Castle Island Camps on Long Pond in Belgrade, Maine

Long Pond, in the Belgrade Lakes Region of Central Maine, is a prime location for a lakefront home or vacation getaway.
Located just 1 hour north of Portland, 1 hour south of Bangor, 3 hours north of Boston and twenty minutes or less from the capital city of Augusta, lakefront properties on Long Pond are easily accessible, yet feel like they are a million miles from civilization. At twelve miles long, it’s situated in the towns of Mount Vernon, Rome and Belgrade.

Lakefront Properties For Sale on Long Pond, Belgrade Lakes Region

View Vacation Rentals on Long Pond

This serene waterway of 2,714 acres is surrounded by majestic pines leading up to The Mountain, French’s Mountain, and Blueberry Hill. The pond is divided by a narrows into two distinct basins. The southern or lower basin is the deepest with a maximum depth of 106 feet. It provides a perfect habitat for supporting cold and warm water fish.
The quality bass fishing due to both size and quantity of large and smallmouth bass have made Long Pond a must among anglers. Land-locked salmon are plentiful during the spring run. Fishermen will also find northern pike, perch, crappie and pickerel here. A state-controlled stocking program guarantees excellent fishing from early spring until late fall.
Belgrade Lakes village is located on the north basin’s eastern shore. Folks like to boat to the village for amenities. Others drive across Castle Island at the narrows.
Greg Fish of Mount Vernon wrote a letter to the editor of Down East magazine several years ago stating that “I have driven across Castle Island many times. Now, living as close as we do, we drive across often to get most anywhere. It’s fun to see how busy it is on a spring or summer afternoon and how deserted it is in winter.”
The water quality of Long Pond is considered above average. The Belgrade Lakes Association (BLA) is led by President Polly Parkhill Beatie. One of the oldest lake associations in the nation, the BLA was formed in 1908. Today, they conduct Invasive Plant Surveys, Courtesy Boat Inspections, Volunteer Lake Monitoring and work with the Lake Smart Program and Conservation Corps to provide landscaping services to property owners.
Numerous Lake Smart Awards have been presented to Long Pond property owners. This Maine DEP program encourages landowners to learn how to manage their home and yard to protect the water quality. The Conservation Corps of the Belgrade Regional Conservation Alliances (BRCA) completed 12 projects on Long Pond this past year. They work with homeowners, free of charge, to decrease erosion, and help filter storm water to decrease phosphorous runoff.
In the BRCA’s fall 2009 newsletter, Executive Director Peter Kallin encourages folks to learn more about pervious pavers for such projects by checking “out the paver demonstration and rain garden at Day’s Store next time you are in the village.”
Find your way to Long Pond and you’ll join the ranks of many famous folks who found their way here. Elizabeth Arden, who made make-up acceptable to “respectable” American women in the early 1900s, was among the property owners. She owned Maine Chance, an exclusive resort and health spa on the pond, in Mount Vernon. Her clientele included First Lady Mamie Eisenhower and famous movie stars.
You might not encounter the rich and famous, but you can still enjoy great hiking trails for all abilities, boat rentals, swimming, fishing, winter sports, restaurants, theatre, antiques and general stores in the Belgrade Lakes Region. Owning lakefront property here means listening to the loons and enjoying the breathtaking views while only a short distance from anywhere.
Want to know what lakefront properties are currently for sale on Long Pond? Just click on the green box above
Here are some news articles from our archives that you might find interesting:
Belgrade Property Revaluation Possible – Shoreland Owners Targeted
Residents’ Appreciation for Belgrade Lakes Growing
Loon Crooners Hear Their Calling
Days Store, Belgrade Lakes Icon, Celebrates 50 Years
Accord Called Key to Long Pond In Belgrade
Former “Ocean” Person Finds Lakefront Property a Compelling Change