The Land of Bugs and Rain (or June in Maine.)
Rangeley, Maine
We arrived in Rangeley on June 1 (my birthday!) for a month long stay. My mother rented a house on Haley Pond big enough to sleep 8. Our three kids plus one significant other as well as my sister would be visiting for various intervals. For us, 30 days in a house means two things; a real bed and a long hot shower! We did sleep in the van for week when everyone was there, but who’s counting?
I grew up 40 miles south of here and my mother’s family is from the surrounding area. It’s a resort town with an emphasis on fishing, hunting and winter sports. The Appalachian Trail also passes close by.
There is a lot of great hiking in the area around the Appalachian Trail and the surrounding mountains. June in Maine can be a dicey proposition weather wise and and this one was no exception. Sunny and warm the day we arrived; rain every day for the next 10 days. It didn’t take long for us to accept it and carry on. Piazza Rock is a really neat formation on the Appalachian Trail east of Rangeley that is relatively easy to get to.
At the destination, there is a really luxurious AT lean to, a number of tent pads and a two holer privy with a unique surprise!
Just down the road from the AT crossing is a roadside rest/picnic area known as Smalls Falls. I spent a lot of time here as a kid wading, trout fishing and picnicking. I wouldn’t call it a hike, but it’s a must stop whenever I’m in the area.
Another trail close by that I had not been to was Cascade Stream Gorge. Very short trail connected to the Fly Rod Crosby Trail with a nice payoff.
Further up the AT from Piazza Rock is the summit of Saddleback Mountain. We opted for the ski lodge approach versus the AT approach due to length. Typical Maine day; nice weather in the parking lot, socked in, blowing rain and wind at the summit.
Another nearby trail that I had not hiked was Bald Mountain Trail. Relatively short hike with the mountain situated between Rangeley Lake and Mooselookmeguntic Lake. A fire tower at the top offers stunning 360 degree views. An added bonus is the presence of Ladyslippers on several side trails at the top.
A nearby trail from my childhood is Mt. Blue trail in Weld, ME. Fairly short, really steep with great views from the fire tower at the top. We got rained on pretty good on this one.
I took a day trip with two of my daughters to Acadia National Park. We hiked the Beehive, walked down the roadside trail to Thunder Hole and the girls capped it off with a cold plunge at Sand Beach.
Of course, roadtripping with any of my kids involves coffee, restaurants and breweries. Check out Java Joe’s in Farmington, ME, Atlantic Brewing Midtown and Tap and Barrel Tavern (one of the best bourbon collections I’ve seen) in Bar Harbor .
Amy Jo, my sister and I took a short road trip to Grafton Notch to do a little hiking. We hiked Step Falls Preserve, a short hike but spectacular staircase of waterfalls and pools.
Moved on to the Eyebrow Loop Trail, a more difficult loop off the AT complete with cables and rungs plus a nice view.
Finally, my all time favorite. Tumbledown Mountain is also located in Weld, ME. I have hiked this mountain many times and this trip was no exception. I and all of my kids hiked it on a Saturday in a steady rain from start to finish. We hiked the Tumbledown Brook Trail and by the time we started back down, the trail was a brook. Quick note about this mountain; it actually consists of east and west peaks with a glacial tarn nestled in between which the brook flows from. Some of you who have visited my home may remember a large framed photograph prominently displayed. This trip, the weather at the top was not optimal.
Amy Jo and I returned on our last full day in Maine and conditions were much better. We opted for a longer loop on the Tumbledown Mountain Trail that includes a tricky ascent/descent with ropes and rungs.
We did see a few moose during our stay as well!
Being a tourist town, Rangeley has a good variety of bars and restaurants for a town with a population of 1200. Furbish Brew House and Eats is the only brewery and has great pizza. Outside dining (when it isn’t raining) with a view of the lake. Parkside & Main has a great deck overlooking the lake. The Corner Bar is a tapas bistro with a great bourbon selection and had live music twice while we were there. Sarge’s Pub & Grub was a great place to grab a beer and watch sports. Get the onion rings! The Rangeley Inn & Tavern was closest to the house and was a great place for a bourbon on the rocks. We also visited breweries in the area during our travels. Ambition Brewing was in my hometown. They had a book for sale that I was very interested in.
Cushnoc Brewing in Augusta was very good. We visited there a a mandatory stop at The Red Barn for whole belly fried clams. This could have been a daily occurence as far as I’m concerned. Clam strips need not apply.
After the kids all went home, I arranged for a fly fishing trip through the Rangeley Fly Shop. They set me up with a 1/2 day wading trip with Vic Medina of River Raiders Expeditions. We fished the Magalloway River and I was fortunate to catch four different species of fish including brook trout, land locked salmon and a nice small mouth bass. Thanks to Vic and the Rangeley Fly Shop for a great day!
We started west at the end of the month. Stay tuned for new adventures!