2 Best Sights in Kingfield, Western Lakes and Mountains

A premier Maine Public Land, this 36,000-acre preserve takes in the 7-peak Bigelow Range (aka Bigelow Mountain and Mount Bigelow), a National Natural Landmark. At 4,150 feet, West Peak is one of 10 Maine summits exceeding 4,000 feet. The Appalachian Trail wends through "the Bigelows," inviting with side trails, too. There are several trailheads for the vast preserve—conveniently located east of Stratton and Eustis villages. Multiuse roads welcome mountain bikers; hunting is allowed. In winter, visitors cross-country ski, snowshoe, and snowmobile. Most of the shoreline of 20,000-acre Flagstaff Lake is within the preserve, which has several boat launches and picnic and swimming areas. Most Maine lakes are natural, but damming created this man-made one in the 1940s.  Maine's Public Lands (aka Public Reserved Lands) offer rugged outdoor recreation and are also managed for wildlife protection and timbering; they aren't staffed like state parks, and facilities are primitive.

Original Stanley Steamer cars built by identical twin brothers Francis and Freelan Stanley—Kingfield's most famous natives—are the main draw at this museum inside a 1903 Georgian-style former school. Also well worth the stop here are exhibits about the glass-negative photography business the identical twins sold to Eastman Kodak, and the well-composed photographs, taken by their sister, Chansonetta Stanley Emmons, of everyday country life at the turn of the 20th century.