Best Swimming Holes From Rangeley
Rangeley works best when you split the day between lake swims and short waterfall detours. Early June can still mean cold lake water; the roadside falls are the quicker warm-weather add-on.
Start with the map, then open each guide for parking, cold-water notes, and the small stuff that matters when you are deciding between a lake beach and one more waterfall stop. For a broader western Maine loop, see waterfalls and swimming holes near Rangeley.
Rank 1: Smalls Falls — Township E
Tiered Sandy River roadside waterfall south of Rangeley on Route 4, Township E, western Maine.
- Can you swim?
- Swimming allowed when posted rules and staffing say it is open
- Walk
- 0-5 min
Rank 2: Angel Falls — Township D
A tall narrow drop on Mountain Brook in Township D, reached by an unpaved approach west of Houghton / Rangeley.
- Walk
- 15-25 min one way
Rank 3: Coos Canyon — Mexico (swim)
A short gorge on the Swift River in Byron, Maine, on Route 17. Pools, low jumps, and a classic rest-area swim and…
- Can you swim?
- Swimming allowed when posted rules and staffing say it is open
- Walk
- 0-5 min
Rank 4: Rangeley Lake State Park — Rangeley
BPL day-use beach and campground on the south shore of Rangeley Lake in Franklin County, Maine.
- Can you swim?
- Swimming allowed when posted rules and staffing say it is open
- Walk
- 5-10 min one way
Rank 5: Mooselookmeguntic Lake (public access) — Rangeley Lakes
A large lake in the Rangeley chain with limited public access via Haines Landing in Oquossoc, Franklin County, Maine.
- Can you swim?
- Swimming allowed when posted rules and staffing say it is open
- Walk
- 0-5 min