Headed for the falls

By RACHEL LENZI, Portland Press Herald Writer

Copyright © 2006 Blethen Maine Newspapers Inc.

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Staff photo by Derek Davis Mike Piekielek, 17, of Amherst, Mass., climbs up the rocks to get a view of the lower stretch of Moxie Falls. Visitors are warned that the release of water from a hydroelectric dam upstream can cause the water to rise five feet in one minute. See a slide show of photos

IF YOU GO What: Moxie Fallsn Getting there: From Portland, take Interstate 95 north to Exit 133 in Fairfield. Get onto Route 201 northbound and drive for 60 miles to The Forks. Take a right on Moxie Pond Road, just before the bridge that crosses the Kennebec River. About two miles from the intersection, the trailhead for Moxie Falls is on the left, marked by a brown and yellow sign. Cost: Free. Hours: Dawn to dusk. What else: If wading, bring a personal flotation device. Also, bring mosquito repellent, dress in comfortable clothing and wear shoes suitable for hiking or walking. ABOUT OUR SERIES Think you've seen all the sights of Maine? Maybe not. . . .This week we've taken you to some of the state's more remarkable - and sometimes overlooked - wonders. Sunday: Machias Seal Island Monday: Old Sow Whirlpool Tuesday: Swan Island Wednesday: Pineland Thursday: Coos Canyon Friday: L.C. Bates Museum Today: Moxie Falls To top of story

MOXIE GORE — It's not quite off the beaten path, but if you aren't looking hard, you might just drive by the trailhead and miss out on Moxie Falls, one of Maine's highest waterfalls. The trailhead is marked only by a small brown-and-yellow oval sign on Lake Moxie Road. At the end of a shaded trail just over a half-mile long is Moxie Falls, a waterfall on Moxie Stream, between Moxie Pond and the Kennebec River.

Travel guides put Moxie Falls' drop at anywhere from 90 to 100 feet. The Maine Department of Conservation lists the falls as nearly 90 feet - still one of the tallest falls in Maine. By comparison, Niagara Falls' American Falls in New York has a drop of 175 feet.

The road to the falls, Route 201, or Kennebec-Chaudiere, is known as the route leading to superior whitewater rafting spots as well as the road to Quebec City.

But less than three miles off the highway - and more than 50 miles from the superstores and fast food restaurants in Skowhegan - the waters of Moxie Stream plummet.

A two-and-a-half hour drive from Portland and a two-hour drive from Bangor, Moxie Falls is one of the most visited waterfalls in Maine.

The hike to the falls is six-tenths of a mile from the parking lot and not too strenuous. But many guide services and whitewater rafting companies regularly direct their customers via a system of trails that branch through Somerset County's woods.

Kennebec River tour guide Suzie Hockmeyer estimates that she has directed thousands of visitors to Moxie Falls in the past three decades. One of her favorite stories about the falls involves a couple's discovery of the natural wonder.

The couple, dating at the time, were part of a whitewater rafting group. On the bus ride to the launch spot, Hockmeyer, the owner of Northern Outdoors in The Forks, told the group about the tucked-away waterfall.

The couple visited Moxie Falls and were so taken with the sight that they returned a year later. This time, the man brought an engagement ring and proposed.

"It's a beautiful, beautiful set of falls," said Hockmeyer. "It's getting more attention. It's more than just a stop for people."

Pam Christopher, co-owner of C. Moxie Gore Outfitters in West Forks, recommends the falls to "every single guest that stays with us. Even on the phone. It's well worth the six-tenths of a mile hike to the falls."

Christopher has sent guests from as far away as Denmark and Italy to Moxie Falls. On a recent overcast day, hikers and travelers from throughout the eastern seaboard and Canada made the trek from Moxie Pond Road to the waterfall.

At the crossroads of two trails, a sign tells hikers that the release of water from a hydroelectric dam upstream can cause the water to rise five feet in one minute without warning. The sign also cautions hikers against wading in the water, to plan escape routes should the water rise, and to wear personal flotation devices.

Just past the crossroads, the water from the falls begins to rumble. With two-tenths of a mile remaining on the hike, the trail descends and the rush of water amplifies.

The waters of Moxie Stream crush over bedrock and drop at almost a 90-degree angle into a pool below. From the overlook, cool air permeates.

Just before the top of the falls, a memorial obelisk stands, surrounded by silk flowers, ornaments of birds and frogs, and two spiral mobiles hanging from branches.

"Garth Coon, 7-29-05."

Coon was killed last summer when he was swept over the waterfall while trying to save a female companion. The couple had been swimming in the stream; the woman survived the fall with multiple fractures.

The marker is both a memorial to Coon and a warning to those who tread along the water's edge.

Continuing back on the trail, there are three overlooks, and below, there you have it.

The drop, and the perfect view of the Moxie Falls, disturbed only by tree branches. The faint rumble heard from the trail is now a roar.

The water falls in heavy folds, crashing against the rocks and creating a fine mist that rises upward from the jagged rocks at the bottom of the waterfall.

Joined by their chocolate-colored dog Buxton, John and Lisa Stanley of Greenville, N.C., looked down at the falls.

On a day trip to the western mountains from a vacation on Mount Desert Island, they considered themselves fortunate to find this isolated paradise.

"We just got lucky to find it," said John Stanley. "There's no indicator telling you where to go. We got lucky."

Staff Writer Rachel Lenzi can be contacted at 791-6415 or at:

rlenzi@pressherald.com