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1988 Map of Rainbow Lake West

Name: 1988 Topographic Map of Rainbow Lake West
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1988
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1988

About this map

The Appalachian National Scenic Trail winds through the heart of this Maine wilderness, skirting the southern shore of Rainbow Lake and climbing toward Nesuntabunt Mtn. This landscape is defined by its complex network of waterways, where large bodies like Chesuncook Lake and Nahmakanta Lake are connected by seasonal drainages such as Rainbow Stream and Pollywog Stream.

The map reveals the intricate hydrology of Piscataquis County, showing numerous smaller ponds including Chesuncook Pond, Holbrook Pond, and Pollywog Pond. These remote townships, categorized by the West of the Easterly Line of the State (WELS) system, illustrate a terrain where travel was dictated by the orientation of brooks like Caribou Brook and Bean Brook. The absence of developed roads highlights the primitive state of this backcountry during the late twentieth century.