We camped at Rangeley for the 4th of July in our pop-up. We had site 20 which was nice (water and…read moreelectric) but we wished we were across the street because those sites have water views and some have access paths through the trees. Try site 19. But no hook-ups over there. The bathrooms were nice and clean, and the dishwashing station was too. The best hike in the area is Bald Mountain. They sell ice and wood at the ranger station.

Edie was so wonderful, she helped me change our reservation when our camp for tonight was…read morecancelled, due to floods. She got us in and we are here for two nights instead of sleeping in the Walmart parking lot.

This is the perfect picnic spot: picnic tables; Public restroom; hiking in the woods; a beautiful…read moreview; and the soothing sounds of a waterfall. THE DEAL: this park is free and open to the public!

Gorgeous little rest stop area, bathroom is a bit dirty but the natural beauty definitely makes up…read morefor it. Has a little firepit/grille setup that's great for small cook fires.

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? Sort of. Loop trail? Yes. Well marked signs? Yes. Element of surprise? Yes. What. A. Find. Whenever I'm journeying around Maine (checking out state parks or Atlas Obscura recommended spots), I try and also find a few trails or hiking spots to check out (because the state is huge, and when I'm in an area I'm not usually in, I want to discover spots I wouldn't otherwise!). Reynolds Forest was the best part of my day! In fact, one of the most standout spots I've been to in a while! According to the Kennebec Land Trust website (https://www.tklt.org/reynolds), "This 35 acre parcel provides visitors excellent birding opportunities, interesting wildflowers and floodplain species, and views of the powerful brook (now called Goff Brook), with its foaming water roaring over exposed rocks into stone-lined pools. Part of the conservation property not visible from the trail has seen an increase in invasive Japanese knotweed and non-native bush honeysuckle, and has served as a field research site for Colby College students studying invasive plant control methods." There's some parking off the shoulder of the main road, and the walk into the woods alongside Goff Brook is lovely. It's not long before you can suddenly hear the roaring of the (small, but mighty) waterfalls (which was once used for saw and grist mills. We made sure to come after a couple days of rain and it was worth it! We gently navigated out to some exposed rocks and sat in the sun, near the falls, surrounded by tall trees for a long time. Perfect spot for a picnic (and... I think we also spotted some foragers too). There's also a small Old Farm Loop Trail that passes by fields and an old foundation a little further beyond the Streamside Trail. BEWARE OF TICKS. BEWARE OF POISON IVY. WEAR APPROPRIATE SHOES.

Bigelow Preserve is an absolutely gorgeous state-owned nature preserve in Western Maine…read more Established in 1976, this protected land is open to the public for hiking, camping, boating, fishing, fall foliage, snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, and so much more! At over 36,000 acres... you're sure to find something of interest. The flora and fauna are just breath-taking and it is absolutely worth a visit! I visited this vast parcel of land with the intent of climbing four out of the seven peaks of the Bigelow Mountain Range that are contained within the preserve. As some of the tallest mountains in all of Maine, I was excited for the challenge. The mountains are named after Major Timothy Bigelow who summitted the peaks in the late 1700s. There are many trails, including the famous Appalachian Trail, that snake through this forested playground. The Maine Appalachian Trail Club maintains these tracks and provides caretakers at the backcountry camping sites. From the mountains there are impressive views of Flagstaff Lake and the mountain range itself. Open all year round. One of the most scenic hikes I've completed in a while! Breath in the fresh air and get outside.

May the Forest be with You…read more 100-acres of forested land adjacent to Rangeley Lake that was first acquired by the Main Audubon Society back in 1974 before being donated to the Rangeley Lakes Heritage Trust in 2003. The Good: *Free *1.5-miles of trails that includes some loops *Gorgeous forest and pristine shoreline *Outhouse near the parking area *Leashed dogs ok *Trails are flat and almost no elevation gain, but be wary of the roots. Lots and lots of roots. The Meh: *Trails aren't traditionally marked with signage, but with colored paint on trees. Just follow the dots, á la Pac-Man®, and you'll be fine. Fwiw I walked thru most of the park and only saw red and white dots, but I'd recommend taking a photo of the map before you begin to help. *Small private lot that could fill up fast on busier days, but we pretty much had the place to ourselves. *Not ADA Compliant The Ugly: *Once you make it down to the shore of the lake, you can't really travese the edge of the lake without sinking into the soft ground. I guess if you don't mind wet, muddy feet then go for it. I've been there, done that, and once was enough. :) Conclusion: Fun hike that is low effort with a nice reward.

The Quill of Rights…read more Mountain top located not too far from Rangeley Lake that features epic 360° views of the surrounding area. It should be considered a "must stop" spot if you're visiting this neck of the woods, as it's a low effort, high reward kinda deal that should satisfy even the laziest of nature lovers. We were unaware of this place, but luckily one of the store clerks at one of the stores in DT Rangeley put us on to it, and now I'm doing the same for you. You're welcome. The Good: *Part of the Appalachian Trail! You can literally hike from here to Georgia, if one was so inclined. *You don't have to hike to Georgia but you can def schlep across the AT to your hearts desire and then turnaround. :) *Windy four-mile drive up to the top that gets a little hairy, but not terrible. You can also hike up it from the bottom but beware of the vehicles and dust. *Free to visit but they have a suggested donation of $5 that you can pay with cash or via Venmo. *The views are truly epic and this is a great place to stop if you're leaf-peeping. *Picnic tables at the top *ADA Compliant Trails The Meh: *It's a *lot* longer to the Lower Scenic View than those signs lead you to believe. If my Fitbit is correct, it was ±1.5-miles round-trip--which isn't terribly long, but just be aware if you're in a rush that you'll need *at least* 30min total. *And speaking of hiking, in the winter months when the snow is deep here, you'll only be about to reach the peak by hiking or snowmobile. The Ugly: *Cheapskates who don't donate and just fly thru the exit with dropping a buck or stopping to get the Venmo code. *Don't come here with a freshly cleaned vehicle--esp on a dry day--as the amount of dust these trails kick up is obscene. *If you plan to hike to the top, be aware the trail is fully exposed with zero to little shade. So, probably not a great idea on a warm day. Conclusion: Epic views with almost zero effort. What are you waiting for???

Quill Hill is a 2848 foot summit in the heart of the Rangeley Lakes region of Maine, right near the…read moretown of Rangeley. A four mile dirt road carries you up to the top for amazing views of fall colors, mountains, and Flagstaff Lake in the distance! The dirt road is very well maintained and wide enough for two cars comfortably. It's a tad bumpy in places but nothing an everyday car can't handle. The dirt road is only open from May to October but foot traffic and snowmobiles are allowed all year. At the top you'll find a nice picnic area with tables and info signs and sweeping views. There's also a little trail at the top that takes you to a "lower scenic viewpoint" and I highly recommend it!! Foot traffic only and it's a little less than 3/4 mile long with just under 200 feet elevation gain. A portion of the Appalachian Trail runs along here too! The views are spectacular and the fall foliage is dazzling!! And there are a few picnic tables at the viewpoint at the end of the trail as well. Quill Hill was a dream and the labor of love of a very generous local man that the community adored - Adrian Brochu - who lived an adventurous and interesting life that is well worth a read - highly recommend you google him. He moved here from Canada, spoke only French, fought in Vietnam, established successful logging businesses here, loved his wife and family and motorcycle, was an avid traveler - and he built this hill to give people "the best view in the state" lol! The hill is privately owned and cared for but they accept donations via several donation boxes or Venmo (link on their website). There are several parking areas around the top and everything is clean and well maintained. They've even put a wood fired grill just below the summit that they keep stocked with wood if you want to grill! Truly a lovely local treasure with amazing views and a precious little trail - definitely a must when visiting the Rangeley Lakes region.

Amazing view, all year round! Great place to rest. The rest room is very clean…read more Road is a bit bumpy, well worth the stop.

Absolutely lovely, albeit small, state park - but definitely one of the BEST places I've found to…read moreenjoy the fall colors!! I visited in early October and it was phenomenal!! I drove the main road quite a ways and also hiked Table Rock - highly recommend (see my review of the hike for more info)! But even if you aren't hiking and you just want to drive through, it's totally worth it for the colors! There are numerous pull outs and stop offs - some even have picnic tables and beautiful, reflective lake views! One of the lakes had a sizable resort on it that made for some gorgeous photos! There are a couple of waterfalls in the park but I didn't visit them this trip so I can't speak to them but I'm sure they're lovely! The view from Table Rock was incredible! Fun fact about the surrounding town of Dixville: apparently it's the first town to cast votes in the presidential election haha!! There are historical signs throughout the park that tell you history and fun facts- worth reading! I didn't find any fee stations or staffed entrance booths - and their website doesn't list this park as a "day use fee area" so I think it's pretty much free to enter. The roads are very well maintained and in excellent condition. They were doing road work while I drove through but it was a non issue. There was very little traffic as well. I didn't see any bathrooms anywhere so come prepared! Overall it's totally worth a visit even though it's a small park - especially for the fall colors! And the hiking - highly recommend!!

Grafton Notch State Park occupies 3,129 acres (1,266 hectares) surrounding Grafton Notch, the…read moremountain pass between aldpate Mountain and Old Speck Mountain. The drive to it along ME 26 was beautiful, despite the intense and brutal heat on the day of our first visit. There are roadside turnouts for both Mother Walker Falls and Screw Auger Falls; the water flow at the falls was markedly curtailed due to the current drought conditions. You'll find signage that explains this area's glacial and geologic history. The trails leading to the waterfalls are short and well-marked, with uneven rock and forest flooring. Tip: Apparently Screw Auger Falls is so named because it looks as like someone took a giant auger and drilled large quantities of rock out of this quite sizable granite rock formation formation Tip: Dogs are allowed here for no additional fee. They're permitted throughout the park and on the trails; but not on the beaches I totally enjoyed everything I saw here on my first visit, and have already gone back a week ago. I expect to make visiting this very special destination a regular habit :-)

Grafton Notch State Park, one of Maine's scenic byways, is always going to have a really special…read moreplace in my heart: it's the first time I stepped on the Appalachian Trail! And, I don't know, you don't forget that do you? Screw Auger Falls - Anytime I get the chance to play on rocks and waterfalls, I'm going to! The Bear River has areas of expansive smooth rocks that may or may not be accessible (depends on how much water is flowing). On one side, there's a tinier waterfall; the other side, the gorge where Screw Auger spills down. The rocks here are so interestingly carved and worn because of the years and years (and years) of water washing over them. Mother Walker Falls Turnout - I think this is where The Abandoned Road is, an interesting stone stairway, a wee cave, and some information about "this section of Bear River in the deep gorge below is called Mother Walker Falls. Roaring over broken rocks and falling into little pools, the river gradually drops a total of 98 feet." You can't see much because of the density of the trees. Moose Cave - This is a 1/4 mile loop of mostly packed surface, stairs, some boardwalks and planks, and a few steep drop-offs. There's a reindeer moss garden before Moose Cave which was formed when a great slab of granite broke away from the mountainside. Supposedly at some point an unlucky moose got trapped here. Eyebrow Trail/Table Rock - So now we get to some hiking. I did some research that suggested Table Rock (2380°, 2.4 miles; specifically going orange to blue to white [AT]) was slightly easier than Eyebrow (2600°, 2.1 miles; specifically going orange to white [AT]). Either way, you get to spend some time on the AT, and some folks are here just to step foot, snap a photo, and move on. We decided to do Eyebrow Trail and it was one of the toughest hikes I've ever been on in the best way possible; it ignited a passion in me I didn't know I had! There were areas where you had to scale the mountainside with an iron cable bolted into the ground; other areas where you had to climb vertically on a rock surface via an iron ladder. The summit's views reminded me of areas of the Highlands in Scotland; and, I don't know that I've ever smelled pine so raw and cold and crisp before. I will never forget this hike; maybe sometime I can come back and do Old Speck (4180°)! Spruce Meadow Turnout - We stopped here to have lunch. If you walk a little further then where most of the picnic tables are, there's a lone table facing an expanse of stunning mountain. It's a good place to have a good meal with a good friend. Scenic Turnout - There's not much that here, a trio of signs/placards that talk about the area. What a beautiful Maine spot this is!