(603) 466-2727
Season Dates:
May 20, 2022 – October 15, 2022
January 12, 2023 – March 4, 2023
May 19, 2023 – October 14, 2023
Cross-country ski out your cabin’s front door, fly-fish the West Branch of the Pleasant River, or hike your way up to Laurie’s Ledge on Indian Mountain for stunning views. Guests can enjoy our comfortable lodge with fireplace and deck year-round and our friendly staff is always available to assist you with trip planning, weather reports, and trail information.
In summer, complimentary canoes and kayaks are available for guest use a short walk away at Little Lyford Ponds. Additional canoes are available at several remote ponds, accessible by car and a short hike. Fly fishing instruction is available by prior arrangement. Please request when making your reservation.
In winter, ski or snowshoe from your cabin door onto our extensive groomed trail network. Travel to Gulf Hagas, the Appalachian Trail, or over to Gorman Chairback Lodge. Located a day’s ski or snowshoe apart, you can travel lodge-to-lodge from Medawisla to West Branch Pond Camp, on to Little Lyford, and finally Gorman Chairback. The lodge-to-lodge trail network is groomed and offers full day adventures replete with magnificent views and moose tracks. A shuttle service is available so that your car is waiting for you at the end of your trip and a gear shuttle transports your gear to your next lodge, providing you with the freedom to ski or snowshoe with just a day pack. Complimentary snowshoes are available for use.
For the 2023 winter season we will not be providing linens in any of the cabins or bunkhouses. Please be sure to pack a sleeping bag and/or your own sheets and linens for your stay. Be aware that cabins are heated by wood stoves, but they do get cold.
Cancellation Policies
Learn more about AMC’s cancellation policies for lodging and programs.
Meal Service
Dinner, breakfast, and a trail lunch are included in your nightly rate. Breakfast buffet is served at 8 a.m. sharp. Made-to-order trail lunches are available at breakfast. Dinner is served at 6 p.m. sharp and includes soup or salad, entrée, and dessert. Guests are permitted to bring their own beer and wine to enjoy with dinner. Please notify AMC Contact Service Center if you have food allergies or other dietary needs.
Getting Here
The lodge is drive-in spring through fall, and accessible only by ski, snowshoe, or dogsled in winter. Little Lyford Lodge and Cabins is located in the KI Jo-Mary Forest which is a multi-use forest owned by a consortium of landowners. The roads are gated from May through October. Access is managed and fees collected by North Maine Woods. Access through the checkpoints (Hedgehog and Katahdin Ironworks) is limited to hours of operation (6 a.m. to 9 p.m.) and is strictly enforced. Please check the North Maine Woods website additional information. Access fees are included in Gorman Chairback and Little Lyford lodging rates. Please bring a copy of your AMC reservation confirmation letter to show at the gatehouse.
Vehicle types (RV sizes and types, motorcycles, etc.) are restricted or prohibited. Click here for KI Jo-Mary Rules and Regulations. Roads are gravel and are active logging roads. Logging vehicles have the right of way. Conditions can be rough and low clearance vehicles are not recommended. All wheel drive is recommended during wet, snowy, or icy conditions. Satellite signal and cell phone reception are typically weak and unreliable in the Maine Woods, so we recommend that you do not rely on GPS Navigation devices to direct you to the lodge. Find driving directions here.
Winter Directions
Access to Little Lyford Lodge and Cabins in winter is by ski, snowshoe, or dogsled only, starting at the AMC winter parking lot. Please print or download driving directions prior to arrival due to greatly limited cell reception. GPS is unreliable north of Greenville, Maine. It is recommended that mileage is tracked on your odometer. Note that when “roads” are referenced, these are not plowed and are used as trails in winter.
Drivers should be prepared with four wheel drive or studded winter snow tires and excellent clearance. Be sure to pack a full-size snow shovel to leave in your car in case you need to shovel out after fresh snowfall. Drive cautiously and note that logging trucks are active and have the right of way.
Driving Distances & Approximate Winter Drive Times
From Greenville, Maine to AMC Winter Parking Lot – 11 miles, 35 minutes
From Greenville, Maine to West Branch Pond Camps – 28 miles, 1 hour 10 minutes
From Greenville, Maine to Medawisla – 27 miles, 1 hour
From AMC Winter Parking Lot to West Branch Pond Camps – 39 miles, 1 hour 45 minutes AMC Winter Parking Lot to Medawisla – 37 miles, 1 hour 45 minutes
Ski/Snowshoe Distances from AMC Winter Parking Lot to Little Lyford Lodge & Cabins
Trail conditions are also posted at the trailhead and free paper maps are available. All trails include hills and corners and include varied terrain and conditions and are labeled on the maps as Easy, Intermediate, or Difficult.
Via Hedgehog Gate Trail–7 miles
Via KI & Upper Valley road–6.2 miles
Ski/Snowshoe Distances between Lodges
Medawisla to West Branch Pond Camps: Lake Trail to Long Ridge Road–8.8 miles; Emmit Brook Trail to Long Ridge Rd–8.2 miles
Medawisla to Little Lyford Pond Lodge & Cabins: Long Ridge Rd to East Side Trail–17.2 miles
A People Shuttle is available ($) part way for those wanting to ski 8-11 miles to Little Lyford Pond Lodge & Cabins but not have to ski the full 17 miles. Call AMC Contact Service Center. Reservations required.
West Branch Pond Camps to Little Lyford Pond Lodge & Cabins: Pleasant River Trail–8.5 miles; East Side Trail–11 miles
From Little Lyford Pond Lodge & Cabins to Gorman Chairback Lodge & Cabins: Lodge to Lodge Trail–6.5 miles; Upper Valley Rd to Deadwater Trail (by warming yurt) to Long Pond Road to Gorman Lodge Trail–7 miles; Upper Valley Rd to KI Road to Gorman Lodge Trail–7.5 miles
Accessibility
Little Lyford Lodge offers one ADA accessible cabin in addition to the bathhouse, sauna, and main lodge. There are grassy and hardened gravel paths throughout camp that can be snow covered in winter.
Nearby Trails
Ponds Loop (Easy): The Pond Loop Trail, a 1.9-mile hike around Little Lyford Ponds near the Little Lyford Lodge & Cabins, is a pleasant, easy walk with abundant wildlife. Enter the trail at the northern corner of Little Lyford, hiking along the northeastern edge of the first pond and circling the second—keep an eye out for fly fishers on the ponds or moose stopping for a drink.
Laurie’s Ledge Trail (Moderate): This trail moderately ascends Indian Mountain for 1.5 miles leading to a clearing at the summit that offers views of White Cap, Gulf Hagas, Elephant Mountain, the surrounding ponds, and on a clear day, Katahdin. Start at the trailhead to the west of Little Lyford—you will cross a road at the 0.2 mile mark, and continue to an intersection with the Laurie’s Ledge Trail another 0.7 mile in. Take Laurie’s Ledge Trail to the summit of Indian Mountain, and return the way you came.
Gulf Hagas/The Hermitage (Strenuous): Often dubbed the “Grand Canyon of Maine,” Gulf Hagas features a rugged and remote trail network along a deep river gorge with many scenic waterfalls. From Little Lyford, take the Lodge-to-Lodge Trail for 1 mile until you intersect with the Head of the Gulf Trail. Follow Head of the Guld Trail to the Rim Trail, which will take you along the Gulf Hagas, and either return via the way you came or continue to Gorman Chairback.
Site & Trail Map
Weather
The right clothing and gear are essential in the unpredictable weather of the Northeast’s mountains. Even if it feels like summer in the valleys, it can be cold and winter-like on the high peaks. Be prepared for severe weather regardless of season, dress in layers (including synthetic or wool base and insulating layers, and a windproof/waterproof outer shell), eat high energy foods, and stay hydrated.
Our Commitment to Sustainable Operations
AMC has a long-standing commitment to using its huts, lodges, and sporting camps as models for sustainable operations and environmental stewardship. At Little Lyford Lodge and Cabins we have solar panels, offer locally sourced food, and grow our own vegetables in our garden.