The Birches Resort

 There are a few times in your travels when you find someplace you never want to leave. It’s the kind of place where you pull in and it just feels right and we found ourselves at the registration desk extending your stay…and again…and again. The Birches Resort and Campground in Rockwood, Maine was that slice of paradise we absolutely loved. 

The Birches is perched on Moosehead Lake about 30 minutes north of Greenville which is a pretty small town (we’re talking population 1,600) with a few restaurants, a fly fishing shop, a great grocery/outdoor/camping/clothing store and a scattering of interesting attractions like an old passenger ship offering lake excursions. There is a ferry over to Mt. Kineo which has spectacular hiking and definitely worth spending an afternoon. There is great fishing in the area in numerous rivers and lakes. 

The Birches has a magnificent historic lodge dating back to the 1930’s that is warm and comforting and smells of wood burning fires, fresh coffee, and salty bacon. There are only a handful of campsites (for RV’s and tents) and a bunch of cabins all with great views. Don’t be expecting to have all your creature comforts of television, wifi, and phone service because they are nonexistent or sketchy at your site. However, the lodge provides all those services where you can enjoy them by the fire or at the bar. There is also a full-service restaurant serving three meals a day with delicious comfort food like Thanksgiving turkey dinner, slow roasted prime rib, and French onion soup. RV sites can be a little tight for larger RVs but we were able to manage. The best campsite (#5) backs up to the lake so your patio and fire pit are right there on the water and provide spectacular sunrises. Our site was 30-amp which was fine for us as we were there in October and didn’t need air conditioning. Since no one else was coming into the site next to us, we were allowed to pull in such that we took up two spots and overlooked the marina. There was water but no sewer however the dump station was easy to access and never very busy since the campground is so small. The tent sites are located farther away from the lodge and facilities but are spacious and private with great water views. The sites are surrounded by trees so you get some shade if you want or can be in the open sunny areas. Each tent site has its own garbage can so you don’t have to trek over to the dumpster. There are also picnic tables, rock-lined fire rings, low electric hook-up, and a water spigot. The restroom/showers were older but clean and we did not mind showering there which meant we didn’t have to pack up the RV and dump our tanks during our stay. They do have a hot tub for those who like to soak in steaming water. 

We absolutely loved our stay at the Birches. Having the lodge for warm fires, cold beer, and hot meals was a definite plus. There are so many outdoor activities between hiking, fishing, paddling, and just enjoying the natural beauty. There are boat rentals and seaplane flights you can book for sightseeing and a launch for boats/paddle craft. We will definitely be back.