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    Range Ponds State Park

    4.7 (12 reviews)
    Closed 9:00 am - 4:30 pm
    Updated 1 month ago

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    Sand, water, trees, kids playing

    No lifeguards here for a Saturday. Some trash on the beach. Kayakers and paddle boarders are getting close to the buoys. The playground is always crowded and the kids push and shove. No parents watch their kids over there.

    Time for some sun!
    Karac N.

    Love this place. One of the most relaxing places in Maine! We take our kids here basically every other weekend in the summer. Making a 45 minute drive, when there are beaches 10 minutes away, should show how awesome this place is! The kids love it, more than the ocean. The calmness of the water, and the fact that the water tends to be quite a bit warmer definitely adds to the awesomeness. Add in the fact there is still nice squishy sand between your toes, and it's like the beach but on steroids. A lifeguard is present to help keep the kids safe, and even when it is busy, there is still a sense of calm. There are people cooking out, relaxing in the sun, swimming in the warm water... everyone is just having a great time when they are here. Awesome people watching as well, always some kayakers and paddle boarders to watch. The bathrooms and changing rooms are always clean and well maintained. The foot washing stations on the way out are better than any I've seen anywhere else, and the nice wooden walkway is fantastic for after you wash off. Hate those beaches where you wash off then continue to walk through the sand! Head here, but get here early. This place can fill up on the sunny Saturday's, so I suggest being here by 9am. Get your spot and relax the day away. You won't be sad you did!

    Such a gorgeous day!! Range Pond State Park
    Cindi W.

    I had the whole park to myself it seemed. Sparkling autumn day and crisp air. Nice trails and they put up some newer signs. I hiked on both areas of the park. Such a great place the best escape ever in Maine.

    Trails galore!
    ButtAh f.

    This place is truly lovely! It's so close to Portland yet you feel so removed from the urban bustle. We came to picnic and kayak and we happily succeeded. This place is gorgeous and welcoming... Busy but not crowded. Great place to spend a summer afternoon. Definitely recommend this place.

    Range lake with the grandkids.   Above average water quality.   Oh yeah.  88 and humidity. Nice breeze.

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    7 months ago

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    10 years ago

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    7 years ago

    Crowded! Often no lifeguard. High fees. Water is clean. Bathroom needs to be updated. Best part is it is close to home.

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    10 years ago

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    Ask the Community - Range Ponds State Park

    Review Highlights - Range Ponds State Park

    Accessible beach with a paved promenade and even has a water wheelchair and dock for access into the pond.

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    Mount Apatite

    Mount Apatite

    (3 reviews)

    Mount Apatite is unlike many other networks of trails as it offers some really interesting…read moreabandoned quarries. These mining areas used to be rich in apatite and tourmaline, but mostly are abundant in quartz and mica now. You will for sure see families chipping away at boulders and panning in the water for gems and even gold. There was an area where you could crawl into the ground/under the enormous boulders and see a car-sized quartz amidst tree roots. Very, very cool. As was the beach-like/snow-like slag piles and the opportunity to get pretty high on the quarry ledges. I do a lot of hiking/nature walks/trail exploration and my biggest frustration with Mount Apatite is the underwhelming amount of signage. For example, there's no kiosk with a trail map; this wouldn't necessarily be a problem if the trails were properly marked, but they're not and there's only two: blue and red. The blue trail is 99% marked; the red trail is 99% not marked. Despite being seasoned, we still somehow ended up in people's backyards more than once. Just some "Private Property" signs on those dead end trails, or even some wooden signs pointing to the quarries or height of land would be appreciated. Also - the abundance of trash was pretty off-putting. CARRY IN, CARRY OUT. The amount of plastic bottles, Dunkin cups, and food wrappers was astounding. All in all, I probably wouldn't explore this particular spot again, but definitely love that such an expansive, unique spot exists in Auburn.

    Need an adventure that not only takes you past military vehicles, hikes you up a small mountain,…read morebut also gives you a mining experience?? This is the place! With a short walk straight up the main trail you will find numerous dig spots that hold numerous types of rocks including Apatite, Tourmaline, and Quartz. Some of the quarries have filled with water and are speckled with frogs and other creatures. This became a fascination to my friend's son who I had with me as the frogs were in their froglet stage. He spent time counting and recounting how many he could see (we got up to 40), skipping rocks, and walking around the edge to explore. We hit up several dig spots, each one of them was cooler than the previous according to my buddy. There was many "Whoa, Miss Mary, check this one out". We brought garden tools to chip away and dig up our treasures. Our last spot we hit also had a nice view of the Auburn area. On the way down we explored one of the many side trails that many mountain bikers use. I guess I see a reason to coming back soon!

    Raymond Community Forest

    Raymond Community Forest

    (1 review)

    I feel the need to preface all of my nature reviews with this: being 90% forested and having around…read more3500 miles of coastline, Maine has a tremendous amount of spaces, walkways, paths, and trails of all kinds and of all levels. There's something for everyone. What I'm reviewing is how a spot compares to similar outdoor spots in my personal opinion. Being in nature - and remembering to carry in, carry out - is always five stars! :) Parking? Yes. Loop trail? Yes. Well marked signs? Yes. Element of surprise? Yes. If you're looking for a morning/afternoon hike not too far out of Portland - or, are visiting the Sebago Lake area - I'd strongly recommend this place over other spots (I'm looking at you, Douglas Mountain). Actually, come both here and Rattlesnake Mountain via Bri-Mar Trail for a really lovely day in the woods (especially in the autumn)! Raymond Community Forest offers a network of around 3.5 miles of trails. There are four main paths: - Spiller Homestead Loop (around 1 mile; it leaves from the parking lot and is mostly a flat walk through the woods - I often see families here). - Grape Expectations (around 1 mile; it extends off Spiller and is more mostly flat woods walking) - Pismire Bluff Trail (.7 miles; it's across the street and goes directly uphill - expect rooty trails and some minor rock scrambling - to Pismere Bluff which overlooks Crescent Lake) - The Highlands Loop Trail (around 1 mile; it extends off Pismire and offers some rooty, windy woods walking) If you love taking long walks in the woods or birdwatching, definitely check out Spiller, Grape, and Highlands trails (the first two include randomly placed placards with information about local flora and fauna). If you're looking for a quick workout to get your heart pumping, go straight to Pismire. The view really is exceptional, but it's important to note that there isn't a lot of space on the rocks (reminder that a "bluff" is a broad, rounded cliff that appears to be higher than it actually is) to enjoy said view. So come early, or be patient as people enjoy themselves, the surrounding landscape, and maybe breakfast too (I hiked up here once with an iced coffee and croissants... totally doable!). Please note: this area is full of hunters starting in October. WEAR BLAZE ORANGE. WEAR BLAZE ORANGE. WEAR BLAZE ORANGE.

    Bri-Mar Trail

    Bri-Mar Trail

    (1 review)

    I feel the need to preface all of my nature reviews with this: being 90% forested and having around…read more3500 miles of coastline, Maine has a tremendous amount of spaces, walkways, paths, and trails of all kinds and of all levels. There's something for everyone. What I'm reviewing is how a spot compares to similar outdoor spots in my personal opinion. Being in nature - and remembering to carry in, carry out - is always five stars! :) Parking? *Extremely* limited. Loop trail? No. Well marked signs? Sporadically.. Element of surprise? Kind of. There's no view from the summit of this mountain. It's just a sign in some trees that says RATTLESNAKE MTN, ELEV, 1035FT. That being said: the views from the trail (which is around 2.5 miles back and out again) up to the summit - specifically the second ledge you'll come to - are absolutely stunning! It looks out over Panther Pond, Sebago Lake, Crescent Lake, and into Maine's mountains. No matter what time of year you come, it's really something special. (That being said, there really is no reason to walk the extra half mile to the summit, unless you're the completionist/achievement hunter type I guess... I mean, I am). The ledges overlooking the scenic views can be slippery when wet, so please be careful! Some other things to know: 1. There's maybe four parking spaces here, and they *will* tow if you aren't in one of them. 2. Dog are *not* allowed. 3. This has some mild rooty areas, but I wouldn't say it's very rock-scrambly.

    Range Ponds State Park - hiking - Updated May 2026

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