The Western Maine Lakes and Mountains region spans most of

Maine Maine () is a state in the New England and Northeastern regions of the United States. It borders New Hampshire to the west, the Gulf of Maine to the southeast, and the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Quebec to the northeast and north ...

's western border with

New Hampshire New Hampshire is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Gulf of Maine to the east, and the Canadian province of Quebec t ...

. A small part of the scenic

White Mountain National Forest The White Mountain National Forest (WMNF) is a federally managed forest contained within the White Mountains in the northeastern United States. It was established in 1918 as a result of the Weeks Act of 1911; federal acquisition of land had alrea ...

is located in this area. The region consists of Oxford County, Androscoggin County, Franklin County, as well as northern

York York is a cathedral city with Roman origins, sited at the confluence of the rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. It is the historic county town of Yorkshire. The city has many historic buildings and other structures, such as a ...

and interior

Cumberland Cumberland ( ) is a historic county in the far North West England. It covers part of the Lake District as well as the north Pennines and Solway Firth coast. Cumberland had an administrative function from the 12th century until 1974. From 19 ...

counties. The largest cities in the region are Lewiston and

Auburn Auburn may refer to: Places Australia * Auburn, New South Wales * City of Auburn, the local government area *Electoral district of Auburn *Auburn, Queensland, a locality in the Western Downs Region *Auburn, South Australia *Auburn, Tasmania *Aub ...

. Notable towns include

Bethel Bethel ( he, בֵּית אֵל, translit=Bēṯ 'Ēl, "House of El" or "House of God",Bleeker and Widegren, 1988, p. 257. also transliterated ''Beth El'', ''Beth-El'', ''Beit El''; el, Βαιθήλ; la, Bethel) was an ancient Israelite sanct ...

, Bridgton,

Oxford Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the ...

, Rangeley, and Rumford. Many of the state's highest peaks are located in the region, although the highest,

Mount Katahdin Mount Katahdin ( ) is the highest mountain in the U.S. state of Maine at . Named Katahdin, which means "Great Mountain", by the Penobscot Native Americans, it is within Northeast Piscataquis, Piscataquis County, and is the centerpiece of Baxte ...

, is not. The area is known for its crystal clear lakes and scenic hiking trails in the summer. Fall can also bring tourists who come to see the brilliant

Autumn leaf color Autumn leaf color is a phenomenon that affects the normal green leaves of many deciduous trees and shrubs by which they take on, during a few weeks in the autumn season, various shades of yellow, orange, red, purple, and brown. The phenomenon i ...

provided by the region's maple dominated forestry. In the winter, skiing becomes the region's largest attraction. This region has many resorts and ski areas to choose from, including Shawnee Peak in Bridgton, Sunday River in Bethel, Black Mountain in Rumford, Saddleback Mountain in Rangley and Sugarloaf in Carrabassett Valley. The economy in these areas is largely based on seasonal activities and tourism. The

Appalachian National Scenic Trail The Appalachian Trail (also called the A.T.), is a hiking trail in the Eastern United States, extending almost between Springer Mountain in Georgia and Mount Katahdin in Maine, and passing through 14 states.Gailey, Chris (2006)"Appalachian Tr ...

passes through this region, and the portion that passes through the region's Mahoosuc Notch is popularly considered by hikers to be the most difficult mile of the entire trail." The Toughest Mile: Hiking Mahoosuc Notch on the Appalachian Trail" GORP.com
/ref>

References

Mountain ranges of Maine Regions of Maine Mountains of Oxford County, Maine Mountains of York County, Maine Mountains of Cumberland County, Maine {{Maine-geo-stub

See also

References