate a party of 14 cross country skiers who stayed at West Branch Pond Camps overnight on Feb. 26, 2014 at the start of a 4 day adventure skiing hut to hut on the AMC trails. Though this is not a part of AMC holdings it connects and offered us a longer trip with more skiing. The facilities worked more than well for us at 24 degrees below zero. We were all snug in our wood heated cabins. The food at the lodge was creative and ample. Rock Cornish game hen in a marinade of citrtus and rosemary with a homemade rosemary bread and vegetables on the side. Eric Sterling the latest family member in the camp’s 100 year history took time to sit with us and tell us his personal story and views on what a Maine woods camp should be. Oyr opinion was ‘he delivered’. Homemade doughnuts in the morning with fresh ground coffee, eggs and local sausage and the fixings for a trail lunch. We enjoyed the details of a well run facility and attentive host. We will be going back, maybe for ‘peeper season” There is definately a winter season available here.

Do yourself a favor and go ahead and book yourself a vacation here. My family used to take my sister and me here when we were kids and we loved it then and we just went again last weekend and love it just as much now (maybe even more).
West Branch Pond Camps has been family owned for generations and you can tell that the owners love this place and have put a lot of work into making unforgettable getaways for the people who come here. Many of the people who come here keep coming back. Just this last weekend we met a group who have been coming to WBP for 10 years, another that has been coming since he was a kid in the 50s, and my family has been coming for more more than 20 years, although this was my first time back as an adult. And then of course there are people coming for the first time. My point is that people love it enough to keep coming back year after year.
It’s located about 45 minutes outside of Greenville on West Branch Pond. They have 8 cabins (with one more being renovated) all with screened in porches facing the pond. Each of the cabins are quite different. The cabins are pretty basic, so I wouldn’t go if you’re more into luxery hotels. Cabin 10 (yes, the number goes to 10 even though there are only 8 because there are a couple of numbers missing) is huge — much bigger than the others. Then there are cabins that have two beds with a divider between them, and some that have more separate rooms. Be aware that at least one of the cabins (cabin 1) doesn’t have a real bathroom door, just a curtain. All cabins have wood stoves for warmth (or s’mores), access to a dock with row boats and canoes (some also have kayaks), and like I said, a screened in porch facing the beautiful pond.
The price you pay includes delicious home cooked breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Lunch and dinner both include a freshly made dessert, which, if you’re lucky will include their amazing apple pie. Thursday night is the famous prime rib night which is so good that locals come in for dinner if there’s room. If you pick any local berries, you can have them in your pancakes for breakfast (best pancakes ever). While they may occasionally serve canned veggies, you’re more likely to get veggies from their garden if you’re there at the right time for it. I personally loath canned vegetables, but am willing to put that aside because the rest of the food is fantastic.
As for things to do, there’s great hiking, canoeing, rowing, fishing (so I hear), swimming, playing board games, reading, berry picking, and napping to be done here. What you will not be doing: watching tv, talking on the phone, surfing the web. If you get desperate for some cell coverage or just want to get into town, you can head to Greenville and check out Moosehead Lake, but personally, I welcome an escape from technology for a few days. Oh, and there’s also whitewater rafting nearby.