Camp Katahdin Adventures is located on Maine’s ITS Connector 112
Katahdin Snowmobile Lodge: Top Seafood Trips by Sled. OK that’s a mouthful, but you get where we’re going with this…
You ever wake up in the morning and think, “I want some seafood today”?
Who doesn’t, right?
After all, this is Maine. Seafood is as ubiquitous as the accents are thick.
We know winter isn’t exactly seafood season. And Katahdin isn’t exactly on the coast. But we have the insider information you need if you’re craving some of that world-renowned Maine LAH-bster. There are many options for satisfying your need for saltwater fare.
Wait. It gets better.
What if you could combine Maine’s love of seafood with another Maine tradition?
What if you could snowmobile your way to some great local eateries where there just happens to be seafood on the menu?
Whaaaat!?
Yes, such places do exist. And yes, they are all accessible by snowmobile thanks to Maine’s extensive snowmobile trail system.
We are biased to Katahdin area sledding, specifically, the trails near our Northern Maine snowmobile lodging. You may have already read our blog post on our favorite Camp Katahdin Snowmobile Lodge Day Trips or our favorite Scenic Snowmobile Trails Near Katahdin.
So once again, in the interest of more sledding and less planning, we’ve put together a list of some of the nearby eateries with seafood on the menu.
Photo credit: River Cafe
River Café in Island Falls
Distance: About 15 miles, one way
Route: From Camp Katahdin, Island Falls is a short run down 112 to ITS 83 which runs right through town.
On the menu: Shrimp, haddock, clams, and scallops
At River Café, the view is as great as the service. The brick building sits right on the riverbank and offers amazing views of the rippling, tree-lined river that seems to disappear into the wilderness. Inside, the exposed brick, dark floor, and black wood stove give the place a good deal of character. The staff will take good care of you. Be sure to say hello to Pete, the owner.
Interestingly, Island Falls was one of President Teddy Roosevelt’s favorite getaways. In the late 1870’s, he would retreat to the small town to hunt, fish, and enjoy the outdoors.
Photo credit: River Drivers Restaurant & Pub
River Drivers Restaurant & Pub in Millinocket
Distance: About 50 miles, one way
Route: To get to River Drivers, simply set your GPS for the New England Outdoor Center (NEOC). From Camp Katahdin, take 112 west to ITS 85. Stay on 85 after it merges with 83. The ITS 83/85 trail takes you right into Millinocket.
On the menu: Atlantic salmon, lobster bisque, lobster mac ‘n cheese, and crab stuffed haddock roulade
River Drivers is a beautiful restaurant in Millinocket. Though it’s made our list before, this award-winning establishment offers food as great as the views of Katahdin over Millinocket Lake. So we felt it was worth another mention. On top of that, they offer a great selection of craft beers and wines.
They also have a Friday night fish fry every week. Can’t go wrong with that.
Photo credit: Birch Point Facebook Page
Birch Point Campground Restaurant in Island Falls
Distance: about 20 miles, one way
Route: Again, from Camp Katahdin Adventures, 112 to ITS 83 will get you to Island Falls. Birch Point is just a few miles east/northeast of town.
On the menu: Shrimp, scallops, haddock, and clams
Just outside of Island Falls on the banks of Pleasant Lake sits Birch Point Campground. The restaurant there offers some great fare with some of the best seafood options of any spot on this list. To top it all off, they have a vintage bowling alley in the basement.
The spring fed Pleasant Lake is five miles long and offers some pristine views of forest-lined peaks rising right out of the water. The staff is great and the prices aren’t bad, though they’re higher than pub fare.
Birch Point caters to snowmobile traffic. Their Facebook page is full of trail pics and one reviewer calls it “The best snowmobile place in the world.” Clearly Steve and his crew are doing something right there at Birch Point.
One final note: The trails mentioned here can change from year to year due to logging and even change during the season. This blog post is for informational purposes only. Please take care and time to plan your snowmobile trips by contacting the local snowmobile clubs. Here’s the link to our local club, the Rockabema Snow Rangers. They tend to have a full time snow groomer at night and keep our local trails in awesome condition.
Denney Lodge at Camp Katahdin is a new, luxury Hunting Lodge in Northern Maine that sits right on Maine’s ITS Connector 112. It sleeps 15 and comes with a brand new Chef’s kitchen. Step out your door and jump on your sleds to connector 112 for an amazing day trip. Read more about our lodge here:
{{cta(’84de79b5-2ddf-4b4e-88a7-a895249a2e8a’)}}
Wendell Farm is our smaller property that also sits right on Connector 112. It’s an updated 1800’s Farmhouse with sled in-sled out snowmobile lodging. It sleeps 8, has a beautiful insulated porch with a spectacular view, and a barn with our friendly draft horses. Read more about Wendell Farm here:
{{cta(‘b69a8520-1901-42e3-90b7-5d5dd4db5138’)}}
