Information & Tips for Trail User Responsibility Rapid River and Middle Dam Trail Rangeley Lakes Heritage Trust lands and trails Location: Town of Upton are open all year round for the public to enjoy

without fees. Directions: By car: From Oquossoc, take Join our membership today! Route 16 West for 15 miles, then take a left Please be considerate to other hikers, campers onto Fish Pond Road. For your safety, at and trail work crews. We work hard to main- Our mission is to conserve and steward the this point it is advised to seek further tain these lands and keep them available to natural and historic resources of the Rangeley 2 advice as the roads to the Rapid vary year you. Lakes Region for the benefit of the community by year due to landowner logging  No camping or fires are permitted within and future generations. operations over the next 10 miles. Rapid River Trail. □ Conservator—$5,000 Trail Description: The “Carry Trail” is the  Motorized recreation is not permitted on □ Partner—$2,500 best route to gain access to the foot trails to this property. historical Rapid River pools. The Trail □ Steward—$1,000 Rapid River & traverses along several scenic locations  Pets are allowed though we ask you respect □ Sponsor—$500 and mile loop, easy hiking with a few low other trail users. Middle Dam impact hills. □ Sustainer—$250 Tips: This area is remote, so bring extra food, □ Supporter—$100 Trail Map & Information water, clothing, etc. For safety, leave an Contributor—$50 itinerary with someone to check in with at □ the end of the day. The Rapid River is a fly □ Friend—$25 fishing only river. Check the rules and Name: ______regulations for this historic brook trout river! Address: ______

City: ______Please visit www.rlht.org to download RLHT’s trail maps for the Rangley Lakes Region. State: ______Zip: ______Phone: ______

Email: ______Please circle: Check Visa MasterCard Card #: ______Exp: ______CSV: ______

Return to: Rangeley Lakes Heritage Trust 52 Carry Road, Oquossoc, ME 04964 P.O. Box 249, Oquossoc ME 04964 (207) 864-7311 • www.rlht.org Welcome to the Rapid River

Over a hundred years ago when construction began on Lower Dam, the Rapid River was nearly unknown . Tucked away in dark forests miles from even primitive land travel routes, very few men made it to the banks of the river to appreciate the piece of beauty that we know today. The advent of log driving on the Rangeley Lakes chain brought logging camps and eventually sporting camps to the Rapid River lands.

The Rapid River itself is located between Lower Richardson and Umbagog Lakes and are part of the Androscoggin River drainage basin. The Rapid River, which contains approximately 3 ½ miles of nearly continuous Class III-IV rapids, is one of the most spectacular whitewater rivers in Maine. The river flows in a northwesterly direction and drops approximately 155 feet in 3 miles. There are no falls or steep drops in the river, which is unusual for a river of this gradient.

Apart from the Rapid River itself, the area is located in an exceptionally scenic area, but sparsely populated and with limited road access. Visitors to this area need to be prepared to hike 2-5 miles beyond a gate to access the River along the north shores. The infamous “Carry Trail” is the historic primary foot travel route that serves access from Middle Dam to Umbagog Lake. Several foot trails divert from the Carry Trail, leading to legendary river access for fishing, paddling, picnicking and more.