Walker's Falls

From front to back: My sister, myself, my mom, and my aunt

     Everyone has a place that feels like home. A place you can go to relax and have all your problems melt away. For me, it has always been Walkers Falls Campground in Brownfield, Maine. This campground has been a part of my family since my mom was 13, swimming and camping as a girl scout all those years ago. Now, my sister and I have been going there since I could barely walk. All the while, we’ve been running the campground alongside other caretakers who volunteer to keep the camp that we all love up and running. This has been a family affair for the last 16 years at the least. My family goes up to care take for the campground alongside my aunts and my cousins and head caretaker Lorry.
   Walker's Falls is located on the Saco River, more specifically on the Walker’s Rips. The camp consists of 6-8 wooden shelters or lean-tos that are completely off the grid. Water to wash or eat has to be brought with you on your kayak or canoe or gathered from the Saco River and boiled. Also, if you plan to make a trip down the river and camp at Walker’s Falls, make sure to remember your bug spray! My recommendation is to make your trip late in the summer when the horseflies and mosquitos aren’t as bad. I can attest to the fact that Walker’s Falls is not for the faint of heart but, once you immerse yourself in what the camp can offer, you’ll never want to leave.
 

Walker's Rips can be seen in the far back.

 Now, a word of advice for those of you who haven’t taken a trip down the Saco River before: Walker’s Rips and Walker’s Bridge are two completely different places. There used to be a covered bridge many many years ago that covered the rips but, sadly over time it broke down and now all that's left to show in its place are giant boulders. This seems to be where people notice that this is in fact not Walker's Bridge. I don’t think I could count the number of times I’ve had to bring the bad news to a group of people who were supposed to be meeting the canoe rental company that they indeed went too far. The water’s current can be so rough that it’s nearly impossible to go backwards towards their true destination, so be careful. The river is so horribly marked that you don’t know when you’ve met Walker’s Bridge until it’s too late.
   Walker's Falls is such a beautiful place that I can say from experience, will only make you want to stay longer. Whether it's because of the warm beaches, cool water, fishing, camp fires, canoeing, kayaking, or the multiple rope swings found along the river, once you visit you'll never want to leave the calming waters of the Saco River.