Discover the natural beauty and rich history of Maine’s Moosehead Lake from aboard the historic steamboat Katahdin. Katahdin Cruises are one of the areas most popular attractions, offering a variety of leisurely lake cruises as well as operating the Moosehead Marine Museum.
There are lots of fun things to do on and around Moosehead Lake, so many that it can be hard to choose. Still, if you’ve never been here before, one of the first boxes that most check off is a Moosehead Lake steamboat tour.
Once upon a time, steamboating was all the rage on Moosehead Lake. Many such ships plied these waters, carrying passengers, livestock, mail, supplies, and equipment to a variety of destinations around the lake. In fact, the Katahdin, often affectionately referred to as the “Kate,” was built in 1914 by Bath Iron Works for just such a life.
Timing is everything, however. The Katahdin only served as a passenger transport for a short time. By the mid-1930s the Great Depression and new roads around the lake had diminished the need for a steamboat fleet. Only the Katahdin remained and she had been converted to a diesel logging towboat. A job she stayed at until the nation’s last log drive in 1975.
After the Katahdin had dragged its last raft of logs, a local nonprofit group was organized to restore and preserve the historic boat. The Moosehead Marine Museum was founded with the National Historic Site, steamboat Katahdin, as its primary exhibit.
Katahdin Cruises on Moosehead Lake
Katahdin Cruises is located on the water in Greenville, ME at 12 Lily Bay Road. This is less than 5 minutes away from our Moosehead Lake bed and breakfast, Lodge at Moosehead Lake.
A variety of cruises are available, including:
Moosehead Lake Brunch Cruise: Enjoy a delicious brunch from Kelly’s Landing while aboard the historic steamboat Katahdin for a 2 hour cruise of Moosehead Lake.
Sugar Island Cruise: Cruise past Sugar Island and other scenic landmarks while learning about area’s history on this 3 hour, narrated tour.
Mt Kineo Cruise: Take in the natural beauty and learn the history of iconic Mt Kineo. You’ll also see landmarks like Beaver Cove and Sugar Island on this 5 hour cruise.
Head of the Lake Cruise: Travel the length of Moosehead Lake on this 8 hour, full-day cruise with narration. Continental breakfast and dinner included.
They also offer special 4th of July Fireworks Cruises, Sunset Dance Cruises, a Brews & Blues Cruise, and even a Fly-in Cruise!
Visitors are also invited to browse Moosehead Marine Museum’s extensive collection of steamboat memorabilia and early Moosehead area photographs.
Learn more on the Katahdin Cruise website. You can also find them on Facebook.
The Lodge at Moosehead Lake loves sharing the area with our guests! What do you want to do while you are here? Let us know and we can help make it happen. See you soon!