The Rangeley Lake State Park is located in Maine at South Shore Road. The park includes around 896 acres for visitors to enjoy the wonders of nature, as well as participate in many recreational activities that are located throughout the park. However, probably the most notable feature of Rangeley Lake State Park is the fishing. Two of the most common catches that fishers find in the park are salmon and brook trout. Most of those who come to the area to fish, often use boats or canoes to go out on the water to get the best fishing experience. However, there are those who choose to fish from the shores. Either option is fun for the entire family, especially those that love to fish. Keep in mind that live bait is prohibited from being used in the park, dead bait and worms are acceptable though. Those who participate in fishing have the option to release their fish or keep them. The park will have information on whether they are trying to control the fish population during the time that you visit, which will dictate whether you get to keep the fish or not. In addition, there are numerous boat ramps that you can unload your boat into the water. These are very big and offer a fair amount of room in order to get the trailer in and unloaded, so there are no worries in that department.
For those that would rather spend their time doing some camping, there are around fifty campsites located throughout the park. They are equipped with modern restrooms, as well as having a recycling area within the campground, as all campers are encouraged to be environmentally friendly. The camper can stay within the camp site for at least fourteen days, before having to vacate in order to allow others to enjoy their experience. These campsites are first come, first serve, as there are no reservations required to stay when visiting Rangeley Lake State Park, there are fees associated with using the camping areas that people can find out by visiting the website for the state park. At the camp sites there are also playgrounds for the children to enjoy, hiking trails and an ample amount of firewood for the camper to utilize.
Probably the most popular hiking trail to do while in Rangeley Lake State Park is the Appalachian Trail. This is the longest trail that can be found anywhere in the United States, and the part that is part of the park is only a fraction of the entire trail. The trail starts in Baxter State Park and continues all the way down into Georgia. Of course, not many people start at the beginning and go to the end, they simply choose to hike on the part that is in the state park. However, it is a great way to get in tune with nature. There are places to stop and have a short picnic, then continue with your nature walk.
For those that would rather participate in the fine sport of skiing, then Saddleback Mountain will be your go to destination while visiting Rangeley Lake State Park. However, keep in mind that this is an activity that is available in the winter time. For those that are visiting the area in the summer though, there are still a fair amount of activities to participate in. Swimming is a popular activity that young and old alike love to participate in. Berry picking is also a popular activity to take part in and those who visit the area, often comment that this was a fun experience to take part in with the entire family.
For those that would wish to visit Rangeley Lake State Park for a fun filled weekend or week, then keep in mind that the park details, such as months that certain activities are allowed and are banned can be found on their website through the Department of Conservation Maine. The website is http://www.maine.gov/cgi-bin/online/doc/parksearch/search_name.pl?state_park=25&historic_site=&public_reserved_land=&shared_use_trails=&option=search. From here you can find fees associated with the camping grounds, various activities not mentioned here, as well as weather forecasts and driving directions.