Rangeley, Quaint Little Towns Aren't Just on Maine's Coast

Article by Lisa Foliage

Ah, Rangeley! How I love you! So often Maine’s interior is neglected, with the attention going to its miles of coastline. But there are other towns that should make you take a look at some of those backcountry roads of Maine.

Jeff and I took another foliage trip this week. We stopped in Turner, Maine to check some cemeteries for several of Jeff’s ancestors. Richard Phillips was one of the first settlers of the town just north of Auburn. We found him resting in a cemetery on a high hill overlooking farmland and cascading hills of gold. Not a bad spot to spend eternity.

Turner Maine New England Photography by Jeff Folger — South Turner Cemetery on Upper Street Where Richard Philips is buried

Coos Canyon and Height of Land

We took a slow drive on Route 17 and stopped at Jeff’s favorite place along this route, Coos Canyon.

Coos Canyon on Maine's Route 17 — Coos Canyon on Maine’s Route 17

They have campgrounds there, parking, picnic benches, and an outhouse. The canyon is not “Grand” but it is nice with usually a fair amount of fall color lining the walls. This time it didn’t have as much as in the past but was not without fall colors.

Height of Land above Lake Mooselookmeguntic on Route 17

We proceeded to Rangeley on Route 17 but we like to stop on the way at the top of a mountain pull-off called the Height of Land and below is a panoramic view of Mooselookmeguntic Lake. This is before you get to Rangeley Lake.

Rangeley Maine

We pulled into the Rangeley Inn to stay for the night. We’ve stayed here before, you can read about our other Maine trip here, and we are glad to keep on choosing this place over and over again. This has got to be one of the top three establishments we have ever stayed at. This is an inn that has been around forever but has been kept up quite well.

The tastefully decorated nooks and crannies, as well as the rooms, have comfortable furnishings that beg you to sit and lounge. Even the least expensive rooms have nice reproductions mixed with antiques that are simple and clean.

Continental breakfast is included, but this is no ordinary motel breakfast. Homemade quiche, cinnamon rolls, and waffles, along with sausage, toast, and bagels make this a bountiful buffet. Yogurt with fresh cut-up fruit and three choices of juice, coffee, and tea round out the spread.

When Jeff’s nephew was about 10, walking with him, a man approached from the opposite direction. Jeff greeted him and they talked for a minute and then continued on their way. The nephew asked if Jeff had to talk to everybody he met. And Jeff told him that you never know who you might meet and what their stories are…

Meeting Bob Crowley

If you are wondering where this is leading… The Tavern at the Inn was closed for the season, so for dinner, we took a stroll to find an alternative place to eat at. We noticed a couple ahead of us checking out the menus of the pizza joint and the Asian restaurant, walking on, they stopped at the crosswalk, looking undecided.

Naturally, Jeff had to start a conversation and told them the place across the street, Parkside, and Main, had excellent food the last time we had been in town. Bob and Peggy Crowley were just visiting Rangeley, and staying at the same hotel. Peggy asked if we recognized Bob, which we didn’t, and she asked if we watched Survivor, which we didn’t.

We came to find out that Bob was the oldest winner of Survivor in 2008. If you’re wondering, They now have a business renting yurts in Durham, Maine, just north of Freeport, called Maine Forest Yurts.

So it just goes to show, that if you don’t put down those smart devices and talk to the person next to you in line, you never know who might enrich your day with an interesting story…

Jeff Foliage Folger

Autumn is a state of mind more than a time of year – Jeff Foliage

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