Flagstaff Lake, Maine

robin

LOVES Wooden Canoes
Last week I spent 5 days camped at Flagstaff Lake in the Rangeley Lakes Region.The weather for late April was outstanding, no bugs to speak of but the fishing was flat, maybe too early..or maybe just my fault, but the camping and canoeing was as good as it gets.

I drove in on Flagstaff Rd to camp at an area owned by the Maine Public Reserve Lands, free and on a first come basis. All one needs is a fire permit for a campfire, at designated sites only, (free also) by calling 207 827 1800.


I set my wall tent up just off the beach on a well manicured lawn. It was almost to good to be true. My plan was to paddle down the lake the next day with my tent and gear, but it soon was evident that this beach was popular with the evening crowd, so I opted to stay put for the duration and keep an eye on my truck after dark.
There are other roads leading into the lake that might be better places to leave a vehicle safely.
Those are the Bigelow Mountains where the Appalachain Trail rises to 4000 ft. across the lake.

It's been a dry spring in Maine and the level of the lake was more like late summer, the beach's where beautiful.



Most days where spent enjoying the calm lake and exploring the beach's for tracks. Flagstaff is a shallow lake (20,300 acres with a maximum 50' deep), it's not unusual to see rocks just under the surface 1/2 mile from shore, and sand bars also. I saw no other boats in 5 days, I think the summer weekends would see more folks here camped at the few sites they have on the lake.


On a mile wide crossing, the wind picked up a little, nothing to worry about, but with ice out only days before, a capsize would have been a disaster. I managed to stay close to some islands that would have provide a safe haven if the wind picked up any more.
In some of the shaded southern shore area there was still snow and ice along the shoreline.
 
Thanks for the photos, Robin. Looks like a great trip.

Folks may not know this, but Flagstaff is a man-made lake that is the result of a hydroproject. The village of Flagstaff was claimed and flooded. There are stories of being able to see village features beneath the surface. There is also a story of a cold war era delta wing aircraft in the lake. I am not sure of the validity of that story.

There is more information here:

http://www.deadriverareahistoricalsociety.me/home/the-flooding-of-flagstaff
 
Thanks for the photos, Robin. Looks like a great trip.
There are stories of being able to see village features beneath the surface. There is also a story of a cold war era delta wing aircraft in the lake. I am not sure of the validity of that story.

There is more information here:

http://www.deadriverareahistoricalsociety.me/home/the-flooding-of-flagstaff

Hi Fitz:
I think this guy might have been looking for the town and downed plane, I also think he's a regular, I think I saw his video's on Youtube, "Flagstaff Beach's" or something like that.



More low water level beach's
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