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October Bird Hunting
An honest review from a seasoned bird hunter with limited travel experience. The wife and I just spent 4 nights and 3 days at Grant's for their "cast and blast". To start the Rangely Maine area is beautiful and Grant's Camp is literally right on Kennebago Lake. It's an absolutely gorgeous area. We stay in the Harmony cabin. I would say the camp is rustic to a bit out-dated but the cabins have everything you need. Ours was right on the shore, had a nice screened deck, fireplace, small refrigerator, full (but small) bathroom, and decent bed. You can hear the waves crashing on the shore and Loons calling. Meals are in a dining hall with several tables overlooking the lake. The food is good! There is a small office with a sitting area and fly tying table next to the dining hall. The only internet I got was around the office and some places in the dining hall. No internet or tv in the rooms which is what I think they want to get away from everyday life. The staff is great. Fishing is not great in late Oct. Might be better earlier in Oct with warmer better weather but overall was not worth the "cast and blast" experience which is why I chose Grant's. For bird hunting we did use one of the guides with dogs but also ran our pup. Joe was a fantastic and has good dogs (Winston and Ivy). Joe worked hard to find us birds but the numbers were not as we suspected. We did have bad weather with lots of rain and this year was not great for birds so likely played a part but I think overall this area does not have the huge numbers you might expect. The terrain varies and you can decide how hard you want to hunt. There is everything from ATV trails, to logging roads, to uphill bushwacking. We did do more driving then expected so make sure your truck is fueled up before you get to camp. Overall a good trip. We wanted to experience Maine bird hunting and we did. Can't really recommend the "cast and blast" but was worth trying and maybe early Oct is better. I would go back to Grant's for the area but might try another part of Maine for a different bird experience.
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Five great days at Grants
Our five days at Grant’s was fantastic. For years we have been promising ourselves we would have a vacation there, and this year we finally made our reservation. We are so glad we did. First off, let me say how great the staff treated us. Everyone is very friendly and eager to help. I have some mobility issues, and use a walker. I explained what I needed in a camp to minimize my problems, and they put us in a cabin closest to the dining hall with no steps to navigate to get into it. The dining hall is also fully handicapped accessible. A large pile of wood was neatly stacked on the lake facing, screened in porch, and though the weather was unseasonably cool, the wood stove, which is the biggest Franklin type I have ever seen, kept the cabin warm. I will also note that whoever installed that stove knew what they were doing. Most Franklins smoke at least a little, but this one drew beautifully. The food was excellent. Well prepared. Interesting options, including vegetarian. Savory soups. Tender prime rib. Classic breakfast offerings like pancakes, omelets, corned beef hash, etc. all served with a friendly smile. A bagged lunch is also available if desired. The beds were comfortable. All we heard at night was the wind blowing and the loons calling. It is pet friendly, also. Maine is in a fairly severe drought right now, and the river is very low. However, my husband still picked up a few trout. From past experience fishing the Kennebago I can assure you it is usually much better. The camp has no control over the weather after all. To sum it up, we had a great time and will certainly return to Grants in the future.
Exchange the word ‘rustic’ in the description to the word ‘neglected’ and you have the right idea. We found mice droppings on the beds, towels, and furniture. The interior pictures of the cabins can only be described as false advertising. Accommodations can best be described as dismal, run down, and depressing. We did NOT stay, and they refused to give us our deposit back We strongly advise caution before booking!
Our family has made Grants a summer destination for the last 15 years! There is a lot of great fly fishing water between us in Bakersfield, CA and Grants. However, there is not another place in America the provides an experience close to the one your family will enjoy at Grants. Forget the fishing, which only requires the ability to be able to drop a fly over the side of the boat, the accommodations (genuine 100 year old knotty pine cabins), the scenery (the mountains of Maine are a bucket list item to any outdoors loving person), and the meals (you will be beyond surprised by the quality of the food) are reasons enough to book an extended stay.
Visited here as part of a group bird hunting trip - with both adults and kids. Had never been grouse or woodcock hunting previously.
1) Location is amazing - even if it’s hard to get to. Plan for thirty minutes from the gate to the cabins. Beautiful, insanely peaceful lake. Lots of hunting area nearby. Saw a lot of birds and enjoyed every bit of it. Guides and dogs were good.
2) staff were very friendly. Always doing their best to ensure we had a good experience - felt looked after and appreciated everyone looking out for mt son to ensure he had a good experience.
3) food was much better than expected and honestly quite good. It’s always a worry with remote hotels but the full service breakfasts and dinners were really great. Everything was well done. They prepared the birds we had shot as well which was nice.
4) the entire vibe is a bit like stepping back in time. No cell phone service anywhere and no WiFi in most cabins. It was great to truly step out of day to day life and spend a few days in the woods.
5). Cabins themselves are very much just cabins - but they did the job and had nice wood stoves.
Beautiful spot and welcoming people. Finally got the chance to experience what my hunting/fishing husband has raved about for years....Grant's Kennebago Camp is a wonderful experience even for the non-fishing/non-hunting partners in a marriage. Pristine surroundings, abundant wildlife, great food equals a GREAT ADVENTURE!
The Grant's Team is legendary! There is a lot of history here, and the camp is the poster kid of the rustic Maine experience! Owner John is a vault of knowledge about the local history, Front Desk Manager Maddie (John's granddaughter) is a boss, Kitchen Leader Tina is a doll, Chef Larry is appetizing! I am the Floatplane Captain for Acadian Seaplane's Fly & Dine Tour, and my passengers LOVE, LOVE, LOVE their experiences there! On my day off, I ventured up w/ Grant's Fishing Guide, Joseph Coleman. What an incredible experience to learn about fly fishing. I can not recommend this family and their staff enough! A must-do!
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Legendary Rustic Maine Lake Memory!
The Grant's Team is legendary! There is a lot of history here, and the camp is the poster kid of the rustic Maine experience! Owner John is a vault of knowledge about the local history, Front Desk Manager Maddie (John's granddaughter) is a boss, Kitchen Leader Tina is a doll, Chef Larry is appetizing! I am the Floatplane Captain for Acadian Seaplane's Fly & Dine Tour, and my passengers LOVE, LOVE, LOVE their experiences there! On my day off, I ventured up w/ Grant's Fishing Guide, Joseph Coleman. What an incredible experience to learn about fly fishing. I can not recommend this family and their staff enough! A must-do!
Grants camps is one of my favorite getaways. It's been a family tradition that I have now started with my own small family. I enjoy the nearby hikes on mountains and the friendly atmosphere at the camp. The food is fantastic and the owner is really a genuine person. We will continue to lodge at this amazing camp, and I always expect the best is yet to come!
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A wonderful place to relax and enjoy nature
We have been to Grants 5 times over 30 years..it is a special place in so many ways! It is rustic and restful. Great walking area, lovely views of the lake and the staff there is very accomodating . Each cabin has a screened porch and a working wood stove. The dining room is comfortable and welcoming with very friendly wait staff and the food is great. Great place to unwind or if you are into fishing or hunting it is a great place for that. They have guides, boats etc. Highly recommend!
I am an avid fly fisherman; I have been traveling and staying at Maine traditional sporting camps for over 40 years. I have stayed at well over 15 lodges throughout Maine. I have had many wonderful experiences at these camps and I have never had a bad experience with respect to hospitality or ownership ………..that changed at Grant’s Camp with owner John Blunt.
Grant’s is located on Kennebago Lake in the Rangeley area. It is truly a “traditional Maine Sporting Camp”. It has approximately 15 cabins with wonderful porches and wonderful views of the Kennebago Lake and offers terrific fishing on the Kennebago River. The cabins are cozy, the main dining room is delightful, and the office/lodge is equally impressive.
This September I traveled to Grants Camps for the 3rd year in a row to meet up with a group of friends that were staying at the lodge. I believe it was their 4th time at the lodge. During my last 2 times at Grant’s, I have stayed next to my friend’s cabin. I do not stay with my friends as I travel with my dog and I enjoy my own cabin.
Upon check-in I met the owner Mr. John Blunt for the first time. He informed me he didn’t have my reservation and that after one night “he was going to ‘probably move me into the cabin next door with my friends”. I informed Mr. Blunt that I had a copy of my reservation which confirmed the cabin next to my friends as well as the confirmation of my dog. I also phoned the lodge confirming their confirmation. Mr. Blunt had no interest in viewing my reservation, he did not offer an apology for the mix up or an explanation. I did not agree to move into the cabin next door with my friend’s as this was not a feasible option for me. Mr. Blunt “told me” to spend the night at the cabin next door and told me “something may open up”. I remained hopeful. I spent the first night in my own cabin next to my friends.
The following day I had lunch with my friends in the main dining room, there were also 3 other parties within the dining room. Mr Blunt approached our table. To state it went sideways at this point would be an understatement. Mr. Blunt looked at me in an intimidating and demanding tone and said “I thought I told you to move your stuff next door!”. It is important to note that Mr. Blunt is a very large man. At that point I stated that I never agreed to his “demands”. Next Mr. Blunt raised his voice louder and postured towards me “you’re going to move next door!”. My friend was able to calm this argument down for a moment only to have Mr. Blunt in a louder and more aggressive tone tell me “I am going to need to see that confirmation in my office “. It was then in my mind I was checking out – it didn’t matter if Mr. Blunt could find an accommodation for me– I was certainly not going to give an owner or an establishment money for such abuse and incompetence.
After lunch I went into Mr. Blunt’s office and showed him my email confirmation provided by the lodge which was dated and time stamped. I could see that Mr. Blunt did not have the skill-set to find the confirmation on his computer even when I provided my email address and the date in which he sent me the confirmation.
I returned to my cabin to begin my departure back to Boston. After packing I went to the office to pay for my short stay. Mr. Blunt took no responsibility for his mistake, his deplorable behavior (which was witnessed by more than 10 lodgers) and offered no apology. This was not just the worst experience I have had at a sporting camp but rather the worst experience in any hospitality business.
Lastly, my one night stay without the use of a boat came to be $320 which is the highest price I have ever paid at a Maine sporting camp.
Potential lodgers beware.