Foliage map › Destinations › Maine › Rangeley
Rangeley, Maine fall foliage
In a typical year, fall color in the Rangeley area peaks around October 1, with the best viewing from roughly September 30 to October 8.
- Typical peak
- October 1
- Best viewing
- Sep 30 – Oct 8
- Color starts
- Around Sep 19
- Leaves mostly down
- Around Oct 14
- Elevation
- 1,540 ft
2026 foliage season
Typical season
Peak around October 1. Turn on JavaScript to see today’s estimated status and the five-week outlook.
The season at a glance
Bar height shows how good the viewing typically is on each day, from September 1 through November 30. Colors show the stage, from green through peak red to bare.
Open Rangeley on the foliage mapWhere to see the color around Rangeley
The best-known view in the area is the Height of Land on Route 17, south of Rangeley, a large roadside overlook with a sweeping view over Mooselookmeguntic Lake and its islands to the mountains beyond. The Appalachian Trail crosses Route 17 nearby. Closer to town, Rangeley Lake is ringed by forest, with Saddleback Mountain rising to the southeast. South of town, right beside Route 4, Smalls Falls drops through a series of waterfalls and pools.
Scenic drive
The Rangeley Lakes National Scenic Byway follows Routes 17 and 4 for about 36 miles around Rangeley Lake. Starting in the south on Route 17, it climbs to the Height of Land overlook, continues north to the village of Oquossoc, runs east along the lake to Rangeley, and then follows Route 4 south, below Saddleback Mountain, to Smalls Falls. Watch for moose, especially around dawn and dusk.
If you arrive too early or too late
Too early? Still mostly green
Look for higher ground
None of the destinations we track within 150 miles of Rangeley typically peaks much earlier. Look for higher ground nearby: in this part of the country, color tends to arrive about 4 to 5 days earlier for every 1,000 feet you climb.
Too late? Already past peak
Head lower or farther south
Bethel, ME (40 miles away, lower down) typically peaks about 7 days later, and Jackson, NH (63 miles away, farther south) typically peaks about 7 days later.
Scenic drive guides
Nearby destinations
- Bethel, METypical peak Oct 8, 7 days later. 39 miles away.
- Greenville (Moosehead Lake), METypical peak Oct 1, about the same time. 62 miles away.
- Jackson, NHTypical peak Oct 8, 7 days later. 63 miles away.
- North Conway, NHTypical peak Oct 10, 9 days later. 67 miles away.
- Franconia Notch, NHTypical peak Oct 3, 2 days later. 76 miles away.
Trees you’ll see turning
Common questions
When is peak fall foliage in Rangeley?
In a typical year, fall color in the Rangeley area peaks around October 1, with the best viewing from roughly September 30 to October 8. Weather can shift the timing by about a week either way.
How long does peak color last in Rangeley?
Near-peak color usually holds for about 9 days. Color starts to show around September 19, and most leaves are down by about October 14.
Is Rangeley early or late compared with the rest of Maine?
Rangeley typically peaks about 8 days earlier than the Maine average of Oct 9. It ranks 1 of 7 Maine destinations from earliest to latest.
What trees color up around Rangeley?
The main fall color in this area comes from sugar maple, red maple, paper birch, and American beech. See the leaf guide to identify them.
Estimates come from the Leaves.com model of typical years, based on latitude, elevation, and distance from large bodies of water. They are not live observations. How it works.