You can take a journey back in time at the Rangeley Outdoor Sporting Heritage Museum. Here, you'll explore the area's rich history as a waterfront resort, with interactive exhibits, cultural artifacts, and a wealth of information about everything from canoeing and sport fishing to the daily lives of the area's native peoples. For those looking to work on their swing, the 18-hole Mingo Springs Golf Course is open to the public. The course is adjacent to the Hunter Cove Wildlife Sanctuary, and sightings of moose and other local wildlife are fairly common.
First things first: it's time to get out on that lake. A popular destination for water activities of all sorts, Rangeley Lake offers everything from boating and fishing to kayaking, jetskiing, and paddleboarding. There are several areas designated for off-road adventuring, and winter visitors can enjoy snowmobiling, skiing, and snowboarding. During the summer, you can explore the hiking trails and campsites of the nearby Saddleback Mountain and The Horn. Autumn is one of the most spectacular times to see the area, and it's a popular spot for visitors hoping to glimpse the stunning fall foliage.
Like most of the state, Rangeley Lake has a humid continental climate, which means warm, humid summers, cold, snowy winters, and crisp, cool months in spring and fall. Highs peak around 75ºF in July and August, and summer storms are a common occurrence. Thanks to the outdoor recreation and seasonal foliage, summer and fall are the busiest seasons at Rangeley Lake, while the low winter temperatures usually mean low prices on Rangeley Lake vacation rentals. You'll want to pack warm, though – highs peak in the 20s between December and February, and lows regularly dip well below zero.
The area around Rangeley Lake includes a number of rivers, lakes, and ponds, and the mountains of central Maine offer a stunning backdrop to the lake itself. On the wooded slopes of nearby Saddleback Mountain, you'll find plenty of hiking trails – including a stretch of the Appalachian Trail – offering scenic views of the surrounding forests and waterways. The area is home to numerous wildlife species, and you can spot moose, beavers, and a wealth of bird varieties. A Rangeley Lake vacation rental will get you face to face with some of the northeast's most secluded natural scenery.