Start of the Trail

“Start of the Trail: The story of a young Maine guide” was the third book written by popular Maine author Louise Dickinson Rich, her first novel. This captivating fictional story of a young Maine guide was published in 1949, and continues to entertain a few lucky young readers of Maine outdoor fiction today.

Here’s an overview:

Young Bill Gordon is at a high point in his life. He’s just graduated from high school down in the settlement and is back to spend the summer among the lakes and forests that surround his family’s home in the remote woods of Maine. Bill’s father Les Gordon is a State of Maine Game Warden – one of the best. He’s known for his honesty, strong work ethic and “no nonsense” attitude toward poachers. Bill hopes to someday afford college so that he can someday become a game warden, but that will have to wait.

This summer, Bill has other things in mind. He’s just received his license from the State of Maine that qualifies him as a Registered Maine Guide. It’s a huge step for Bill, something the 18 year old has always dreamed of.

Bill spends the summer guiding fishermen and other recreationists for the local sporting camp owner. He meets new friends and shares experiences with them catching fish and enjoying the outdoors in a wild setting only broken by anglers, guides, wardens and lumbermen.

Meanwhile, the story of Bill’s father Les and his nemesis, tough old French Canadian poacher Pete LaFlemme, unfolds. The battle between warden and poacher comes to a head during the driest summer in Maine, in a remote, forbidden land where Bill, his father, the poacher, guides, sports, lumbermen and firefighters are all brought together to fight a monumental wildfire.

Will Les take Pete in? Will Bill and his crew make it out of the forbidden country? Will the fire be stopped? Louise Dickinson Rich really made a great story out of this one, and you’ll enjoy it every step of the way.

I first read “Start of the Trail” as a high school student with ambitions of becoming a Registered Maine Guide. I could really relate to Bill’s story and found it incredibly entertaining. As an adult, I still love reading the story, and hope to someday share it with my kids.

The end of the book leaves the reader wishing there were more Bill Gordon stories. There is one. “Trail to the North: A Bill Gordon Story” is the sequel to “Start of the Trail”, and the only other Bill Gordon book Rich wrote. For years I didn’t know “Trail to the North” existed, and when I found out it did, the book was tough to find. I finally have a copy, and I wrote a review of the book here.