Flying
over the Rangeley Lakes
Lift off from Rangeley Lake in a floatplane feels like slipping from one world into another. The hull loosens from the water, the prop’s hum turns to a lullaby, and the shoreline folds away like a map. From the air, Rangeley Richardson and Mooselookmeguntic reveal their secret geometry—braided rivers sliver through dense fur forests, pocket ponds shimmer, cupped in granite, and the long, island-freckled reaches you’ve only imagined are suddenly revealed.
As the pilot gentle banks, the lakes open up, coves dark as ink giving way to bright, wind-scribbled sheets of blue. It’s the view the loons have seen, and the wind, and now you.
ral excellent launch points make it easy to get on the water: the boat ramp at Rangeley Lake State Park on the southern shore ensures smooth access for all types of motorized boats.
Richardson Lake, one of Maine’s largest and most remote bodies of water, offers endless exploration with wild shorelines and breathtaking horizons. Both lakes reward visitors with tranquility, timeless scenery, and the pure joy of boating far from the crowds.
Renting a boat in the lakes region
.Lakeside Marina offers pontoon boats including 21′ Avalon, 20′ Lowe, 24′ Crestliner, Fishing boats -18′ Sylvan and pleasure ski/tube boats Rentalslakesideonrangeley.com.
Oquossoc Cove Marina provides pontoon and fishing boat rentals by the day or week, along with seasonal slips and fuel oquossoccovemarina.com
Morton Marina provides pontoon and fishing boat rentals by the day or week. www.rangeleyboatrentals.com
Bald Mountain Camps offers pontoon boats including 21′ Avalon, 24′ Crestliner, Fishing boats -18′ Sylvan. baldmountaincamps.com.
Cupsuptic Campground offers pontoon boats, Boston Wailers and Lund boats www.cupsupticcampground.com
A few places to launch your boat
Launching a boat in Rangeley, Maine is remarkably easy, thanks to the town’s well-maintained ramps and welcoming access points. Whether you’re setting out for an afternoon of fishing, paddling through quiet coves, or simply enjoying a scenic cruise, the process is smooth and hassle-free.
With clear signage, ample parking, and friendly local resources, boaters of all experience levels can get on the water quickly. The lakes in this region are known not just for their beauty, but also for their accessibility, making Rangeley a perfect destination for anyone who wants more time on the water and less time on land.
Launch Locations
Mooselookmeguntic Lake – Haines Landing offers a popular, well-kept public boat ramp with parking.
Rangeley Lake – The Rangeley Lake State Park launch provides excellent access, plus picnic areas and facilities.
Richardson Lake – The South Arm area has a boat ramp suitable for larger craft, with nearby camping.
Cupsuptic Lake – Cupsuptic Lake Park & Campground offers a convenient launch with direct access to fishing and paddling spots.
Wherever your desitination, or lack of one leads, boating here is timeless. It’s about pausing in a serene cove as pine-fringed mountains reflect on the surface, or feeling the spray of lake water as you tube with laughter trailing behind. It’s about generations of families forging traditions on the same lakes, summers stretching across decades. With its blend of practical amenities, vibrant boating energy, and unmatched natural majesty, Rangeley invites you to make waves in pure, Maine-born joy.
Kayaking & Canoeing
Paddling through the Rangeley Lakes Region of western Maine is an immersion into wilderness that feels both timeless and restorative. Glassy waters ripple beneath your bow as loons call across the lake, and the silhouettes of spruce-covered islands dot the horizon. This is canoe and kayak country at its finest—a network of lakes, rivers, and quiet coves that invite exploration at whatever pace you choose.
Rangeley Lake itself is a perfect starting point, its broad expanse fringed with hidden beaches and forested islands that beg for shoreline picnics. For those craving wilder water, Mooselookmeguntic Lake stretches wide and scenic, offering countless opportunities to weave between islands or pull ashore for a night of camping beneath the stars.
For multi-day trips, few routes rival the Richardson Lakes. Paddlers can follow winding shorelines into quiet coves, stop at primitive campsites, and wake each morning to sunrises spilling across mountain ridges. These waters connect into the larger Northern Forest Canoe Trail, offering the chance to extend your journey across some of New England’s most storied waterways.
Cupsuptic Lake is equally rewarding, with its remote feel and direct access to Cupsuptic Lake Park & Campground, where tent sites and lean-tos provide a comfortable base for longer paddling adventures.
Camping is integral to the Rangeley paddling experience. Along with Cupsuptic Lake Park & Campground, Haines Landing on Mooselookmeguntic provides a classic spot to launch and overnight nearby.
On a smaller scale, the Cupsuptic and Kennebago rivers are local treasures, flowing gently through forested corridors alive with wildlife—from moose browsing in the shallows to bald eagles circling overhead
For a more rustic adventure, look for designated remote sites scattered across the Richardson Lakes, each offering fire rings, picnic tables, and a front-row seat to star-filled skies. With less activity on Richardson, there’s a built in serenity that will make you feel like you’ve stepped back to a time when life was simpler and the idea of connection to nature came that much easier.
Gear is easy to come by, whether you’re traveling light or need a full outfitting. Local shops in the town of Rangeley provide rentals, maps, and expert advice, ensuring you head onto the water prepared. The Rangeley Chamber of commerce can connect you to guides and shuttle services — making point-to-point paddles and extended expeditions seamless.
The secret to making the most of your time here lies in balance—linger on an island beach, take the slower river route, and don’t rush the moments of stillness. In the Rangeley Lakes Region, every paddle stroke reveals more than scenery; it connects you to the quiet heartbeat of Maine’s north woods.
But if you’re looking for something that’s 180 degrees from serenity and solitude, white-water is the ultimate way to experience the wild beauty of the North Woods. The legendary Rapid River, tumbling from Lower Richardson Lake into Lake Umbagog, is renowned for its Class III and IV rapids.
With steep drops, powerful waves, and narrow chutes, it offers seasoned paddlers a heart-pounding ride through one of the most spectacular stretches of whitewater in New England. Equally thrilling, the Kennebago River delivers fast-moving water and technical challenges that keep kayakers sharp and exhilarated.
These rivers are as unforgiving as they are unforgettable, which makes safety paramount. Helmets, proper flotation gear, and scouting rapids before dropping in are essential steps. Many visitors tackle these runs with the help of experienced guides who know every twist and surge of the current.
In Rangeley, white-water kayaking isn’t just a sport—it’s a test of skill, nerve, and respect for the raw power of Maine’s rivers. It’s an adventure that leaves paddlers breathless, humbled, and eager to return for more.
Renting gear
& shuttle services
In Rangeley, Maine, paddlers can rent canoes and kayaks from many outfitters in town. A few are listed below:
Rangeley Adventure Company They offer daily and half-day rentals of Old Town and Penobscot canoes, single and tandem kayaks, plus guided DIY outings on the Kennebago and Cupsuptic Rivers. Ecopelagicon
River’s Edge Sports in Oquossoc provides a large fleet of canoes, kayaks, and paddleboards with launch options from their dock on Rangeley Lake; delivery services are available too. riversedgesports.com
Dockside Sports Center & Marina on South Shore Drive, Expeditions North, and Haines Landing Marina also offer rentals.
They can be reached through: rangeley-maine.com