Rangeley has incredible natural wonders where you can admire different elements of the landscape. There are many lakes, rivers, streams, and waterfalls! You can enjoy an exclusive Rangeley, Maine hiking journey on any of its many well-groomed and non-groomed trails that offer scenic vistas. Take a trek to an elevated height to capture the beauty of the lakes and mountains, you wont regret it! You can find suggested hikes in this guide and the Trails for Rangeley Area Coalition (TRAC) offers seasonal weekly group hikes. 207-864-5360. You can also find more trail information at mainetrailfinder.com
Easy Hiking / Walking
Hatchery Brook Preserve
Containing 50 forested acres on Russell Cove with a network of wetlands providing critical habitat to wildlife. The 12 mile trail system includes 3 picnic spots along the water, a boat dock for water
access, and a series of bog bridges that protect plant and animal life while providing easy access over several different types of wetlands!
Total Distance: 1.2 miles Network
Hiking difficulty: Easy
Pets: Permitted – Please look after and clean up after your pet
How to get there: From our office, head north on Route 4 towards Oquossoc for about 0.75 miles. After you pass Looney Bin Variety and Moose Alley, turn left onto Rangeley Manor Drive. The
Hatchery Brook Trail parking will be on the left.
Hunter Cove Wildlife Sanctuary
This trail system is on 100 acres of forested lands bordering Rangeley Lake. The trails lead out to a beautiful section of Hunter cove on Rangeley Lake with a few benches for picnic opportunities. The property hosts an abundance of habitats for song birds, wading birds, and amphibians. There is even a deer wintering area, as well as a popular bird watching area! Brace yourself to get your feet wet, as there are several wet areas with bog bridging.
Total Distance: 1.8 miles Network
Hiking difficulty: Easy
Pets: Permitted – Please look after and clean up after your pet
How to get there: From our office, head out towards Oquossoc for 3.3 miles. Look for the Hunter Cove
Wildlife Sanctuary sign and parking on the left.
Wilhelm Reich Museum Trails
The trail network is part of the Orgonon Estate, 3.3 miles of woodland nature trails provide easy to moderate walking and hiking year-round! The trails highlight many interesting features of the property, including Wilhelm Reich’s laboratory and observatory, his tomb, an outdoor classroom, and a trail of famous quotes! The trails are open daily from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. A paper map of the trails is available at the conference center near the parking lot. The grounds are also open to picnicking during the summer time.
Total distance: 3.3 miles Network
Hiking difficulty: Easy
Pets: Permitted – Please look after and clean up after your pet
How to get there: From our office, follow the main road to Oquossoc for about 3.6 miles. At that time, you should see Dodge Pond Road on your right. Turn right and follow Dodge Pond Road for about half a mile until you reach the entrance to Orgonon.
Sabbathday Pond Loop
The hike in Sabbathday Pond Shelter, along the shore of Long Pond and back over Spruce Mountain, will give you a chance to sample the serene beauty of the isolated Four Ponds area. This is not a demanding hike, most of the hike is level ground skirting Long Pond. The loop makes an excellent day hike, with a pause at the shelter for lunch.
Total Distance: 6 miles (a circuit hike)
Hiking difficulty: Easy
How to get there: The trailhead is located on ME 17, 11.8 miles south of Oquossoc and 6 miles south of the Appalachian Trail. The trail crossing is well marked and there is parking on the west side of the road.
Spencer Pond
This short hike to Spencer Pond Southeast of Mooselookmeguntic Lake has pretty views and is open to fly fishing in the summer for coldwater gamefish! It’s a gentle climb along an old woods road.
Total Distance: 1.1 Miles Round Trip
Hiking difficulty: Easy
How to get there: From our office, follow Route 4 to Oquossoc. When you get to Oquossoc, turn onto Route 17 and follow for about 13 miles. You will pass Height of the land, and the parking for the Spencer Pond trailhead will be a couple miles after that on the left.
Bonney Point Trail
Although much of the 280-acre property is primarily forested, evidence of its agricultural history can be seen in its meadows, old stone walls, wire fencing, and livestock watering wells. With over a half-mile of frontage on Rangeley Lake, the property hosts diverse habitats for song birds, wading birds, amphibians, beaver, bear, deer and more! In late summer, the fields produce an abundance of wildflowers and berries enjoyed by hikers and many types of wildlife!
Total Distance: 1.13 Mile Loop
Hiking difficulty: Easy
How to get there: From our office, follow Route 4 towards Oquossoc for about 5 miles. After you pass the 2nd entrance for Mingo Loop Road, you will see Bonney Point Road. Take a left onto Bonney Point Road. Follow for about 3/4 of a mile and the trailhead will be on the left.
Maine Forestry Museum
The trail is mostly flat and explores wetlands and the pond shore. There are several trails intersecting on the property. Historians will enjoy an old Homestead cellar near the south end of the trail network. The Northern Forest Canoe Trail uses the property and also maintains a first-come first-serve lean-to and fire pit near Gull Pond Stream. Bicycles are welcome!
Total Distance: 2.6 Miles Network
Hiking difficulty: Easy
How to get there: From our office follow Route 4 for 0.2 miles and then turn right onto Pleasant Street. At the four way another 0.2 miles away, turn right onto Route 16 heading towards Stratton. Stay on this road for a mile and the Maine Forestry Museum will be on your right. The trails are accessed on the lower grounds behind the pavilion.
Easy Hiking To Moderate Hiking
For those looking for more challenging hikes, here are some trail options with more areas and views to explore.
Mingo Springs Trail and Bird Walk
A 2 mile walk through various forest types with excellent wildlife viewing! The trail works around the Mingo Springs Golf Course, with two miles on the back nine holes and 1.4 miles of the trail at the front. You will be hiking through both hardwood and softwood trees, wetlands, and open fields. This trail has ample opportunity to see wildlife such as deer, birds, and amphibians. You can also walk through an immense field of lupine on the front end of the trail!
Total Distance: 3.4 Mile Loop
Hiking difficulty: Easy to Moderate
Pets: Permitted – Please look after and clean up after your pet
How to get there: Head towards Oquossoc. Drive for about 2.2 miles and turn left on to Mingo Loop Road. Continue for about 1/2 a mile, then turn left onto Alpine Way. You will see the maintenance shack for Mingo Springs Golf Course on the left, and you will park on the grass area to the left of that shack. Walk a short distance back to the intersection of Alpine Way and Mingo Loop Road to access the trail head.
Rangeley River Trail
This short section of shared-use trail provides access to the shores of the Rangeley River and Mooselookmeguntic Lake for hikers, anglers, and bikers. Two stream-side picnic tables and 0.5 mile side trail to the lake allows trail users to explore the Rangeley River area at their own pace. After crossing the Rangeley River at its northern point, visitors can venture down the narrow gauge railroad bed which runs across the steep opposite bank of the river.
Total Distance: 1.3 miles Network
Hiking difficulty: Easy to Moderate
Pets: Permitted – Please look after and clean up after your pet
How to get there: Head into Oquossoc & park in the lot to the left. The trail head is on Hatchery Road, about 0.2 miles behind Oquossoc Grocery. Walk past the gate that blocks automobile access to the hiking and biking trail.
Angel Falls
An easy to moderate 1.1 mile hike with an elevation of about 200 feet. This short hike includes crossing several mountain streams, leading to one of the highest and most impressive waterfalls in Maine! One of the more popular trails in our area that can be very busy on the weekends between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. While this trail can be easy, there are several stream crossings, high water from streams, and rock hopping that may pose a challenge to some!
Total Distance: 1.1 miles Round trip
Hiking difficulty: Easy to Moderate
Pets: Permitted – Please look after and clean up after your pet
How to get there: From our office, head out to Oquossoc and turn left onto Route 17. Follow for 3.7 miles to which you will turn right onto Herbie Welch Trail. Follow for about a mile until you come to a four-way intersection. Turn left at the four-way onto Bemis Road. Follow Bemis Road for about 11 miles (use caution as this gravel road can be bumpy with rough spots). Look for a road going sharply right and downhill and follow it into an old gravel pit. There will also be a large boulder with graffiti. Park in that area.
Cascade Stream Gorge Trail
This quick 1 mile trail offers excellent views, sights to wildlife, and picknicking opportunities as it follows the gorge of Cascade Stream to a series of beautiful waterfalls! The trail leads into the 90-foot deep gorge of the Cascade Stream providing access to a series of waterfalls and chutes.
Total Distance: 1 mile Loop
Hiking difficulty: Easy to Moderate
Pets: Permitted – Please look after and clean up after your pet
How to get there: From our office, head out of town south on Route 4 towards Farmington. you will drive for about 3.5 miles until you come to the intersection of South Shore Drive and Cascade Road. Turn left onto Cascade Road. Shortly after the road ends at a T-intersection with Town Hall Road. Take a left, then an immediate right (look for a Rangeley Lakes Heritage Trust marker in the trees). Go up the steep driveway, bearing right, to the parking area and trailhead.
Hunter Cove Uplands
From the parking lot, a multi-use trail offers easy hiking with a nice, flat surface with only one or two hills. There are two loops that are attached to the multi-use trail. One is a smaller loop that uses both old logging roads and a hand-cut trail that make it a moderately difficult hike. The other is the upper loop that is exclusively hand-cut that also has moderately difficult hiking. This longer loop truly immerses the hiker in the woods, nature, and wildlife that Hunter Cove Uplands provides!
Total Distance: 2.8 Miles Network
Hiking difficulty: Moderate
Pets: Permitted – Please look after and clean up after your pet
How to get there: From our office, follow Route 4 towards Oquossoc for about 4 miles. On the left you will see a sign labeled “Hunter Cove Uplands”. Arrive there and the parking lot will be on the left.
Moderate Hiking To Advanced Hiking
For those looking for more challenging hikes, here are some trail options with more areas and views to explore!
Bald Mountain
There’s no better place to get the feel of the Rangeley Region than hiking Bald Mountain! Along a low summit, Bald Mountain in Oquossoc provides some of the best lake views in Maine. Nestled on an arm of land between Rangeley lake and Mooselookmeguntic lake, Bald Mountain delivers a satisfying perspective on both the waterways of the area, and the dozens of mountains that surround them. This is a busy trail system, especially on the weekends between 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.!
Total Distance: 2.3 miles Network
Hiking difficulty: Moderate to Advanced
Pets: Permitted – Please look after and clean up after your pet
How to get there: Head north on ME 4 from Oquossoc. One mile north of Oquossoc Village, you will turn onto Bald Mountain Road. Follow Bald Mountain Road for another mile to trail markers on the left side of the road, a short distance beyond the signs for Bald Mountain Camps. Park in the Bald Mountain parking area.
Forest Legacy Trails
An eight mile network on the east side of Mooselookmeguntic and Cupsuptic Lakes with chances to watch wildlife, swim, and enjoy nature! Cut off trails also provide an opportunity to shorten the trek significantly, giving different level hikers the chance to enjoy the trails! A total of four lake-front campsites are connected by the trails, managed by the Stephen Phillips Memorial Preserve. They are available for use with permission from the Rangeley Lakes Heritage Trust.
Total Distance: 8.5 miles Network
Hiking difficulty: Moderate to Advanced
Pets: Permitted – Please look after and clean up after your pet
How to get there: Head towards Oquossoc. Just before you get into the village, take a right onto Route 16 towards Errol, NH. Stay on this road for 9.1 miles, then take a left on to Mud Pond Road. Keep on this road for about half a mile until you come to the parking lot. The trail head will be across form the parking area.
Applachain Trail- Piazza Rock
A popular, moderate hike with interesting rock formations to explore! According to the geological notes about this area “The granite of Saddleback is jointed into huge building blocks. An unusually large one has slid out of its place in the mountain side and, instead of breaking and skating down the slope like the others, has balanced across another block to create one-half of a cantilever bridge, forming Piazza Rock.” A pleasant, ideal family hike with a few stream crossings!
Total Distance: 4.1 miles Round trip
Hiking difficulty: Moderate to Advanced
Pets: Permitted – Please look after and clean up after your pet
How to get there: From our office, head out of town south on Route 4 towards Farmington. Follow the road until you come to the “s-turns” and you will see the parking area for the Appalachain Trails on the right. Park in the lot and carefully cross Route 4 to the access the trail head.
Advanced Hiking
These hikes are no joke, be prepared with necessary equipment and refreshments! The views and experiences will be worth the work you put in, and more!
West Kennebago Mountain
West Kennebago Mountain couldn’t be better situated if it tried. The long ridge rises far back in paper company woodlands a good 10 miles from the embellishment of civilization (such as the nearest tarred road). Only 10 miles from Canada on its north side, the mountain is one of the eastern links in a long horseshoe-shaped range of hills that runs down from Seven Ponds, through the Upper and Lower Cupsuptic, and back up to Oxbow. The views are splendid.
Total Distance: 4.5 miles (a return hike)
Hiking time: 3 hours
Hiking difficulty: Advanced
How to get there: Go first to the Maine Forest Service Station at Toothaker Brook, 4.5 miles north and west of Oquossoc on ME 16. Proceed west from the station 3 miles on ME 16. Turn right onto a gravel tote road. This route (Old Cupsuptic Tote Road) proceeds through former Brown Company timberlands for 2 miles, where you turn right. Continue this right-hand gravel road for just over 2 miles, where you again bear right onto a wide, well groomed gravel road that runs towards the northeast. Proceed eastward 7 miles, watching on the left of the road for a small sign that indicates the trail to the fire tower. Park your car well off the road, this is a route for heavy logging trucks.
Saddleback Mountain
Saddleback, from a distance, lies like a sleeping giant southwest of Rangeley. It is a great mountain with several open summits, two of which are more than 4,000 feet high. It’s main summit is barren and exposed so that windy, wet weather on the mountain can be hazardous. Even on warm, calm days in the valley, the upper reaches of Saddleback above Eddy Pond can prove cold and treacherous. Although a shorter trail reaches the summit from the ski area on the northwest side of the mountain, a far more interesting if lengthier approach can be made via the Applachain Trail. This route affords a full days hiking in attractive backcountry woodlands well populated with deer, moose, bear, and fox. It is one of the best extended day hikes in Western Maine!
Total Distance: 11.4 miles (a return hike)
Hiking time: 7.5 hours
Hiking difficulty: Advanced
How to get there: 30 miles north of Farmington or 9 miles south of Rangeley. Park in the lot situated west of the highway. Carefully cross ME Route 4 to head northbound on the A.T.
Photo Credit- Saddleback Mountain