Photos by Dave Waddell
From our October 2024 issue
The Basics
Based on past foliage-tracking reports from the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation & Forestry, the Rangeley area usually hits peak colors in the first or second week of October. The lakeside town of Rangeley offers a number of lodging options, including the ever-reliable Rangeley Inn & Tavern, which mixes rustic vibes with modern updates. For a quick lunch, the chicken-salad wrap at Classic Provisions is tough to beat. And visitors will find no shortage of other dining options, especially of the gastropub-y sort, such as the neighboring town of Oquossoc’s lively Portage Tap House, where racks of ribs come doused in a finger-licking blueberry-barbecue sauce.
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Clockwise from top right: An island A-frame on Rangeley Lake; scenes from downtown Rangeley; Coos Canyon, on the Swift River, south of Rangeley.
Festive Feel
Rangeley’s Saddleback ski resort hosts its annual Oktoberfest celebration on Saturday, October 5, with beers, bratwurst, and live music. The event kicks off with a footrace up the sheer slopes. And while the autumnal view from up high is worth the effort, the main chairlift will offer scenic rides ($20 per person) from late morning through the afternoon if you’d rather not break a sweat.
Clockwise from top left: View from the trail on Saddleback; Rangeley’s Main Street; house on Rangeley Lake; Haley Pond, in Rangeley; scenic cruising on Route 17; a roadside signpost by Coos Canyon.
Clockwise from left: Angel Falls, south of Rangeley, is a fairly quick and easy hike; the view from the observation tower on Oquossoc’s Bald Mountain, a short but strenuous hike; Rangeley Lake.
Vehicular Vistas
The Rangeley area is a longtime hub of hiking and boating, and the natural scenery might best be appreciated on the trail or on the water, but it’s remarkably accessible from the roadside too. South of Oquossoc, Route 17’s Height of Land and Sheldon Noyes overlooks provide breathtaking panoramas, while in Rangeley, Route 4’s Whip Willow Farm overlook does the same. Plus, a short detour north on Route 16 leads to the base of Quill Hill, a 2,800-foot peak with a well-graded dirt road all the way to the top, where visitors will find a wood-fired barbecue, picnic tables, and views for miles.
Clockwise from top left: Haley Pond; view from the Height of Land overlook; the Route 17 roadside; the 1916 nondenominational Oquossoc Log Church; taking a break on the Quill Hill drive; a short walk from door to dock on Rangeley Lake; pedaling through downtown Rangeley.
