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Lakes in Maine

14 lakes in Maine with photography planning data — sunrise and sunset azimuths, golden hour by month, Milky Way windows and estimated sky darkness. Cumberland County has the most (3). The darkest skies are at Moosehead Lake (Bortle 1).

Top lakes

Moosehead LakeLake
Moosehead LakePiscataquis County
Parmachenee LakeLake
Parmachenee LakeOxford County · 494 m
Long LakeLake
Long LakeCumberland County · 82 m
South Twin LakeLake
South Twin LakePenobscot County · 150 m
Webb Lake (Maine)Lake
Webb Lake (Maine)Franklin County · 206 m
Messalonskee Lake and StreamLake
Messalonskee Lake and StreamKennebec County · 71 m
Beech Hill PondLake
Beech Hill PondHancock County · 60 m
Long PondLake
Long PondHancock County · 18 m
Trickey PondLake
Trickey PondCumberland County · 108 m
Annabessacook LakeLake
Annabessacook LakeKennebec County · 52 m
Rangeley LakeLake
Rangeley LakeFranklin County
Horn PondLake
Horn PondYork County · 168 m

Lakes by county

All lakes (14)

NameCountyElevationNearest townSky
Moosehead LakePiscataquis County—Greenville1
Parmachenee LakeOxford County494 mColebrook1
Long LakeCumberland County82 mBridgton3
South Twin LakePenobscot County150 mMillinocket2
Webb Lake (Maine)Franklin County206 mPhillips2
Messalonskee Lake and StreamKennebec County71 mBelgrade4
Beech Hill PondHancock County60 mDedham3
Long PondAcadiaHancock County18 mTremont2
Trickey PondCumberland County108 mRaymond3
Annabessacook LakeKennebec County52 mWinthrop4
Rangeley LakeFranklin County—Phillips2
Horn PondYork County168 mActon4
Stump Pond (Balch Pond)York County170 mWakefield4
Sebago LakeCumberland County—Steep Falls4

Sky = estimated Bortle class (1 darkest – 9 brightest).

Map

How to photograph lakes

Lakes reflect best in calm air — usually the first hour after sunrise, before breezes ripple the surface.

  • For mirror reflections, get low and close to the water; the reflection grows with a lower camera.
  • A polarizer can remove reflections to show the lakebed — or keep them, depending on rotation.
  • Mist often lifts off lakes on cold mornings after warm days, especially in autumn.
  • Include shoreline rocks, reeds or a log as foreground to give the reflection depth.
  • Expose for the brighter sky; reflections are typically half a stop to a stop darker.

Season: Autumn mornings bring mist and fall color; high-elevation lakes are usually ice-free only from early summer to mid-autumn.