Little Lyford Lodge & Cabins
For more than 140 years, Little Lyford Lodge & Cabins has provided visitors a unique Maine outdoor experience. Located on AMC’s conservation land, this rustic and comfortable destination provides an ideal spot for exploring the famed 100-Mile Wilderness in winter or summer.
Season dates
Full-Service
May 19, 2023 - October 14, 2023
January 11, 2024 – March 9, 2024
Canoes, kayaks, paddleboards
Showers
Meals included
Wood-fired sauna
Snowshoes
Cross-country ski out your cabin’s front door, fly-fish the West Branch of the Pleasant River, or hike to Laurie’s Ledge on Indian Mountain for stunning views. Guests can enjoy our comfortable lodge with fireplace and deck year-round and our staff is always available to assist you with trip planning, weather reports, and trail information. And you can bring your best friend – dogs are welcome at Little Lyford year-round.
In summer, complimentary canoes and kayaks are available for guests to use on Little Lyford Ponds. Additional canoes are available at several remote ponds, accessible by car and a short hike.
In winter, ski or snowshoe from your cabin door onto our extensive groomed trail network. Travel to Gulf Hagas, the Appalachian Trail, or Gorman Chairback Lodge. The lodge-to-lodge trail network is groomed and offers full day adventures replete with magnificent views and moose tracks. Included gear shuttle, transports your gear to your destination so you can ski or snowshoe with just a day pack. Complimentary snowshoes are available for use.
Learn more about preparing for your winter stay. Winter Roads & Trail Access map.
- All cabins share a central bathhouse with hot showers and a wood-burning sauna
- During both the summer and winter seasons, all cabins and bunkhouse beds include a pillow with case and wool blankets. All guests should bring a sleeping bag or linens, and a bath towel. Be aware that cabins are heated by wood stoves, but they do get cold.
- Dinner, breakfast, and a trail lunch are included in your nightly rate. Made-to-order trail lunches are available at breakfast. Dinner includes soup or salad, entrée, and dessert. Guests can purchase beer and wine with their meals. BYOB is no longer be permitted in the main lodge area. Guests are welcome to BYOB in the firepit area.
Please notify AMC Contact Service Center if you have food allergies or other dietary needs.
Learn more about AMC’s cancellation policies for lodging and programs.
All Seasons
The lodge is available by car from the spring season through fall, and accessible only by ski, snowshoe, or dogsled in the winter season.
In all seasons, accessing Little Lyford requires travel on gravel logging roads. Logging vehicles have the right of way. Conditions can be rough and low clearance vehicles are not recommended. All wheel drive is recommended during wet, snowy, or icy conditions. There is no fuel available once you leave the paved roads.
Driving directions are available here. Please print or download these directions before your trip, as cell service is unreliable in the Maine Woods. Note that when “roads” are referenced, these are not plowed and are used as trails in winter. View Winter Roads & Trail Access map. GPS is available throughout the region, and your car/smartphone/handheld device will be able to track your location as long as you have your location setting enabled. If you are using an app on your mobile device, navigation functionality may depend on the particular app you are using. AMC recommends that you use the AvenzaMaps mobile app to load a digital map of the 100-mile wilderness region (AMC Maine Mountain Guide map #2) into your device while you have internet/data connectivity. The app is free and map downloads may cost a few dollars. The map will display with your location even if you lose cellular service.
For up-to-date information on road conditions, please contact AMC’s Contact Service Center (603-466-2727) or the AMC Greenville Office (207-695-3085).
Spring - Fall Seasons
Little Lyford is located in the KI Jo-Mary Forest, a multi-use forest owned by a consortium of landowners. The roads are gated, and access through the checkpoints (Hedgehog and Katahdin Ironworks) is only allowed between the hours of 6 a.m. and 9 p.m. Access fees are included in your lodging rates. Please bring a copy of your AMC reservation confirmation letter to show at the gatehouse.
Certain vehicle types (such as some RVs and motorcycles) are restricted or prohibited. Click here for KI Jo-Mary Rules and Regulations.
Winter Season
Access to Little Lyford in winter is by ski, snowshoe, or dogsled only, starting at the AMC winter parking lot. Be sure to pack a full-size snow shovel to leave in your car in case you need to shovel out after fresh snowfall.
At AMC’s winter parking lot, you’ll leave your luggage in our clearly-marked gear sheds, where our staff will pick up your bags and transport them to your destination. Trail conditions will be posted at the trailhead, and free paper maps are available.
From the winter parking lot, the ski to Little Lyford is 7 miles via Hedgehog Gate Trail or 6.2 miles via KI & Upper Valley Road.
Nearby hikes
- 1.9-mile Pond Loop Trail
- 3-mile Laurie’s Ledge climb
- Gulf Hagas/The Hermitage - dubbed the “Grand Canyon of Maine”
For other trip ideas and detailed route information, please inquire with our Maine staff or purchase AMC’s Maine Mountain Guide or 100-Mile Wilderness Map and Guide.
Little Lyford Lodge offers one ADA accessible cabin. The bathhouse, sauna, and main lodge are also ADA accessible. There are grassy and hardened gravel paths throughout camp that are packed snow in winter.
Service Animals
Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), businesses and organizations that serve the public must allow people with disabilities to bring their service animals into all areas of the facility where customers are normally allowed to go. This federal law applies to all businesses open to the public, including AMC managed lodging and visitor centers, where service animals are welcomed.
A service animal at AMC facilities must be under the control of its handler. Under the ADA, service animals must be harnessed, leashed, or tethered, unless the individual’s disability prevents using these devices or these devices interfere with the service animal’s safe, effective performance of tasks. In that case, the individual must maintain control of the animal through voice, signal, or other effective controls.
These rules do not apply to emotional support animals because they have not been trained to perform a specific job or task, they do not qualify as service animals under the ADA.
For more information about our policies, click here.
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Our Commitment to Sustainable Operations
AMC has a long-standing commitment to using its huts, lodges, and sporting camps as models for sustainable operations and environmental stewardship. At Little Lyford Lodge and Cabins we have solar panels, compost leftover food and recycle.