The Kennebec Explorer 2014 Visitor's Guide to Maine's Kennebec Valley | Page 50

Madison : A spot on the river offering fun for all. Fly-fishing, riverside hiking and camping; biking–on the road and off, excellent paddling and the Madison Wave, or summer theatre, golf and a classic downtown festival. It’s things like this that make us all feel like kids again and Madison has them all or you to enjoy! A great place to get outside Maine’s Kennebec Valley has a century old reputation as a top destination for outdoor recreation, and without question it comes from places like Madison where you can get away quickly to enjoy nature’s best and unwind. Wanna fish? Visit Kennebec River Outfitters, one of Maine’s legendary fly shops, on Route 201 for advice and maybe a fish story. If you can’t pry a secret spot out of them, try your hand at one of the several great spots below the Madison Dam including the best in town near “the Pines.” This spot, called the Historic Pines Trail, welcomes day hikers and has national (and Native American) historical significance. Look for the granite monuments telling the story of Jesuit missionary Sebastian Rasle (pronunced like ‘wall’) and the Abenaki people. Kennebec Kayaker’s Wave Hello! Tied by Robert Fransen The Kennebec drops 90 feet over the course of a mile in Madison, it’s what attracted the mill industries of the 19th-century. Nowadays, kayakers can float or paddle their way for a couple hours down river from “the Pines” to Oosoola Park, in Norridgewock. Those paddlers looking for action can seek out the Madison Wave, a river anomaly created by a pair of adjacent eddies that appears mysteriously after a big rain or in the springtime freshet can run all day. For kayakers it offers the kind of ride that you can’t skip. Big air, tricks, and a whole lot of fun. Good Luck! The Grey Ghost lives! This Grey Ghost (left) streamer is very pretty and still remains a wicked good fly. In 1924 Madison’s Carrie Stevens tied and tested out a new fly pattern and quickly netted a 6lb 13oz. Brook Trout. That fish and the fly landed her in Field & Stream launching her career tying flies. Slowing down, Madison-style Those looking for the slower-paced pleasures will find East Madison’s Lakewood area, on the shores of Lake Wesserunsett, along Route 201 offers pleasurable diversions including golf at Lakewood Golf Course, home to Maine’s only Par 6, fishing or spotting a bald eagle, then a night out to enjoy a delightful summertime production at Lakewood Theater, Maine’s State Theater and the nation’s longest running summer theater. Round out your visit with the simple pleasure of listening for the cries of the loon at dusk. Madison-Anson Days: August 21 – 24 Summer wouldn’t be summer without a block party. Now expand that, to the whole town. Almost 40 years ago these cross-the-river neighboring towns got together to throw an annual summer shindig. From the starting horn of the 5K to the last pop of the fireworks on Sunday, this is the finest kind of family fun Maine has to offer. 48 To learn more about Madison, visit KennebecValley.org.