Cold Stream Pond

Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower – Albert Camus

Summary: Cold Stream Pond Concrete launch, swimming and tables at launch, portapottie.

Gaudy, gay-hued leaves are such a transient thing, and so impervious to command. It seems one week we will paddle by maples on a lake and see only green and the next week the trees are bare with curled up scraps of maroon beneath them.

Maine has a web site dedicated to foliage, but it’s not precise, in Hampden and Orrington, the high walled shores of the Penobscot River are late to change. Out by the shores of Hermon Pond the maples usually change early.

But, perhaps over the warm weekend, the color fairy snuck in, and we’re seeing vivid color in the Bangor area. With trees ablaze it was a delight to drive north to Enfield to visit Cold Stream Pond. Cold Stream Pond, four miles long, two miles wide and over a hundred feet deep is known for clear water and great fishing.

Our arrival there coincided with the last bits of blue sky surrendering to cloud cover. As a result our nicest pictures were right from the parking lot. I suppose the most efficient thing to have done would have been to pack up and head home, but that wouldn’t have been much fun. Instead, we set out to explore.

Cold Stream Pond is mostly devoid of islands, but a thin pine-tree encrusted spike of land near the launch is also a memorial to two fallen soldiers from the Korean War. It was a very unique way to honor these men.

To the left of the memorial island you can see the flagpole

Morgan Beach , a potential stopping area, is located along the west side, about a mile and a half from the launch. There is a minimal charge to use this beach in season.

The shore at Morgan Beach

We didn't paddle the whole lake, sticking mostly to the developed shore. As a result, we didn’t see much wildlife, just a few lost guillemots and seagulls. But we did see a fascinating array of ways to lift docks from the water, and some lovely trees.

And as a bonus we took another route home, and saw even more foliage. I was particularly impressed by this yard display in Enfield. It's nice of them to have fire colored sumac behind the silhouettes.