Range Ponds State Park

Last updated
Range Ponds State Park
USA Maine location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Location in Maine
Location Poland, Androscoggin, Maine, United States
Coordinates 44°02′15″N70°20′39″W / 44.03750°N 70.34417°W / 44.03750; -70.34417 Coordinates: 44°02′15″N70°20′39″W / 44.03750°N 70.34417°W / 44.03750; -70.34417 [1]
Area740 acres (300 ha) [2]
Elevation308 ft (94 m) [1]
Established1965
OperatorMaine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry
Website Range Ponds State Park

Range Ponds State Park is a public recreation area wrapping around the eastern end of Lower Range Pond in the town of Poland in Androscoggin County, Maine. [3] [4] The state park offers a sandy beach with lifeguard-supervised swimming, kayaking, limited motorized boating, hiking trails, and fishing. Mountain biking trails, built with the help of local volunteers, provide intermediate level, single-track loops off a central double-track trail that winds through mature pine and hardwood forests. [5]

Contents

History

The park was created after the State Park and Recreation Commission acquired over 500 acres of land bordering Lower Range Pond in 1965 from Hiram Ricker and Sons, bottlers of Poland Spring Water. [6] [7]

Range Ponds

Upper Range Pond
USA Maine location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Upper Range Pond
Location Poland, Maine
Coordinates 44°00′N70°24′W / 44.000°N 70.400°W / 44.000; -70.400 [8]
Max. length1.6 mi (2.6 km) [9]
Surface area391 acres (158 ha) [10]
Max. depth38 feet (12 m) [10]
Surface elevation305 ft (93 m) [8]
Middle Range Pond
USA Maine location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Middle Range Pond
Location Poland, Maine
Coordinates 44°02′N70°23′W / 44.033°N 70.383°W / 44.033; -70.383 [11]
Max. length1.8 mi (2.9 km) [9]
Surface area366 acres (148 ha) [12]
Max. depth66 feet (20 m) [12]
Surface elevation305 ft (93 m) [11]
Lower Range Pond
USA Maine location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Lower Range Pond
Location Poland, Maine
Coordinates 44°03′N70°22′W / 44.050°N 70.367°W / 44.050; -70.367 [13]
Max. length2.6 mi (4.2 km) [9]
Surface area290 acres (120 ha) [14]
Max. depth46 feet (14 m) [14]
Surface elevation305 ft (93 m) [13]

The three Range Ponds are at the same elevation and connected by narrow necks where bridges carry roads over the pond. Flow sequence is from the upper pond through the middle pond to the lower pond which overflows through Range Brook to the Little Androscoggin River in Mechanic Falls 3 miles (4.8 km) to the north. [9] The ponds have native populations of chain pickerel, white perch, and smallmouth bass, and have been stocked with brown trout and largemouth bass. These species of angling interest prey on native rainbow smelt and stocked alewife. Stocking with rainbow trout and land-locked Atlantic salmon has been discontinued. [12]

Upper Range Pond

Upper Range Pond is the shallowest of the three ponds. [10] It is the southernmost pond, and the north end connects to the middle pond. [9]

Middle Range Pond

Middle Range Pond extends from the upper pond at its southern end to the lower pond at its northern end. Maine State Route 26 bridges the narrows where the middle pond connects to the lower pond. [9] Middle pond is the largest and deepest of the three, and supports some lake trout. There is no spawning or nursery habitat for brook trout, but the species is regularly stocked for angling. Black crappie were illegally introduced to the middle pond in the early 21st century. [12]

Lower Range Pond

Covering 290 acres (120 ha), Lower Range Pond is the smallest, but longest, of the three; and forms the top of a "T" with the middle and lower ponds. The north end of the middle pond connects to a short bay on the southwest side of the lower pond. The state park is on the northeast shore and southeast end of the lower pond, while the northwest end of the lower pond overflows as Range Brook. [9]

See also

Related Research Articles

Mount Blue (Maine)

Mount Blue is a mountain in Maine, USA. It gives its name to Mount Blue State Park in Weld and Mount Blue High School in Farmington.

Old Speck Mountain

Old Speck Mountain, also known as Old Speckle Mountain, is a mountain located in Oxford County, Maine, United States. The mountain, the fourth-highest in the state, is the northeasternmost and highest of the Mahoosuc Range, the northeasternmost part of the White Mountains. Old Speck is flanked to the southwest by Mahoosuc Arm, and faces Baldpate Mountain to the northeast across Grafton Notch.

The Little Androscoggin River is a 51.4-mile-long (82.7 km) river in Maine. It flows from Bryant Pond in Woodstock to its confluence with the Androscoggin River in Auburn. The Androscoggin flows into Merrymeeting Bay in the Kennebec River estuary.

The Roach River is a river in Piscataquis County, Maine. From the outlet of Third Roach Pond in Shawtown, the river runs 19.1 miles (30.7 km) west, through a chain of ponds. The Flow sequence through the ponds is from the Fourth Roach Pond through the Third Roach Pond, Second Roach Pond, and First Roach Pond to empty into Moosehead Lake, the source of the Kennebec River, in Spencer Bay. The Seventh Roach Pond drains through the Sixth Roach Pond in a separate tributary to the Third Roach Pond. No fifth Roach Pond is shown on modern maps.

The Sabattus River is an 11.4-mile-long (18.3 km) tributary of the Androscoggin River in Maine. It rises at the outlet of Sabattus Pond in the town of Sabattus and flows south into the town of Lisbon, reaching the Androscoggin just southeast of Lisbon Center and about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) upstream (northwest) of Lisbon Falls. Via the Androscoggin River, water from the Sabattus River flows to the Kennebec River at Merrymeeting Bay and ultimately to the Atlantic Ocean.

Swan Lake State Park

Swan Lake State Park is a public recreation area at the north end of 3-mile-long (4.8 km) Swan Lake in the town of Swanville, Waldo County, Maine. The state park's 67 acres (27 ha) offer opportunities for swimming, picnicking, canoeing, and fishing. The 1,370-acre (550 ha) lake supports populations of smallmouth bass, landlocked salmon, white perch, brook trout, and wild togue. The park is managed by the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry.

Rangeley Lake State Park

Rangeley Lake State Park is a public recreation area occupying 870 acres (350 ha) on the southern shore of Rangeley Lake in Franklin County, Maine. The state park is located partly in the town of Rangeley and partly in Rangeley Plantation. It is managed by the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry.

Lake St. George State Park

Lake St. George State Park is a public recreation area located on the northwest shore of Lake St. George in the town of Liberty, Waldo County, Maine. The state park covers 358 acres (145 ha) and offers camping, lifeguard-supervised swimming, picnicking, canoeing, motorized boating, and fishing. The lake's 1,017 acres (412 ha) support populations of landlocked salmon and brook trout. The park is managed by the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry.

Chamberlain Lake

Chamberlain Lake is one of the largest and deepest lakes in the North Maine Woods. The lake originally drained north through Eagle Lake and Churchill Lake into the Allagash River tributary to the Saint John River. Nineteenth-century logging operations diverted the lake into the Penobscot River before designation of the Allagash Wilderness Waterway in 1966.

Caucomgomoc Lake

Caucomgomoc Lake is in the North Maine Woods at the corner of townships 6 and 7 in ranges 14 and 15. Loon Stream flows into the southern end of the lake from Loon Lake, Bear Pond, Big Hurd Pond, Little Hurd Pond, Bear Brook Pond, McDougal Pond, and tributaries from the southwest. Overflow from Little Shallow Lake through Shallow Lake, Daggett Pond, and Round Pond enters the east side of Caucomgomoc Lake through Ciss Stream. Smaller tributaries Avery Brook, Middle Brook, and Ramsell Brook flow into the north end of the lake. There is a dam at the lake outlet on the eastern shore a short distance south of Ciss Stream. Discharge through the dam flows down Caucomgomoc Stream through Black Pond and Chesuncook Lake to the West Branch Penobscot River at Ripogenus Gorge. White perch and yellow perch have largely replaced historic trout populations in the lake.

Richardson Lakes (Maine)

Upper Richardson Lake and Lower Richardson Lake are impounded as a single reservoir by Middle Dam at the outlet to Rapid River on the western shore of the lower lake. Rapid River flows 5 miles (8.0 km) to Umbagog Lake headwaters of the Androscoggin River. Upper Richardson Lake is in the western portion of Richardsontown township, and the lower lake is on the border of Magalloway Plantation and Maine township C. Primary inflow is discharge over Upper Dam on Mooselookmeguntic Lake on the eastern shore of the upper lake. Smaller tributaries entering the north end of the upper lake include Mill Brook draining the Richardson Ponds, Fish Brook draining Fish Pond, and Beaver Brook draining Beaver Pond, Little Beaver Pond, and Aziscohos Pond. Other small tributaries include Rand Brook on the western shore, and Mosquito Brook, Metallak Brook, and Bailey Brook on the eastern shore. The lake offers excellent habitat for adult trout, but with dams on the outlet and major inlet, fish populations are limited by the insufficient spawning and nursery areas of these small tributaries. The public boat launch area at the north end of the upper lake is 1 mile (1.6 km) off Maine State Route 16; and the boat launch area at the south end of the lower lake is accessed by driving 12 miles (19 km) north of Andover on South Arm Road.

Fish River chain of lakes

The Fish River chain of lakes is a series of five lakes in the North Maine Woods region of northern Maine, in a tributary stream to the Fish River. The lakes are an important northern Maine recreation area providing habitat for wildlife including rainbow smelt, brook trout, lake trout, and land-locked Atlantic salmon.

Belgrade Lakes

The Belgrade Lakes are a chain of lakes around Belgrade, Maine. The flow sequence is from East Pond to North Pond to Great Pond to Long Pond to Messalonskee Lake and thence via Messalonskee Stream to the Kennebec River at Waterville. The lakes have long been an important resort area for fishing, boating, and swimming; and shoreline development includes residences for individuals employed in the cities of Waterville and Augusta.

Spencer Lake

Spencer Lake extends southward from Fish Pond in Hobbstown township into Maine township 3, range 5. The north end of the lake receives drainage from Whipple Bog, Whipple Pond, Hall Pond, Toby Pond, and Chub Pond through Fish Pond. The south end of the lake overflows through Little Spencer Stream and thence Spencer Stream 6 miles (9.7 km) to the Dead River 14 miles (23 km) upstream of the confluence with the Kennebec River at The Forks. The lake supports a native population of lake trout and brook trout, and has been stocked with land-locked Atlantic salmon. There is a boat launch area at the north end of the lake accessible from a 2-mile (3.2 km) gravel road 11 miles (18 km) west off U.S. Route 201 at Parlin Pond.

Jo-Mary Lakes

A chain of three Jo-Mary Lakes along the border of Penobscot County and Piscataquis County drain into the Pemadumcook Chain of Lakes in the North Maine Woods. The flow sequence is from Upper Jo-Mary Lake into Middle Jo-Mary Lake and then through Lower Jo-Mary Lake into Pemadumcook Lake.

Debsconeag Lakes

The chain of Debsconeag Lakes in the North Maine Woods is a tributary to the West Branch Penobscot River. The flow sequence is from the Sixth Debsconeag Lake through the Fifth, Fourth, Third, Second, and First into the Debsconeag Deadwater on the West Branch.

Nahmakanta Lake

Nahmakanta Lake is the source of Nahmakanta Stream in the North Maine Woods. Nahmakanta Stream flows 4 miles (6.4 km) from the southeast end of the lake in Maine township 1, range 11, to the Pemadumcook Chain of Lakes in township 1, range 10. The Appalachian Trail follows Nahmakanta Stream and the southwest shore of Nahmakanta Lake. The northwest end of the lake in township 2, range 11, receives drainage from Rainbow Lake via Rainbow Stream, from Gould Pond via Gould Brook, from the Bean Ponds via Bean Brook, and from Female Pond, Wadleigh Pond, the Musquash Ponds, and Pollywog Pond via Pollywog Brook. These streams provide spawning habitat for brook trout and land-locked Atlantic salmon, while lake trout spawn in the shoals of the lake.

Hancock Brook

Hancock Brook is an east-bank tributary to the Saco River at Hiram, Maine. The brook originates in eastern Denmark and flows through a chain of ponds along the border between Hiram and Sebago. The narrow-gauge Bridgton and Saco River Railroad was built along the brook in 1882, and operated until 1941.

Saint John Ponds

The Saint John Ponds are a chain of shallow lakes at the headwaters of the Baker Branch Saint John River in the North Maine Woods. The flow sequence is from the Upper First Saint John Pond, through the Lower First Saint John Pond, Second Saint John Pond, Third Saint John Pond, and Fourth Saint John Pond to the Fifth Saint John Pond. Flow from one pond to the next is sometimes called Baker Stream rather than the Baker Branch Saint John River. Great Northern Paper Company dug a canal from Fifth Saint John Pond 2 miles (3.2 km) eastward to the North Branch Penobscot River in 1939, and built a dam at the north end of Fifth Saint John Pond so pulpwood logs harvested in the upper Saint John River watershed could be floated down the Penobscot River to Millinocket, Maine. The canal and dam have fallen into disrepair so most drainage from the ponds again flows down the Saint John River. All upstream ponds with the exception of the first had dams to regulate discharge flow for log driving, but those dams have similarly fallen into disrepair. Moose use the ponds as summer refuge from heat and biting insects.

Musquacook Stream

Musquacook Stream is a tributary to the Allagash River in the North Maine Woods. The stream originates in a chain of lakes in Maine range 11 townships 10, 11 and 12. The flow sequence is from Clear Lake through Fifth Musquacook Lake into Fourth Musquacook Lake in Piscataquis County; and from Fourth Musquacook Lake through Third Musquacook Lake, Second Musquacook Lake, and First Musquacook Lake into the Allagash River Musquacook Deadwater in Aroostook County.

References

  1. 1 2 "Range Ponds State Park". Geographic Names Information System . United States Geological Survey.
  2. "Outdoors in Maine: State Parks, Public Lands, and Historic Sites" (PDF). Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry. Retrieved December 8, 2015.
  3. "Range Ponds State Park". Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry. Retrieved August 7, 2014.
  4. "Range Ponds State Park". Maine Trail Finder. Center for Community GIS. Retrieved September 8, 2017.
  5. "Range Ponds State Park - Mountain Bike Trails". Maine Trail Finder. Center for Community GIS. Retrieved December 8, 2015.
  6. "History of Poland". Town of Poland, Maine. Retrieved July 11, 2017.
  7. Sarnacki, Aislinn (2017). Family Friendly Hikes in Maine. Down East Books. p. 139. ISBN   9781608935857 . Retrieved July 11, 2017.
  8. 1 2 "Upper Range Pond". Geographic Names Information System . United States Geological Survey.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer (Thirteenth ed.). Freeport, Maine: DeLorme Mapping Company. 1988. pp. 5&11. ISBN   0-89933-035-5.
  10. 1 2 3 "Upper Range Pond" (PDF). Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. State of Maine. Retrieved 24 May 2016.
  11. 1 2 "Middle Range Pond". Geographic Names Information System . United States Geological Survey.
  12. 1 2 3 4 "Middle Range Pond" (PDF). Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. State of Maine. Retrieved 24 May 2016.
  13. 1 2 "Lower Range Pond". Geographic Names Information System . United States Geological Survey.
  14. 1 2 "Lower Range Pond" (PDF). Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. Retrieved August 7, 2014.