Moosehead Lake

🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆 Maine’s LARGEST Lake — 117 square miles, 40 miles long — the largest mountain lake in the eastern US

Moosehead Lake is Maine’s largest lake — 117 square miles of pristine water stretching 40 miles through the heart of the North Woods. It’s the largest mountain lake in the eastern United States. The lake is famous for the density of its moose population, spectacular sunsets over Mount Kineo (a 700-foot flint cliff rising from the water), and the historic steamboat era when paddlewheel boats carried tourists and loggers. Mount Kineo’s distinctive rhyolite was used for tools by Native peoples across eastern North America for 10,000+ years.

Visitor Information

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Mount Kineo?

Mount Kineo is a 700-foot cliff of rhyolite (volcanic glass) rising from Moosehead Lake. Native peoples traveled hundreds of miles to quarry this stone for tools and weapons — making it one of the most important geological sites in eastern North America.

About Moosehead Lake Public Lands

Moosehead Lake public reserved lands encompass several parcels around Maine’s largest lake — 117 square miles of wilderness water surrounded by the vast North Woods. The lake was a center of Maine’s legendary logging industry, and steamboats once transported tourists to remote camps. Today it remains one of the wildest large lakes in the eastern United States.

Things to Do

Fishing for landlocked salmon and brook trout, moose safaris (commercial tours achieve near-100% sighting rates), canoeing, hiking, camping, and visiting the Moosehead Marine Museum in Greenville for SS Katahdin steamboat cruises on the lake.

Insider Tips

Maine’s largest: Moosehead Lake (117 square miles) is the largest lake entirely within one state in the eastern US. Pro tip: Mount Kineo rises 700 feet directly from the lake — its flint-like rhyolite was prized by Native peoples for 10,000+ years for toolmaking. SS Katahdin: The 1914 steamboat Katahdin (“Kate”) still cruises Moosehead — one of the oldest operating steamboats in America.

Best Time to Visit

Summer: Boat cruises, fishing, swimming. Fall: Lakeside foliage. Winter: Ice fishing for togue (lake trout). Spring: Ice-out — dramatic breakup.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Mount Kineo?

Mount Kineo is a dramatic cliff rising 700 feet directly from Moosehead Lake — composed of rhyolite, a volcanic glass-like rock that fractures into sharp edges perfect for stone tools. Native peoples traveled hundreds of miles to obtain Kineo flint — artifacts made from this stone have been found across New England and into Canada. The mountain is accessible by boat and has hiking trails with spectacular lake views.