Up or down the road

Oquossoc lakeside

  Maine Route 17 is a fairly long road it runs from Rockland on the coast to Oquossoc near Rangeley.  We'll take a look at just a small portion from the Oquossoc end to Mexico, a very scenic ride.  I'll bet it looks pretty nice today.
  As we leave our starting point the first place we arrive is Rangeley Plantation (not the Town of Rangeley), then D Township, E Township, Byron, Roxbury and finally Mexico - so all told a fairly short stretch.  You'll find the "Height of Land" in D, as well as some small ponds.  E will yield some more fantastic scenery and a couple of streams and small ponds.  Byron is home to "Coos Canyon" on the Swift River, a must see stop.  The Canyon has been carved into the granite by water over thousands of years, the river drops quickly and when the water is high, oh my!, bring a camera.  People pan for gold in E and Byron too, some nuggets have been found over the years, it's a good way to spend some time with children.  In Roxbury you'll find the "Swift River Falls" which I can't describe because I've missed them, either with an empty stomach or a full bladder, getting older is great fun.

View from the Height of Land

Around Beaver Pond

Coos Canyon, anyone for a swim?