Bridgton, Maine, Offers Plenty To Do Throughout the Year

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Bridgton, Maine, Offers Plenty To Do Throughout the Year


Shawnee Peak Ski Area on Pleasant Mountain overlooks Moose Pond
There are eleven lakes and ponds within the 68.7 square miles of Bridgton, including Long Lake, Highland Lake and Moose Pond. Their good water quality is the result of vigilance on the part of shorefront property owners and education by the Lakes Environmental Association (LEA).

Lakefront Properties For Sale in Bridgton, Maine

View Vacation Rentals on Moose Pond

As “The Maine Place for All Seasons,” Bridgton is the hub of the Greater Bridgton Lakes Region. Park your car behind Bridgton Books or Reny’s Department Store and take a stroll down Main Street, browse the shops, enjoy an ice cream or just sit on a bench and watch all the activity. From shops and services to eclectic architecture and entertainment, you’ll find it all here.Shorey Park, at the bottom of Main Hill is home to the annual Art-in-the-Park festival held the third Saturday in July. Highland Lake sits just beyond the park and offers public swimming for all. Two other public swimming beaches are at Woods Pond in South Bridgton and Salmon Point on Long Lake.
For hikers, the Stevens Brook Trail begins at Highland Lake and meanders along the brook for 2.2 miles to Long Lake. Along the way you’ll see evidence of 11 former power sites that were used for saw mills, grist mills, tanneries, sash shops and textile mills. Newly developed Pondicherry Park offers 62 acres of in-town hiking trails. Bald Pate and Holt Pond in South Bridgton can be hiked together or separately. For a more challenging hike, there’s the Bald Peak Trail up Pleasant Mountain in West Bridgton. Guided hikes along all of these trails are offered by LEA and Loon Echo Land Trust.
For more outdoor fun, try alpine skiing at  Shawnee Peak Ski Area overlooking Moose Pond. Cross-country ski or snow show at Five Fields Farm in South Bridgton or Bridgton Highlands Country Club, where trails are maintained in the winter. Tennis and golf are available at the country club during the summer. Canoe or kayak along our streams, ponds and lakes. Rentals are available from Sportshaus on Main Street. Waterski or fish in the summer. Ice fishing and snowmobiling are popular during the winter months.
If it’s cultural entertainment you seek, check out the Rufus Porter Museum, Gallery 302, Magic Lantern Movie Theatre, Wednesday night community band concerts during the summer season and Bridgton Twin Drive-In. For information about other events, contact the Greater Bridgton Lakes Region Chamber of Commerce.
According to a New York Times article, “Bridgton is a winter playground, with ice fishing, snowshoeing and ski touring as options. And it’s equally attractive in summer, residents and second-home owners say.”
Bridgton Municipal Building, 3 Chase Street, Bridgton 04009
http://bridgtonmaine.org, 207.647.8786, fax: 207.647.8789
Incorporated 1794
Named for settler Moody Bridges
Square miles: 68.7
Population: 4,883
2010 Tax Rate: $11.99/thousand
Fire/Police/Ambulance: 911
Non-emergency—Fire: 207.647.3663
Non-emergency—Police: 207.647.8814
Non-emergency—Ambulance: 207.647.5222
Bridgton Hospital: 207.647.6000
Bridgton Public Library: 207.647.6472
North Bridgton Library: 207.647.8563
Bridgton Recreation Department: 207.647.8786, ext. 218
Stevens Brook Elementary School: 207.647.5675
MSAD 61, Lake Region School District: 207.647.3048
Greater Bridgton Lakes Region Chamber of Commerce: 207.647.3472
Bridgton Community Center: 207.647.3116
Boat Launches: Moose Pond, Highland Lake, Salmon Point, Woods Pond
Boat Washing Stations: West Bridgton Fire Station, Highland Lake, Woods Pond
Public Beaches: Highland Lake, Salmon Point, Woods Pond
Playgrounds: Highland Lake Beach, Bridgton Municipal Building, Jr. Harmon Ball Field, Woods Pond Beach, Bridgton Community Center, Stevens Brook Elementary School*
Picnic Areas: Highland Lake Beach, Woods Pond, Salmon Point, Willis Park, Sandy Creek
*Not available during school hours

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