It’s a cold morning but I enjoy being in the great outdoors!
Norcross Pond is a 122-acre body of water located in Chesterville, Franklin County, Maine (see The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer map 20 E1). The public access point is found at the southeastern end of the pond where Norcross Hill Road joins Ridge Road. Plenty of parking space is available along the shoulder where these two roads meet.
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Look for this sign on Route 4 in downtown Rangeley. The parking area is in the back next to the pond.
Haley Pond is a 170-acre body of water located in Rangeley, Franklin County, Maine (see The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer map 28 E5). To reach the public access point, drive into downtown Rangeley on Route 4 and look for the Rangeley Inn (big blue building). Right past it is a sign for “Sarge’s Additional Parking”. Turn into this lot, drive to the back, and park your vehicle next to the pond. You can walk right onto the ice from here. During open-water season, one could launch a canoe or kayak from this unimproved access, but not a trailered boat.
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The public access is plowed during the winter and provides plenty of parking spaces
Worthley Pond is a 354-acre body of water located in Peru, Oxford County, Maine (see The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer map 11 A3). The public access point is located on East Shore Road and is clearly indicated by a blue boat launch sign. This well-maintained hardtop launch is plowed during the winter to provide parking and allow easy access to the pond.
Copyright protected by DigiproveTrickey Pond covers 311 acres and is located in Naples, Cumberland County, Maine (see The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer map 4 B5). The public access is via a clearly-marked hard-top boat launch located right off Route 114. Plenty of parking is available by the launch. Keep in mind that the steep road connecting Route 114 to the launch is typically unplowed in the winter (unless a kind soul does the job) and can therefore be undrivable. And if that is the case, then parking is very limited at the top. Fortunately, the road is clear and ice free this morning.
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I love the “vibe” of early-morning fog when ice fishing. It also indicates a total lack of wind!
Crescent Lake covers 716 acres and is located in Raymond, Cumberland County, Maine (see The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer map 5 B2). Public access is via the hard-top boat launch located right off Route 85 (Webbs Mill Road) next to the small municipal beach. Plenty of parking is available on the road shoulder next to the launch. However, beware that parking space can be more limited after a snowstorm when the shoulder may be plowed in.
Copyright protected by DigiproveLong Lake covers 208 acres and is located in Livermore, Androscoggin County, Maine (see The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer map 11 A5). Public access is via the boat launch located right off Route 4 (Crash Road). A large and spacious parking area is available next to the launch.
Copyright protected by DigiproveKeoka Lake covers 467 acres and is located in Waterford, Oxford County, Maine (see The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer map 10 D4). Public access is via the boat launch located right next to Route 35. Parking is on the road shoulder. However, beware that it may be next to impossible to leave a vehicle if the road shoulder is filled with plowed snow, as is the case for me today. One obvious alternative is to park your vehicle next door, on the lot in front of the Waterford Historical Society building. I see no signs forbidding this practice, but do not know if it is frowned upon.
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The public access point to Pettingill Pond is unobtrusive and unmarked. No parking is allowed in this vicinity.
Pettingill Pond covers 36 acres and is located across from Seacoast Adventure in Windham, Cumberland County, Maine (see The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer map 5 C2). The public access to this body of water can be tricky to find under the snow in the winter. While driving on Route 302 in Windham (direction Raymond and Naples, i.e., north), turn right at the light on Anglers Road just past Bob’s Seafood Restaurant, go down that ruddy road for about 0.4 miles and look for house number 48. The small, unmarked public access point will be to your left immediately past that house (and across from house #51). You have gone too far if you reach Mud Pond Road. Keep in mind that Anglers Road is narrow, potholed, and trafficky, and no vehicles are allowed to park on it or by the public access. The only readily-available place to leave your car is by Route 302.
Copyright protected by DigiproveSand Pond is a 61-acre body of water located in Baldwin, Cumberland County, Maine (see The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer map 4 D4). The pond is accessible via the public boat launch located at its southern tip by the municipal beach, next to Sand Pond Road off Route 107 (Bridgton Road). Plenty of parking space is available across from the launch.
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View of Pinkham Pond from the access point. The pond is long, narrow, pretty, and rather shallow.
Pinkham Pond is a 21-acre body of water located in Alna, Lincoln County, Maine (see The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer map 13 E2). The public access is found at its southern tip, right besides Bog Road. A few vehicles can be parked along the shoulder next to the pond. However, beware that this pull-out has a fire-truck water intake structure which cannot be blocked as that might potentially result in a ticket or a tow.
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