Amazing Glamping Retreat on an Island: Charming Tree House in Monmouth, Maine

Description

This off-the-grid unique home is perched on a 14-acre island 1/2 mile from shore on Lake Annabessacook. The 900 sq. ft. octagonal home, built around a live Red Oak tree, is designed to make your stay comfortable amid the forest canopy.

Adventure! Canoe around the island, and enjoy the sights and sounds of Maine's natural beauty: fresh air, clean water, and the songs of the loons.
Serving the naturally curious since 2015.

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The Oaktagon Tree House on 1 Big Sustainable Island is an octagonal home that gets its name from the live Red Oak tree (her name is Annie) that grows through the middle of the home. It's a great place to enjoy a family vacation, host a gathering, or just unplug from the hustle and bustle. Step inside and you will be awestruck by the sweet pine panel aroma and the sounds of living in the canopy.

It has an open cathedral living/dining room with a fold-out futon, a small breakfast table and a large dining table that seats six. Electricity is limited to the solar lighting system, so bring a battery to recharge your phone.

RETURNING GUESTS: We appreciate folks who return year after year. Remind us of your last stay and we'll honor last year's nightly rates. If you are looking for an exception to our minimum night requirements, please reach out.

MINIMUM NIGHT STAY EXCEPTIONS: If you are looking for an exception to the minimum night stay requirements for last minute reservations, we do that. Please just send us a message and we'll do our best to fit you in for a super short stay.

COOKING OPTIONS: Cooking is easy, so pack light. A compact and complete kitchen has all the cooking utensils you will need to prepare meals -- just bring a cooler with your favorite food, a block of ice, and we'll provide the kitchen to get the food prep done. We supply: kitchen utensils, dishes, pots and pans, French press, coffee, tea, sugar, salt, pepper, and drinking water from our homestead well. You also can cook on the gas grill with a side burner that’s on the back deck, or over an open fire.

A small indoor 1/2 bath adds modern convenience to the experience. It is equipped with a composting toilet and hand sink. Take a hot shower (available May 1 - October 15) in a separate, shared building a few steps down the path.

Warm your hands and feet in front of the small woodstove - kindling, and firewood come with the accommodations. (You can't visit Maine without at least seeing a woodstove!). Use it for cooking, creating some ambiance, or just taking the chill off a cool evening breeze.

Sleep soundly in the queen size comfy bed in the sleeping loft that is made up with extra blankets and a comforter. The futon couch converts to a queen size bed in the living room. Another lounging option is to linger in the indoor hammock that you can attach to the tree in the living room. Island life is barely "roughing it", even though there is no grid-electricity and running water.

OUTSIDE THE OAKTAGON:

The large deck looks into the canopy. It is perfect for grilling and enjoying an outdoor meal, bird watching, and having a firefly counting contest. There is also an outdoor fire pit, complete with plenty of free firewood to enjoy a fire while enjoying an evening breeze.

The Oaktagon comes equipped with a few fishing poles and a small tackle box with an assortment of jigs, flies, and line. You are welcome to use them -- just be sure to get a fishing permit before you do so you can be on the right side of Maine's fishing laws. Annabessacook is known as a world class bass fishery -- we don't even have to stock 'em -- it's that good!

FREE STUFF: Every Maine Island adventure includes: camp chairs, unlimited firewood, lantern, fire starter, matches, canoe or kayaks with life vests and gear. Explore Annabessacook Lake! On the island there is a rope swing, a mile of walking paths, benches and hammocks.

VACATIONING WITH YOUR DOG? Send us a request! The Oaktagon is pet-friendly for most of our furry friends. The dog fee is $30 per night per dog. Request permission by sending us a picture and brief description of each dog's demeanor toward other pups and humans. During the day, dogs should be leashed as there might be others visiting the island.
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Guests enjoy exclusive access to the Oaktagon Tree House where they can enjoy privacy and shared access to 1 Big Sustainable Island.

There's lots to do on 1 Big Sustainable Island and (as has been the tradition for generations in the neighborhood) visitors are encouraged to stop by (so expect some company from the neighborhood on the island during daylight -- after dark, however, the island is closed to the public). Activities in these shared areas include:

Hiking or walking on more than a mile of trails
Swimming
Swinging off the rope swing at the lake's edge
Cooking over an open fire
Watching the sunset from Sunset Rock
Resting in one of the hammocks sprinkled about the island
Fishing off the dock

We are happy to provide safe luggage storage so you can enjoy free early arrival or free late departure. Guests can take advantage of the shared areas and activities either before check in or after check out.
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Annabessacook Lake is our 1400 acre backyard of clear water, good fishing, and great neighbors. Whether they are year-round residents, summer vacationers, or visitors, most folks you'll meet will tell you that they have been coming here since they were a kid.
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Getting to the Island: You’ve got check in options

CHECK IN YOURSELF by:

* Bringing your own boat or boat plane - we have a public boat launch, free parking for your rig at our place, and free island dock space available.
* Paddling yourself - Take one of our canoes or kayaks and paddle the 30 minute trip across the lake to your stay. We can shuttle your gear on the next ferry if you want. Or,

CHECK IN WITH FERRY SERVICE:

Free ferry service to the island runs at:
* 9:45 Early Arrival - We’ll shuttle you to 1 Big Sustainable Island early and while your stay is being prepared, you can begin your “Island Time” early. We’ll safely stow your gear and let you know as soon as your accommodations are ready.

* 3pm and 5pm - With the standard checkin ferry, we’ll move your crew and your gear to the island and help get you settled in.

Pre-arranged Ferry Service is available at other times for a one-way Fee. All paddled boats need to be off the water by sundown. Seats on all of our ferry services are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis, so it's important to make your reservation early. We'll transport your gear and all your guests on this 10 minute private boat ride.

FREE PARKING: Park in our private parking area for free. Cart your gear to our dock and begin your "Island Time" journey.
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OUTHOUSAPHOBES: We're with you!
New guests might wonder about our island, off-the-grid bathrooms. Rest assured that our compost toilets are designed with usability in mind. They smell great!

We have all been to rural outhouses where this is not the case. It's the number 1 complaint (or is that #2?). Which is why, when we built each of our toilets facilities, we did something different. Through management of airflow, separation of liquids from solids, application of saw dust, and optimizing the force of gravity, we have a composting toilet system that has been in place for years with very little odor and maximum sanitation. So rest easy: if a member of your party is an "outhousaphobe", know that so are we!

CAN'T FIND THE DATES YOU'RE LOOKING FOR?
Check out all our Maine Island eco-retreat listings at 1 Big Sustainable Island.

LOOKING FOR A SHORT STAY?
So that guests looking for longer stays have options, our minimum night stay (MNS) requirements tend to start high and then fade away. So if you've got a quick stay in mind and are surprised by our MNS requirements, please check back with us. The closer we get to an empty night, the more flexible we will be.

Packing Advice for glampers: PACK LIGHT!

WHAT SHOULD I BRING?
• Cooler with ice (We'll replace thawed ice for FREE)
• Favorite foods and beverages
• Battery charger and cable for your cell phone
• Sunscreen and bug repellent
• Layers of warm clothing
• Headlamp or flashlight with extra batteries
• Fishing permit, if you plan to fish
• Slippers or heavy sock for indoors (shoes get left at the door)
• Water shoes for swimming
• Curiosity

Our Rates include:
• Free canoes, kayaks, paddles and life vests
• Dock access
• Hammock
• Camp chairs
• Unlimited firewood
• Out door fire pit
• Indoor woodstove
• Adjustable grill for cooking over the fire
• Gas grill with side burner
• Pots, pans
• Dishes
• Utensils
• Biodegradable soap
• Sheets
• Towels
• Playing Cards
• Lanterns

WiFi and Cell Service
Most cell providers register 3 bars and 5G on the island . If you have a smartphone, then you can get to the internet! Be sure to bring back up batteries for your phone. We offer a mobile hotspot device with an extra battery upon request!
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Our Island-Life Vacationing Manual has all of our hints, tips, and rules for experiencing a memorable and inspiring island vacation. Let us know if you would like a copy. And here is the fine print. We are strict about our House Rules and the additional rules below because we want folks to have a safe, enjoyable, peaceful island adventure. Like most people, we don't like surprises, but we do like questions, so if you have any about our house rules, feel free to ask beforehand. We do not allow parties. All overnight guests must be registered within the reservation request. Day visitor guests must be pre-cleared before inviting them over. All occupants of our canoes and kayaks are required to wear life vests. All boats are required to be off the water by dark. When checking a boat out you must text message Kent. When returning a boat, a text message to Kent is required. There is no smoking allowed in any structure. Smoking is allowed only outside, provided that smokers clean up. Our smoking damage fee is $ 300. Illegal substances and fireworks are prohibited at all times. Please remove the footwear at the door. Fires in the fire ring shall be attended to at all times.

A bucket of lake water should be filled and available whenever fires are active. Fires in the wood stove should not exceed 375 degrees Active wood stoves should be attended to at all times. Smelly garbage must be disposed of in the garbage cans outside. Quiet hours are from 9 pm to 8 am. No personal items should be left in shared spaces. All requests for pets (service animals and others) are required at the time of booking. All dogs shall be on leash at all times. The lost key charge is $50. All guests are liable for any damage to the buildings and common areas, including legal fees.

Book your dream holiday glamping rental near Monmouth today!