Welcome to The Loons' Lair on peaceful Minnehonk Lake in Mount Vernon, Maine! We hope you and/or your family will consider making this your vacation home away from home. The Loons' Lair, a 3-season cottage, is a great place for a spring or summer vacation, or a jumping off point for viewing the fall colors against the backdrop of beautiful lakes and classic New England villages. When you arrive at The Loons' Lair, you will immediately find yourself unwinding as you listen to the rustle of the trees and the lapping of the lake on the shore, maybe even the haunting call of the loons. About a 25 minute drive the Maine capital of Augusta, The Loons's Lair is located on quiet dead end road in the small village of Mount Vernon. The year-round and seasonal neighbors along the road friendly but not intrusive. We created a space that is family friendly for all ages. We have a portable crib and other small child equipment available for your use, as well as books, games, and puzzles for all ages for the occasional rainy day. Minnehonk Lake is a small lake, most suitable for wind or human-powered watercraft, or perhaps a boat with a small trolling motor. This means you don't have to listen to loud power boats all day. We have a canoe available for guest use, and you are welcome to bring boats for your own use. The property is on the lake with steps down to the dock. There are a few feet of shallow shore before the depth drops off steeply, so flotation devices are recommended for children non-swimmers. We do have some available in various sizes for guests. Guests will have sole access to the entire property and lake front. I will be your point of contact prior to your visit. There is a key box so you can let yourself in whenever you might arrive. Any needs during your visit will be handled by our local property managers Sandi & Jeff Wiles. They operate the Pine Bluff Farm and Farm Store just a couple miles away. Sandi may stop by in the first day or two of your visit to check in. Mount Vernon is a traditional New England village located in the Belgrade Lakes area about 25 minutes from the Maine capitol of Augusta, and the same from University of Maine, Farmington. There is an excellent library, Scapes Cafe, a general store, an art gallery and a couple antique shops in town (hours vary seasonally). All are about a one mile walk from The Loons' Lair. Every Saturday morning at the community center there is a pay-what-you-can breakfast. It's a great time to meet people, both local and visiting, and learn more about the area. There are also numerous other interesting artists and businesses operated from homes nearby. A current business directory is available at the cottage. Farther afield you can visit the town of Belgrade for additional dining and shopping (10-15 minutes), or go to Farmington for shopping, a movie or events presented by University of Maine, Farmington. Augusta has most of the services and amenities of a small city, as well as chain and 'big box' stores. This is a rural setting with no public transportation. Please be aware that the two bunk beds are shorter and narrower than standard twin beds. They are approximately 5'9" long and 30" wide. They are perfectly comfortable for an average sized person. Please note that the water in the cottage comes directly from Minnehonk Lake. It is suitable for bathing, cleaning, and even brushing your teeth. It is not recommended that you drink it. You may bring your own bottled water, or be like a local and drive to a tested spring just a few miles north in the village of Vienna for clear fresh water from nature. We make every effort to make your stay pleasant and trouble free. But please be aware that nature has it's own agenda. We recommend keeping food stored in a way to discourage mice. Especially in the fall they will come in looking for a warm place to spend the winter, but they can appear at any time. We do not leave out traps or poison because many of our guests have children or pets who could be harmed. When there are lots of trees, power outages are a real possibility, especially if it is stormy during your stay. We provide flashlights and lanterns, and both the heating and cooking stoves can be operated without electricity. Return to service status can be obtained from Central Maine Power. If it will be an extended outage we will refund you any nights you are unable to stay in the cabin.