All About Our Territory
The Lakes Region of Western Maine covers thirteen towns, each defined by its own mix of lakes, mountains, and village centers. From the Causeway in Naples to the slopes of Pleasant Mountain in Bridgton, the region offers public beaches, boat launches, hiking trails, and historic landmarks that make it a four-season destination. Communities such as Fryeburg, Lovell, Harrison, and Waterford preserve New England traditions through fairs and festivals, while Sebago, Raymond, and Casco provide direct access to the state’s second largest lake. Together these towns form a connected territory where recreation, culture, and community life are closely intertwined.
Stay, Vacation, Live
Western Maine's Lake Region is a four-season destination for outdoor recreation and family life. It is a perfect place to live, and people from all over the world visit to experience the way life should be. Dozens of scenic lakes offer swimming, boating, and fishing in summer, while winter transforms the area into a snow-covered landscape for skiing, snowmobiling, and ice fishing. Beautiful hiking trails, brilliant fall foliage, and spring festivals create a year-round rhythm that makes the region one of New England’s most complete outdoor settings.
Historic academies, century-old summer camps, and family-run resorts attract visitors across generations, while active main streets, local businesses, and cultural institutions sustain a thriving community. The balance of tradition, recreation, and tourism defines the character of the Lakes Region.
Easily reached from Portland, Maine’s seacoast, and New Hampshire’s White Mountains, the region sits at the crossroads of coastal and mountain New England. Its accessibility, combined with unmatched natural resources and panoramic scenery, reinforces its role as both a community to call home and a destination where families return year after year.
Accessibility
The Lakes Region’s main artery is the 10th Mountain Division Highway that directly connects Portland Maine to Mount Washington New Hampshire, making it the central location between Maine’s coast and New England’s highest peak. U.S. Route 302, begins in Portland and runs through Raymond, Naples, and Bridgton before reaching North Conway and extending into the Mount Washington Valley. In summer months, there is direct access to the Kancamagus Highway, creating one of New England’s most iconic scenic drives from the Atlantic seacoast to the White Mountains.
Bridgton is only 35 miles from the Portland International Jetport, while the western end of the corridor reaches the White Mountains within 30 minutes. This location ensures steady visitation from both Maine’s coastal population and New Hampshire’s mountain tourists.
Route 113 through Evans Notch provides a direct gateway into the White Mountain National Forest, connecting the Lakes Region to wilderness recreation and scenic byways. Route 35 links south into Windham and north toward Oxford Hills and Bethel, where Sunday River Resort provides one of New England’s premier and most-visited ski destinations.
Together, these highways and adjacent recreation corridors make the Lakes Region one of Maine’s most accessible four-season destinations, positioned at the crossroads of coastal Maine, the White Mountains, and western Maine’s ski country.
Lakes and Historical Waterways
Home to the historical Cumberland and Oxford Canal, first opened in 1832, the region once supported a 38-mile engineered waterway that connected Portland Harbor to Sebago Lake and Long Lake. The system overcame 272 feet of elevation change through 27 hand-built locks and carried freight and passengers via the Presumpscot River and the Fore River Estuary into Portland.
One historic section of the canal, the Songo Lock in Naples, remains in operation. It is the only hand-operated canal lock in the United States still in regular use and continues to connect Sebago Lake, Brandy Pond, and Long Lake, allowing modern boaters to follow the same route that once drove the region’s economy This rare living artifact of canal history has become a premier recreational destination and a signature attraction for visitors to the Lakes Region.
Greater Bridgton is defined by a concentration of freshwater that is unmatched anywhere in the world. Dozens of major lakes and ponds lie within a short drive of each other, and nearly all have town or state-maintained beaches and public launches. This unusual density of accessible water makes the region one of the most complete freshwater destinations in the world.
Sebago Lake, Maine’s second largest, provides extensive public access through Sebago Lake State Park, with managed beaches, campgrounds, and boat launches. Within Sebago is Frye Island, the only municipality in Maine that is fully seasonal and accessible only by ferry or private boat. With roughly 500 homes and a summertime population in the thousands, Frye Island is a unique community centered entirely on lake recreation.
Long Lake stretches nearly 11 miles through Bridgton, Naples, and Harrison, with public facilities in every town along its shoreline, while Brandy Pond provides a central hub at Naples. Highland Lake, Kezar Lake, Crystal Lake, Thompson Lake, Crescent Lake, Pleasant Lake, Keoka Lake, Trickey Pond, Moose Pond, Woods Pond, and Parker Pond round out the system, each offering reliable access points for boaters, anglers, and swimmers.
This concentration of lakes, combined with guaranteed public access across so many separate waterbodies, creates a recreation network that supports four-season tourism and positions the region as one of the world’s premier destinations for lake-based lifestyle.
Mountains, Hiking, and Trail Systems
A highlight of the region is Pleasant Mountain, which rises 2,006 feet across Bridgton and Denmark. It holds Maine’s oldest operating ski area, first opened in 1938, and today offers more than 40 trails, night skiing, and year-round use. In the warmer months, Loon Echo Land Trust maintains four summit routes: the Ledges Trail, a steady climb with open ledges and lake views; the Bald Peak Trail, a challenging ascent with access to multiple outlooks; the Southwest Ridge Trail, a long ridge walk with varied terrain; and the North Ridge Trail, a shorter climb to the summit. These hikes provide dependable access and scenic views across the Lakes Region and into the White Mountains.
The hiking portfolio extends well beyond Pleasant Mountain. Burnt Meadow Mountain in Brownfield features a steep trail to open ledges with broad scenic views of the White Mountains. Sabattus Mountain in Lovell offers a short loop trail with sweeping overlooks of Kezar Lake and the surrounding peaks. Douglas Mountain in Sebago includes a forested trail network that leads to a summit observation tower with panoramic views. The Deer Hills in Stow provide scenic access into the White Mountain National Forest through Evans Notch. In Fryeburg, the Jockey Cap Trail is a brief walk to a rocky summit crowned by a Peary monument, with a compass that identifies each mountain in view.
Maine maintains more than 14,000 miles of groomed snowmobile trails. Of this, approximately 4,000 miles form the Interconnected Trail System (ITS), which links every region of the state. ITS 80 and ITS 89 pass through the Lakes Region by way of Bridgton, Casco, Sebago, Harrison, and Lovell. Local clubs including the Pleasant Mountain Snowmobile Club and the Crooked River Snowmobile Club maintain groomed segments and side connectors. These trails knit the towns together and provide reliable routes for both snowmobiles in winter and ATVs in summer and fall.
Pleasant Mountain, the broader system of scenic hiking trails, and the interconnected motorized routes position the region as one of New England’s most versatile outdoor landscapes. Visitors can ski, hike, ride, or snowmobile within the same geography, all less than an hour from Portland and only 20 minutes from North Conway.
Notable Figures
The Lakes Region has produced or attracted a wide range of influential people whose achievements reach far beyond Maine. Rufus Porter of Bridgton, inventor, muralist, and founder of Scientific American, bridged the worlds of science and art. Robert Peary of Fryeburg led the first successful expedition to the North Pole in 1909, while fellow Arctic explorer Donald MacMillan, a Fryeburg Academy alumnus, carried on his legacy as captain of the schooner Bowdoin and as one of the most celebrated explorers of the 20th century.
Literature is also deeply tied to the region. Nathaniel Hawthorne, one of America’s most important authors, spent part of his youth in Raymond, where the Hawthorne House still stands as a historic landmark. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, though based in Portland, visited Sebago Lake and referenced its landscapes in his poetry, including the imagery in My Lost Youth. Most famously, Stephen King, world-renowned author of horror and fiction, maintains a residence in Lovell on Kezar Lake, bringing global recognition to the area.
Cultural and civic life have been shaped by other figures. The Walker family of Bridgton, benefactors of Walker Memorial Hall (1892), influenced local development through philanthropy and civic projects. Luther Gulick, physician and reformer, founded the Wohelo Camps on Sebago Lake in 1907, helping launch the American summer camp movement and the Camp Fire Girls organization.
Cultural Institutions and Historic Landmarks
Long-standing local papers reflect the living history of the region. The Bridgton News, a weekly founded in 1871, has served the community continuously for more than 150 years and remains a primary record of local life. In Bridgton, the Rufus Porter Museum of Art and Ingenuity preserves the work of one of Maine’s most creative early inventors and artists. The Bridgton Public Library, established in 1895, remains one of the oldest cultural institutions in the area, continuing its original mission of public access to knowledge.
Performance venues extend that cultural tradition. Deertrees Theatre in Harrison, built in 1936 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, has hosted legendary performers including Ethel Barrymore, Tallulah Bankhead, and Rudy Vallée. The Stone Mountain Arts Center in Brownfield, founded by folk musician Carol Noonan, regularly features Grammy-winning artists such as Indigo Girls, Mary Chapin Carpenter, and Béla Fleck. The Denmark Arts Center, housed in a historic 1883 Odd Fellows hall, contributes with year-round programming in music and visual arts.
Historic homes and preserved landmarks provide further depth. The Hawthorne House in Raymond, childhood home of author Nathaniel Hawthorne, is listed on the National Register. The Peabody-Fitch House, also known as Narramissic, built in 1797, is operated by the Bridgton Historical Society as a living museum of early settlement. Walker Memorial Hall, constructed in 1892, stands as a historic civic landmark in Bridgton. The Bay of Naples Inn, designed by John Calvin Stevens in 1899, no longer stands, but its Lookout Tower remains as a visible reminder of Maine’s grand resort era.
The region is home to two of Maine’s most historic academic institutions. Fryeburg Academy, founded in 1792, and Bridgton Academy, founded in 1808, remain institutions of national reputation and are cornerstones of the region’s educational and cultural life. Both continue to draw students from across the country and maintain alumni networks that extend well beyond Maine. Next door, Gould Academy in Bethel (1836) adds to western Maine’s legacy of historic preparatory schools, complementing Fryeburg Academy and Bridgton Academy.
Summer Camps and Resorts
The region holds one of the highest concentrations of summer camps in the United States, many with a historic legacy and more than a century of continuous operation. Camp Timanous on Panther Pond in Raymond, founded in 1887, is one of the nation’s oldest boys’ camps. Camp O-AT-KA in Sebago (1906), Wohelo Camps on Sebago Lake (1907), Camp Wawenock in Raymond (1910), and Camp Wigwam in Waterford (1910) are part of this legacy. Camp Agawam in Raymond, established in 1919, once hosted George H. W. Bush, later the 41st President of the United States. Camp Kingswood in Bridgton (1919) continues to serve generations of families, while Camp Wildwood in Bridgton (1938) is still operating on Woods Pond.
The tradition has continued through newer programs that have strengthened the region’s national and international draw. Camp Takajo and Camp Skylemar in Naples, Camp Micah in Bridgton, and Camp Waziyatah in Waterford expand the camp landscape while maintaining the same connection to the lakes and mountains that defines the region’s identity. Families now arrive not only from across New England but also from New York, Washington, and overseas, reinforcing the region’s reach.
Alongside the camps, the resort tradition remains strong. Migis Lodge, established in 1916 on Sebago Lake, is a nationally recognized retreat that has welcomed families, executives, and celebrities for more than a century. Its continuity mirrors the camps, providing a family-oriented seasonal experience that ties directly into the region’s lakes and wooded setting.
Together, the camps and resorts attract thousands of visitors each summer and sustain a cycle of return visits by parents, alumni, and families. Their influence extends beyond seasonal recreation, reinforcing the Lakes Region’s reputation as one of the country’s most enduring destinations for youth camping and family retreat.