Top

Natural Resources Council of Maine

Protecting the Nature of Maine

East Branch of the Penobscot River

    • Posted on by

    Cathy at Matagamon put in East Branch Penobscot

    Cathy at Matagamon put in East Branch Penobscot

    Chosen By: Cathy Johnson, Senior Staff Attorney and Forests and Wildlife Project Director

    Location: Matagamon to Medway, Penobscot County

    Description: In this stretch, the Penobscot descends through gorgeous, unspoiled scenery in a remote region east of Baxter State Park and features waterfalls and demanding rapids. It also includes flat waters that provide prime habitat for wildlife. Much of the property here is owned by Elliotsville Plantation, Inc., a Maine-based foundation that is proposing to donate the land (and a $40 million endowment) for a national park and national recreation area.

    Activities: Paddling (quiet stretches and whitewater), wildlife watching, scenery viewing

    Favorite Season(s) to visit: Summer

    Why It’s Special:  Great wildlife sightings, superlative whitewater, impressive waterfalls, and gorgeous scenery—what more could you ask for?

    Tips: Inquire at Matagamon Wilderness Campground and Store to make sure water levels are high enough for paddling.

    More Info and Directions: Excellent map (Thoreau-Wabanaki Trail, East Branch of the Penobscot River) available from University of Maine Press, 126A College Ave., Orono Maine, 04473; Matagamon Wilderness Campground and Store at put-in, just downstream from the dam that creates Grand Lake Matagamon. http://www.matagamon.com/

    Map loading, please wait ...

    About Cathy Johnson, former Senior Staff Attorney and Forests & Wildlife Director

    Cathy attended Yale University, then transferred to College of the Atlantic where she received her B.A. in 1974. She has worked for the National Park Service, U.S. Forest Service, and U.S Fish and Wildlife Service, as well as for the National Parks Office of Nepal, before going to law school. She received her J.D. from the University of Maine School of Law in 1983 and was a trial lawyer in Damariscotta before joining NRCM staff in 1990. She and her partner, artist and illustrator Jon Luoma, live in Alna. They spend their leisure time hiking and canoeing Maine's North Woods, traveling the less developed parts of the world, gardening, and playing the violin and viola. Cathy retired as NRCM's Senior Staff Attorney and Forests & Wildlife Director in February, 2020, after 30 years at NRCM.