Rules & Information

Amenities at a Glance

• Sleeps 6 · 2 bedrooms (queen; 2 singles) + sofa bed · 1 full bath · ~800 sq ft
• Full kitchen: gas range & oven, refrigerator, microwave, cookware & dishware (no dishwasher)
• Gigabit fiber WiFi (“GuestLodge” networks)
• 52-inch TV in the living room — Apple TV, Roku, DVD/Blu-ray & a movie collection
• 40-inch TV in the master bedroom with the same setup
• Central heat and central air conditioning
• Hand-built stone fireplace — firewood provided
• Linens and towels provided · books, board games & children’s library
• No washer/dryer at the Lodge — Depot Laundry in nearby Farmington (wash-and-fold & self-service) is our recommended option
• Private swimming dock, swim raft & sandy beach
• 7 kayaks (4 adult, 3 kids), rowboat & the 1960s Grumman canoe · life preservers & canoe cushions
• 7 red Adirondack chairs by the water (4 adult, 3 kids)
• 4-ft-wide wooden steps to the water & walkway to the outdoor shower
• Enclosed outdoor shower with dressing room (Memorial Day–Labor Day)
• Weber gas grill & Weber charcoal grill · deck with picnic table
• Parking at the Lodge · trailer parking at the top of the hill
• Private hiking/riding trails · ride-out ATV access
• Dog friendly (housebroken, well-behaved dogs)
• Smoke & CO detectors · fire extinguisher

General

1. Please do not light candles in the Lodge.
2. No smoking in or around the Lodge or anywhere on the property.
3. No fireworks or sparklers.
4. No outdoor fires.
5. No hunting or trapping on Lodge property, with or without a license.
6. Please respect all wildlife. In particular, please stay at least 250 feet from the loons’ floating nest on the lake — give them plenty of space.
7. This is black-bear country: please don’t leave food, coolers, or trash outside, and bring any trash in overnight.
8. No dogs on beds or furniture.
9. If something is lost or damaged, please report it promptly so we can fix or replace it. If anything about the property or amenities isn’t right, please tell us that too.
10. Please leave everything as you found it — furniture inside and out, the boats, and so on.

Outdoor Shower

1. Please use only biodegradable soaps and shampoos.
2. The outdoor shower is open Memorial Day through Labor Day (it is winterized the rest of the season).

On the Lake

1. Swim and use the swimming dock at your own risk — there is no lifeguard on duty.
2. Use the canoe, rowboat, and kayaks at your own risk.
3. No motors of any kind — gas or electric — on our boats or on the lake.
4. Maine law requires a wearable life preserver on board for every person in the boat. Children ten and under must wear a life preserver at all times on all watercraft. Please follow all boating rules and regulations.
5. The canoe cushions (also flotation devices) do not count as wearable life preservers.
6. After every use, take the canoe, rowboat, and kayaks out of the water and set them upside down safely on shore — where they can’t slide back in, fill with rain, or rub a hole against a rock.
7. Fishing in Santa Claus Lake requires a Maine state license — buy one online at maine.gov and print it out.

ATVs, Side-by-Sides & Trails

1. Riders welcome! The Lodge is in the town of Temple, where ATVs, quads, and side-by-sides are allowed on the public roads — giving the Lodge direct ride-out access to the Temple Trail Riders club trails, which connect to Maine’s statewide ATV trail network. In winter, the same club network is open to snowmobiling.
2. There is room to park trailers at the top of the hill by the Lodge.
3. The property also has a significant network of private trails, open to guests for hiking and for quad / side-by-side riding.
4. All machines must be registered in Maine (non-residents included) and operated in accordance with Maine ATV law. Riders and passengers under 18 must wear helmets.
5. All riding — on public roads, club trails, and the property’s own trails — is at your own risk.
6. Stay on marked trails. Club trails cross private land by the generosity of landowners — please treat them accordingly.
7. Please keep speed and engine noise down near the Lodge, the lake, and the neighbors, especially early and late in the day.

Fireplace

1. Please read the directions before using the fireplace — how to light it and how to control the burn. Use no more than three pieces of wood at a time.
2. No cooking on the indoor fireplace (s’mores, popcorn, etc.).
3. More firewood is outside under the tarp to the right of the Lodge (standing in the driveway circle, facing the Lodge).
4. Never leave a fire unattended, and make sure it is completely out before sleeping or leaving. Do not put water in the fireplace.

Grilling

1. For safety, don’t use the grill under the covered part of the porch, and keep it clear of the Lodge and deck railing.
2. We don’t provide charcoal or lighter fluid — both are available locally at Walmart or Hannaford’s.
3. The propane safety shutoff is the grey box on the outside of the handrail. Please turn it off when you’re done.

Kitchen

1. Please don’t place anything hot directly on the countertop or dining table — use the iron trivets or a double-thick dish towel.
2. Extra paper towels, toilet paper, and placemats are inside the bench at the dining table.

Water & Septic

1. The Lodge shares its well with a neighbor. Please make sure the toilet doesn’t run, faucets are fully off, and water isn’t wasted.
2. The Lodge is on a septic system: nothing down the toilet but toilet paper, and no food scraps or grease down the kitchen drain.

Heat & Air Conditioning

1. Central A/C and central heat share the thermostat on the living-room wall. Set a max high temperature (A/C kicks in) and a max low (heat kicks in); the “auto” fan setting is usually best.
2. The old attic-fan switch in the kitchen no longer connects to anything — the fan was removed when central A/C went in.

Internet

1. Use any network beginning with “GuestLodge” — the password is posted inside the Lodge. We have fully symmetrical gigabit fiber internet; “GuestLodgeFiber” is generally the fastest.

Safety, Liability & Good Neighbors

1. All use of the property and its amenities — including the swimming dock and beach, all watercraft, the wooden steps and walkways, the trails, the fireplace, the grills, and ATV riding — is at your own risk. To the fullest extent permitted by Maine law, the owners are not liable for injury, loss, or damage arising from your stay.
2. By staying at the Lodge, you and your party agree to hold the owners harmless from claims arising out of your use of the property and its amenities.
3. Maximum overnight occupancy is six. Only registered guests may stay overnight; no parties or events without the owners’ prior written permission.
4. No tents, campers, or RVs on the property as additional lodging.
5. No subletting or re-renting. The booking guest is responsible for the conduct of everyone in the party, including day visitors.
6. Children must be supervised by an adult at all times — especially near the water, on the dock and steps, and around the fireplace and grills.
7. Smoke and carbon-monoxide detectors are installed for your safety — please do not disable them or remove batteries.
8. The owners may enter the property to make emergency or urgent repairs, with as much notice as circumstances allow.
9. Personal property and vehicles are at the guest’s own risk. Travel insurance is always a good idea.
10. The Lodge is reached by a mile and a half of dirt road: in mud season and severe weather, travel at your own judgment, and know that brief power outages happen in the Maine woods.
11. Maine law restricts moving untreated firewood into the state — please burn the firewood provided rather than bringing your own from out of state.
12. Quiet hours are 10:00 PM to 8:00 AM — sound carries a long way across the water.
13. These rules are part of your rental agreement. Serious violations may end a stay early without refund. Maine law governs your stay.