Trails
Hiking and canoeing are very popular at Milford House. We have numerous trails that let you combine these activities for an interesting adventure. Trails lead to four outlying lakes and a large stillwater. At each of these locations you will find a locked canoe put there for the free use of guests of Milford House. Keys to the locks are available at the front desk. This arrangement assures that only one party will arrive at a lake expecting to use the canoe. Be sure to take your paddles and life jackets, which we will provide. GANG LAKE TRAIL Probably the most popular trail is the one from the northeast corner of Boot Lake to Gang Lake. This trail is an easy, short walk between the lakes. In Gang Lake you will find a picnic table on Hal's Rock on the shore of the major island. This is a delightful place to enjoy your picnic lunch or an afternoon rest. Loons are frequently seen on Gang Lake and occasionally a mink may be seen on the rocks or running along the shore. There is a well-marked, short trail connecting Gang and Thomas Lakes. Like Gang, Thomas has its own locked canoe. On Thomas Lake, see if you can find the babbling brook that runs into the narrow cove at the far left of the opposite shore. In years past there was good trout fishing in this inlet cove. Enjoy your adventure and leave plenty of time to get back to your cabin in time for a rest before dinner.
McClellan Trail
The
McLellan Trail is
a loop about 5 Km.
through the woods
and about 3.2 Km.
on roads. The trail
is clearly marked
with red paint blazes
on the trees. The
first point of interest
you come to along
this trail is the
McLellan Stillwater,
with a canoe. A paddle
up the Stillwater
is worth the time
as it traverses beautiful
marsh lands and beaver
are sometime seen.
You can paddle the
Stillwater all the
way to where a narrow
stream flows in from
Big McLellan Lake,
though depending on
the activity of the
resident beavers,
you may need to pick
your canoe over a
beaver dam or two.
Continuing along the
trail you will cross
the stream below a
small beaver dam coming
to the next point
of interest, Little
McLellan Lake with
its own canoe. Mink
are sometimes seen
playing in the lake
and on the shores.
If you use this canoe
be certain to mark
the landing spot because
it can be hard to
recognize it on your
return.
Still proceeding along
the trail you will
come to Big McLellan
Lake and another locked
canoe. There is also
a picnic table at
this location. Big
McLellan is a much
larger lake with numerous
islands and fun to
explore, but again,
be sure to remember
the landing spot because
it is easy to lose
your bearings on Big
McLellan.
Many guests return
to the lodge from
Big McLellan by returning
to the main trail
and turning left to
backtrack as they
came in. However you
may wish to turn right
to continue the loop.
For some distance
the trail follows
close to the lake
shore but eventually
winds out of the forest
onto a road which
you follow back to
Milford House. After
all this you will
have a good appetite
for dinner.
POMPEY TRAIL
This trail is a pleasant, easy walk along the shores of Geier Lake and Boot Lake. It will take you past two Milford House landmarks. "Pompey Rock" marks the boundary between Geier and Boot Lakes. The "Needles Eye" is a short and narrow waterway, passable by canoe only at high water in the spring. At two points along the trail there are comfortable benches where you can relax and enjoy the view of the lakes. Early in the season along the Geier Lake end of the trail there is usually a good display of trilliums and lady slippers in bloom. The trail ends at the site of the very old ice house where winter ice blocks were cut and stored for summer use.