Description: The Physical map of Maine showing major geographical features such as rivers, lakes, topography and land formations.
A Physical Map of Maine shows a state carved by ice, shaped by rivers, and edged by a long rocky shoreline. Forested uplands rise in the west and north around Mount Katahdin. Thousands of lakes and ponds dot the interior, from Moosehead Lake to Sebago Lake and the Rangeley Lakes. Major rivers like the Penobscot, Kennebec, Androscoggin, Saco, and St. John cut long paths to the sea. Along the Atlantic, bold headlands face the Gulf of Maine, protecting deep bays such as Casco Bay, Penobscot Bay, and Frenchman Bay near Mount Desert Island. This geographical map of Maine helps residents, travelers and students see how landforms explain where towns, roads, and harbors sit.
Capital: Augusta on the Kennebec River.
Largest metro: Portland on Casco Bay.
Other anchors: Bangor, Lewiston-Auburn, Biddeford-Saco, Brunswick-Topsham, Rockland-Camden, Ellsworth-Bar Harbor, Presque Isle-Caribou.
Highest point: Mount Katahdin.
Physiographic zones: Northern highlands and St. John Valley; central highlands around Katahdin and Moosehead; western mountains; central lowlands; coastal lowlands and drowned river valleys.
Major rivers: Penobscot, Kennebec, Androscoggin, Saco, St. John, Aroostook, St. Croix, Presumpscot, Sheepscot, Damariscotta, St. George, Union.
Key lakes: Moosehead, Sebago, Rangeley Lakes, Chamberlain, Chesuncook, Eagle, Flagstaff, Umbagog, Belgrade Lakes cluster, Great Pond, Long Pond, Messalonskee.
Coastal features: Casco Bay, Kennebec estuary, Sheepscot estuary, Damariscotta River, St. George River, Penobscot Bay, Frenchman Bay, Mount Desert Island, Cobscook Bay, Passamaquoddy Bay, Gulf of Maine.
Maine touches two Canadian provinces. The St. John River helps mark the north border from Fort Kent and Madawaska eastward. At the far east, the St. Croix River separates Maine from New Brunswick near Calais and St. Stephen before reaching Passamaquoddy Bay. These river borders are easy to trace on the map because towns and bridges cluster where crossings make sense.
To the west, Maine meets New Hampshire. The ridgeline connection to the White Mountains feeds Maine’s western highlands. On the map you can follow a chain of mountains and high lakes along this side, including Flagstaff Lake, the Rangeley Lakes, Umbagog Lake on the NH line, and peaks tied into the northern Appalachians.
Near the center-north of the state rises Mount Katahdin (1,605 m). Trails, glacial cirques, and steep valleys radiate from it. The peak anchors the Katahdin Woods and Waters region and sits at the northern end of the Appalachian Trail. A physical map shows it surrounded by large forest blocks, narrow blue ponds, and braided headwaters that feed the Penobscot River.
Southwest of Katahdin, the western mountains stretch toward Farmington, Rumford, and Rangeley. Valleys hold long, finger-shaped lakes—classic glacial forms. Rivers are swift and canyon-like in this belt, which is why paper mills and power dams often appear in towns such as Rumford and Skowhegan along strong river drops.
Moosehead Lake: the state’s largest, north of Greenville, feeding the Kennebec through Indian Pond and Seboomook outlets.
Sebago Lake: near Portland and Windham, a major drinking-water source; linked to Presumpscot River.
Rangeley Lakes: a string of large, high-elevation lakes near Rangeley and Oquossoc that drain toward the Androscoggin and Kennebec.
Chesuncook, Chamberlain, Telos and Eagle Lakes: north-central backcountry waters connected by the Allagash Wilderness Waterway.
Flagstaff Lake: a long reservoir on the Dead River west of Carrabassett Valley, part of the Kennebec system.
Belgrade Lakes near Waterville and Augusta: Great Pond, Long Pond, Messalonskee Lake, and others, lined up along low ridges. A quick glance at the map shows that long lakes align with glacial valleys, while rounder ponds fill kettles left by melting ice.
The Penobscot starts around Moosehead Lake offshoots and the West Branch, gathers water near Millinocket and Katahdin, then flows past Bangor and Brewer into Penobscot Bay. Estuary channels stretch past Bucksport and Searsport. The river’s large watershed explains why Bangor grew as an inland port and why bridges concentrate at the narrows.
The Kennebec begins near Moosehead and Indian Pond, rushes through Skowhegan and Waterville, then widens at Augusta—the state capital—and finally meets the sea at Bath. The Androscoggin River joins the Kennebec estuary at Merrymeeting Bay, creating a complex tidal zone with many channels. Bath faces the sheltered Kennebec mouth, which is why shipbuilding thrives there.
The Androscoggin flows from Umbagog Lake through Rumford, Mexico, Livermore Falls, Lewiston and Auburn, then bends toward Brunswick and Topsham. Mill towns line steep segments where the river drops. Bridges crowd at Lewiston–Auburn, a sign of regional trade.
The Saco descends from the White Mountains, passes Fryeburg and Hiram, then reaches the coast at Biddeford and Saco, just south of Portland. Barrier beaches like Old Orchard Beach sit near its mouth where sand collects.
In far northern Maine, the St. John River arcs along the Canadian line past Fort Kent, Madawaska, Van Buren and Grand Falls on the New Brunswick side. The Aroostook River joins it near Presque Isle and Caribou. This region is broad, gently rolling farmland and forest.
Casco Bay forms a deep, island-rich harbor for Portland, South Portland, Falmouth, Yarmouth, and Cape Elizabeth. Islands and peninsulas break up the waves and create calm channels used by ferries and fishing boats. The Presumpscot, Royal, and Fore Rivers help shape the inner bay.
East of Casco Bay the coast turns into a lacework of drowned river valleys. The Kennebec, Sheepscot, Damariscotta, and St. George Rivers carve narrow estuaries that end at stone-built towns like Bath, Wiscasset, Damariscotta, Rockland and Camden. Farther east, wide Penobscot Bay opens with islands such as Vinalhaven and Isle au Haut guarding the approaches to Belfast, Rockland, and Castine.
Near Ellsworth the shore swings into Frenchman Bay and Mount Desert Island. Granite mountains rise near the sea, which is why Acadia National Park has ocean views from peaks like Cadillac Mountain. Bar Harbor sits on the island’s sheltered east side. The map clearly labels Mt Desert I. and nearby islands that protect the bay.
Northeast of Machias and Cutler, the Bold Coast faces the outer Gulf with high cliffs and headlands. The coast softens again into drowned valleys around Cobscook and Passamaquoddy Bay near Eastport and Calais. Strong tides create reversing falls and wide mudflats, tested by mariners for centuries.
Color shades on a detailed map show that Maine’s north and west are higher and cooler. Central and southern lowlands have mixed forests and farmlands. Marsh icons appear near river mouths like the Kennebec and Saco where tidal flats and salt marshes grow. Small blue lines show many brooks, a sign of glacial till and wet soils. Topographic cues explain why roads weave along valleys instead of straight over ridges.
Augusta sits at a fall line on the Kennebec, which made it a good crossing and power site.
Bangor lies at the tide limit of the Penobscot, so ships could reach timber mills.
Portland stands on a peninsula deep inside Casco Bay, naturally protected.
Lewiston–Auburn grew around Androscoggin River falls that powered mills.
Rockland, Belfast, and Camden line the edge of Penobscot Bay, close to fishing grounds and sheltered anchorages.
Houlton, Presque Isle, and Caribou are in the open far north where the Aroostook plain is easier for farms and airfields.
Follow I-95 up the interior along the Kennebec and Penobscot valleys for fast north–south travel.
Use US-1 to wind along the coast between Casco Bay, Penobscot Bay, Frenchman Bay and Passamaquoddy Bay.
Look for causeways on islands and peninsulas; long water gaps mean limited services.
Mountain routes such as ME-27 and ME-4 cross glacial valleys connecting Farmington, Rangeley, and Carrabassett Valley.
Winter driving is easiest in wide valleys; exposed headlands get wind and sea fog.
From Fort Kent to Van Buren, towns face Canadian communities across the St. John River. The river’s broad meanders create level benches where roads and farms line the valley. Note how the rail line and highway follow the inner curve of the river for safer grades.
South of the St. John, the Aroostook River flows past Presque Isle and Caribou. Fields stretch across low ridges while spruce and fir woods fill wet pockets. On the map, dozens of small lakes and streams reveal a cold landscape shaped by past glaciers.
West of this farm belt the Allagash chain - Chamberlain Lake, Eagle Lake, Churchill Lake, and Allagash Lake - runs north. Portage points link the waters into a canoe route. The long, aligned lakes tell you the valley is glacial. For backcountry travel, expect few road crossings and long distances between services.
Around Millinocket and East Millinocket the map shows many branches of the Penobscot. The West Branch flows from Chesuncook and Seboomook Lakes; the East Branch drops from the Katahdin side. Where these meet downstream of Medway, the river grows wide enough for historical log drives and today’s paddlers.
Moosehead Lake feeds the Kennebec River through Indian Pond and the East Outlet. Greenville and Rockwood sit on main narrows. The Kennebec then gathers the Dead River from Flagstaff Lake and runs south past The Forks - a map label known to whitewater rafters.
In the west, Rangeley, Oquossoc, Eustis, and Carrabassett Valley line up along long lakes and valleys. You can read the mountain spacing by the number of ponds and the tightness of contour hints on the physical base. Roads twist to avoid steep slopes and cross at low saddles.
Follow the Androscoggin River from Rumford through Livermore Falls to Lewiston–Auburn. The map marks bridges, power sites, and highway bends that all sit at narrow, rocky points. Farther down, the river becomes tidal around Brunswick.
Near Windham and Standish, Sebago Lake fills a deep basin. Small inlets like Long Beach, outer ponds, and the Presumpscot River outlet are easy to pick out. Because it is clean and deep, Sebago supplies water to the Portland area, another landform-to-city link visible on a detailed map of Maine.
Augusta sits where the Kennebec meets a rocky fall line. Bridges, a dam, and the state complex cluster here. Downstream, Hallowell, Gardiner, and Richmond line the inner bends. At Merrymeeting Bay, the Kennebec mingles with the Androscoggin in a wide tidal bowl that empties through many mouths including the Kennebec, New Meadows, and Sasanoa channels.
At Bath, steep banks and deep water make a natural shipyard site. Mouths of the Sheepscot and Damariscotta cut into the coast nearby, ending at towns with narrow streets and granite wharves. The map’s peninsulas-Boothbay, Pemaquid, and St. George - show why boat travel once beat road travel here.
These towns sit along the inner Penobscot Bay, protected by islands like Vinalhaven and North Haven. The bay’s size allows deep harbors and stiff sea breezes. Where river valleys reach the sea—Belfast on the Passagassawakeag and Rockland by the St. George—you find ports and old limekiln sites.
Ellsworth stands at the head of Union River tidewaters. Across Frenchman Bay, Bar Harbor and Southwest Harbor face a maze of islands and coves on Mount Desert Island. Mountains rise quickly from the coast, so roads loop around rather than climb directly.
From Machias to Lubec the map shows fewer large towns and more headlands. Cobscook Bay and Passamaquoddy Bay hold complex tides and narrow channels to St. Andrews and St. Stephen across the line. Calais marks the inland bend where US-1 crosses the St. Croix River.
Watershed mapping: Trace the Penobscot, Kennebec, Androscoggin, Saco, and St. John basins and list towns in each.
Glacial landforms: Identify kettle ponds and moraines around Belgrade Lakes and Sebago by their round shapes and hummocky margins.
Coastline study: Compare drowned river estuaries at Damariscotta and Sheepscot with open bays like Penobscot Bay.
Settlement rows: Mark how towns line the fall lines—Augusta on the Kennebec, Lewiston–Auburn on the Androscoggin, Bangor on the Penobscot.
Island arcs: Use Casco Bay and Mount Desert Island to explain how islands shield inner channels and create ferry routes.
Marsh symbols near river mouths hint at fog and wildlife areas.
Causeways on peninsulas and islands can flood in storms; plan fuel stops early.
Long lakes suggest valleys with fewer passes; winter routes favor lower gaps.
Estuary bends like Merrymeeting Bay show many channels—bridges are limited and detours can be long.
The Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Maine border the entire shoreline.
The St. John River arcs along the Canadian line near Fort Kent and Madawaska.
The St. Croix River flows to Passamaquoddy Bay at Calais and St. Stephen.
In the central north near Millinocket and the upper Penobscot watershed.
Moosehead Lake north of Greenville.
Northwest of Portland near Windham and Standish.
Casco Bay with many protective islands and deep channels.
The Penobscot River.
The Kennebec River.
Lewiston and Auburn.
Along the midcoast near Belfast, Rockland and Camden.
Mount Desert Island in Frenchman Bay.
The Saco River.
Passamaquoddy Bay and the inner Cobscook Bay.
In the western mountains near the New Hampshire border.
A tidal basin where the Kennebec and Androscoggin meet near Brunswick.
In Aroostook County near the Canadian border along I-95.
Ellsworth inland and Bar Harbor on Mount Desert Island.
The Presumpscot River.
Along the coast from the Portland area through the midcoast, Downeast towns and into Calais.
Chamberlain, Eagle, Churchill, and nearby linked lakes.
West of Carrabassett Valley on the Dead River branch of the Kennebec.
Madawaska and nearby Fort Kent.
Penobscot Bay.
Around Brunswick and Topsham as it nears Merrymeeting Bay.
Glaciers carved deep valleys and left long finger lakes and kettle ponds.
Fog, strong tides and narrow channels, especially near Penobscot Bay and Passamaquoddy Bay.
On the Kennebec River at a fall line, upstream from Bath.
No. The map is for viewing only and is not licensed for printing or copying.
Trace Casco Bay near Portland, follow the estuaries to Penobscot Bay, swing to Frenchman Bay and Mount Desert Island, then finish at Cobscook and Passamaquoddy Bay.
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