Bunganut Pond, a favored summer destination in southeastern Maine, offers a picturesque retreat with its rocky shoreline and serene waters. The name Bunganut comes from a Native American term meaning “place of the rocks,” aptly describing the lake’s rugged landscape. Originally a smaller natural pond, it was dammed by the Shaker religious colony in the early 1800s to power a sawmill. The original dam, replaced in the 1950s, has given way to a beautiful 300-acre lake with nearly six miles of shoreline.
Public access to Bunganut Pond is limited. The town of Lyman maintains a small park on the north shore where hand-carried boats can be launched. Two commercial campgrounds provide camping facilities along the lake, including RV spaces, seasonal campsites, and a rentable camp cabin. Much of the shoreline is privately owned, with many property owners enjoying personal docks for their watercraft. The Bunganut Pond Association ensures water quality and helps property owners maximize their lakefront experience.
Pontooning, canoeing, kayaking, water skiing, tubing, and other water sports are popular pursuits on Bunganut Pond. The numerous pebbles in the lake make boating difficult for inexperienced boaters, but the same rocks also create great homes for fish. Catchable species for anglers include rainbow smelt, chain pickerel, white perch, sunfish, smallmouth bass, and American eel. Occasionally, a brown trout, a holdover from past stocking efforts, can be caught. A state fishing license is required, and all regulations must be followed.
The lakeside properties range from rustic cottages to luxurious homes, with some available for rent by the night or week. Most rentals include amenities such as canoes or fishing boats, decks, and docks. While few businesses are near the lake, the town of Alfred is just two miles away, offering dining, gas stations, and other services.
Alfred is historically significant as the home of the Maine Shaker Community, which settled there in 1793. Although the community dissolved by 1931, the Friends of the Alfred Shaker Museum maintained a museum in a renovated Shaker carriage house. The museum offers exhibits, craft instruction, insights into Shaker life, festivals, speaker series, and Shaker dinners.
Just south of Alfred is the Massabesic Experimental Forest, which is dedicated to forest product research and sustainable forestry. The forest features numerous public trails, some for ATVs, others for hikers and equestrians. The Hollis Equestrian Park offers trails for its members, while other trails accommodate mountain bikers and off-leash dog walkers. The Atlantic seacoast, with its beaches, scenic sights, and oceanfront resorts, is only half an hour from Bunganut Pond. The area is known for lobster dinners, crab boils, and artisan shops, with Kennebunkport just 25 miles away.
Less than an hour away, Portland offers extensive shopping, sightseeing, specialty dining, and big-city entertainment. Visitors can enjoy sightseeing tours, boat tours, deep-sea fishing excursions, and educational experiences about the local coastline. Portland’s museums include the Portland Museum of Art, Portland Science Center, Children’s Museum, and Theatre of Maine. The International Cryptozoology Museum offers a quirky look into the world of the “possibly impossible.”
Lodging options around Bunganut Pond include camping and private rentals, as well as numerous small inns, guest cottages, and bed and breakfasts between the lake and the coast. A visit to Bunganut Pond promises a blend of natural beauty, historical intrigue, and coastal charm.
