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China Lake

China · Vassalboro, Maine — Kennebec County.

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3,942Surface acres
2Public access sites

Surface area: The USGS National Hydrography Dataset outline (NHD Permanent ID 152433096).

Location & fast facts

Where China Lake is in Maine

The red circle marks China Lake.

Fast facts

About China Lake

  • County: Kennebec
  • Shore towns: China, Vassalboro
  • Mapped as: Lake or pond (USGS National Hydrography Dataset)
  • Distance: about 64 mi from Portland and 47 mi from Bangor, straight-line (not driving distance)

Towns and counties: U.S. Census Bureau boundaries overlaid on the USGS lake outline.

Fishing in Maine

Official Maine IF&W pages. Rules and fees change; check before you go.

Lake map

China Lake shoreline, boat launches & beaches

China boat launch (Boat launch)1Vassalboro boat launch (Boat launch)21 mileN

Numbers on the map match the list at rightbelow.

Boat launch
  1. 1China boat launch
    Boat launch · China
  2. 2Vassalboro boat launch
    Boat launch · Vassalboro

Shoreline: USGS National Hydrography Dataset (NHD Waterbody, Permanent ID 152433096), public domain. State outline: U.S. Census Bureau TIGERweb. Points: Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands public boat launches. Interactive map: Leaflet with © OpenStreetMap contributors. Not for navigation.

Campgrounds near China Lake

We found 3 campgrounds and RV parks within 15 miles of China Lake, 1 of them within 5 miles. Distances are straight-line from the nearest point on the shoreline, so driving distance is longer.

All campgrounds & RV parks in Maine

Green tent icons on the lake map mark campgrounds near the shore, and the interactive map shows the closest 12. Amenities are listed only where a source records them; call or check the campground's website before you go, since seasons and rates change every year.

Campground data: Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands · OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Pulled Oct 12, 2026.

Conditions right now

Air temperature & conditions (nearest NWS station)Loading…
Fetching the latest National Weather Service observation…

Live from the National Weather Service API for the lake's coordinates (44.4370, -69.5740). The nearest station may be several miles away. NWS forecast for China Lake. No live water-temperature sensor is shown because we haven't found a public one for this lake.

Sun, moon & best fishing times

Sun & moon at China Lake

Best fishing times

Major periodMinor periodDaylight

    Based on solunar theory, an estimate. Major periods (about 2 hours) center on when the moon is directly overhead or underfoot; minor periods (about 1 hour) center on moonrise and moonset. The 0–100 activity score rises during those periods and gets a boost near sunrise and sunset and around the new and full moon. Weather, water temperature and pressure often matter more. Sun and moon times are calculated in your browser from the lake's coordinates with standard astronomy formulas, shown in ET (America/New_York), and accurate to within a few minutes.

    Fish you can catch

    Brook Trout ★

    ★ = stocked recently (see Stocking). No machine-readable species survey is published for this water; the list shows stocked fish only.

    2026 stocking

    2 stocking trips so far in 2026, 450 fish in total.

    DateSpeciesFishSize
    Apr 27, 2026Brook Trout2009 in
    Apr 27, 2026Brook Trout2509 in

    Maine IF&W 2026 year-to-date stocking report (PDF)

    Matched to this water by name and town. Pulled Oct 10, 2026.

    Boat launches & access sites

    2 public access sites listed, 2 with a boat ramp or trailer launch.

    SiteTownOwnerTypeParkingFeeUsesMap
    China boat launchChinaCHINATrailer launch · Hard ramp · dock8 trailer—Boating44.4791, -69.5111
    Vassalboro boat launchVassalboroVASSALBOROTrailer launch · Hard ramp · dock11 trailer, 5 car—Boating
    Toilet; Handicap accessible
    44.4457, -69.6054

    Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands public boat launches

    Fees, hours and rules change; confirm with the site owner before you go.

    Invasive species

    Reported on or near China Lake

    Clean, Drain, Dry. Remove plants and mud, drain all water, and dry your boat, trailer and gear before moving to another water.

    USGS Nonindigenous Aquatic Species database

    USGS records matched to this water by location (within about 150 m of the outline) or by the place name in the record. A record shows a sighting was reported; it doesn't prove the species is still there. As of Oct 10, 2026.

    Contact & official info

    Lakes & ponds nearby

    Straight-line distance between lake centers. All Maine lakes & ponds · All waters in China