Post by sammysolo on Jun 13, 2011 5:29:04 GMT -5
The 2005 Crossing Crew proved that the Lost Maliseet Trail was still there of all to use; however, using it all the way from Meductic NB to Old Town ME is not for everyone. So, thanks to some good advice from Scouters DA and Dan I’m going to start posting on how people can experience the Trail in more manageable pieces.
Given it was the guys who brought this to my attention… why not let them point you to the first of what we will call “Secret Doors” to the Lost Maliseet Trail. One of the pictures I’ve posted here show the guys pointing and the caption has much of this text. So looking at this picture will help.
Secret Door to the Landing at Eel River for the Benton to Meductic Portage.
These directions will allow you to drive to Benton and then in less than five minutes you can take and easy walk that will make you a “Keeper of The Trail”.
At the time of this writing, less than 10 people alive today have stood in the Secret Door that is being opened and known that they are where:
• Thousands of travelers have passed over thousands of year;
• O-ski-tchin and a 9 year old John Gyles came ashore in 1689;
• Passamaquoddy Chief Neptune leads an industrial spying mission in 1820; and,
• John James Audubon passed in the summer of 1832 accompanied by his wife and two sons on “… to studying the birds, the people, the scenery, and gathering new material for his work. “
This is perhaps the safest and simplest of all the Secret Doors to the Lost Maliseet Trail and can be traveled by young families. The travel time to Benton is about one hour from Fredericton
Here are your instructions:
1. Drive from Fredericton to Benton.
a. Take what we call the New Trans Canada Highway West
b. After about 65 km watch for Exit 212 and get on NB-165
c. Go North in NB-165 and watch for a sign for Meductic/Benton
d. After about 6 km watch for a Benton Rd sign
e. Turn left onto Benton Rd and continue for 5.5 km
f. Entering Benton you pass the Lewin Road on your left
g. Then a United Church Cemetery appears on your right and a small church on the left.
h. Park in the church’s parking lot on the left.
i. Walk towards the Lewin Road and find an old grassed over woods road just past the property line of the church yard.
j. Walk down that roadway for less than 5 minutes until the road starts to follow the River.
k. Watch for a clearing in the woods after the road starts to follow the River downstream and this is the landing.
According to an 1820’s Passamaquoddy Chief Neptune, this is the Benton-Meductic portage trailhead. This location eluded historians until 2006 when the Maine Legislature released a series of secret industrial spy maps made in 1820.
If you take those first steps to become a Keeper of the Trail share it by posting a photo of you at the landing.
Now there is a hitch... the Lost Maliseet Trail is said to be protected by Spiritual Shaman and my advice is to bring a gift of tobacco.
Visit Facebook's Maliseet Trail Canoe Route page's discussion board for more Secret Doors in the future or check back here.
Sammy Solo