Fall Foliage Scenic Drive in Maine
By Cliff Calderwood
By Cliff Calderwood
Fall foliage scenic drives in Maine are varied and include coastal drives
around Acadia National Park and the rocky coastline of upper Northern Maine
to Baxter State park region, to some of the larger lakes in the state. Many of the
scenic drives emphasize the rugged wilderness of thick forests and impressive
mountain terrain of the Maine backcountry.
Maine is one of the most heavily forested states in the nation, containing over
17 million acres of natural beauty, hikes, and magnificent summer scenic
drives. One of the drives is nicknamed "The Lakes and Leaves" and I’ve chosen
it because it’s especially stunning in fall foliage season.
The "Lakes and Leaves" route follows a 218-mile loop through central west
Maine along the lower western shore of Moosehead Lake, and then runs
parallel with the tree-lined banks of the Kennebec River. It’s best experienced
over a few days rather than a one-day excursion trip, and lodging reservations
are recommended during the popular fall foliage season.
Let’s get you started...
In the first part of the tour you’ll wind your way towards the town of
Greenville on the southern tip of Moosehead Lake. Begin the tour in the town
of Skowhegan by taking Route 150 to Route 151 in Athens. Follow Route 151
west to Newport where you’ll pick up Route 7 to Dover-Foxcroft. Take Route 6
to Guilford, and then follow Route 6/15 north to Greenville.
At Greenville stop and relax for a bit. Greenville is a center for those seeking
the pastimes of hunting, fishing, hiking and boating in the area. It’s also home
to a number of attractions in the area. One such attraction is the 110-foot SS
Katahdin, a popular steamship that cruises on Moosehead Lake during the
summer and through fall foliage. It leaves from the center of Greenville. The
views from the ship are dramatic and worth the extra scheduling preparation.
A 20-mile excursion east of Greenville takes you to beautiful Gulf Hagas. This
is a stunning 3-mile-long gorge, with waterfalls, water chutes, deep pools, and
vertical walls 300 feet tall in places. The hike is especially scenic during fall
foliage. For those spreading this scenic drive over multiple days this is a must-
do side trip.
The Greenville area also boasts splendid hikes along the close-by Appalachian
Trail, and is the preferred stop over town in the area if you’re intending to do
any of the excursions over multiple days. Like most lodging in New England
during the fall season... book early.
The scenic drive continues along Route 6/15 passing Big Squaw Mountain and
Ski Area on the left, and winding along the Moosehead Lake shore to the
village of Rockwood. Once at Rockwood you’ll see across the water the
imposing Mount Kineo with its sheer cliff face rising over 700 feet from the
deepest point in Moosehead Lake.
Stay on Route 6/15 and head west to Jackman. This 30-mile portion of the
scenic drive is all about Maine wilderness. You’ll find plenty of opportunities
to stop and admire the fall foliage views in the hills and on scenic lookouts
across the lakes and ponds along the road.
Just south of Jackman Route 6/15 will connect with Route 201, and you’ll
follow Route 201 south towards The Forks along the National Scenic Byway.
Jackman is a canoeing center, famous for the 42-mile Moose River Bow Trip.
The canoe trip takes two or more days and is a favorite of outdoor enthusiasts.
It’s one of the few remaining wilderness canoe trips in the Northeast, and
organized tours are run by local operators.
Continue on Route 201 south to The Forks where the Kennebec and Dead
Rivers meet. The Forks is base for popular and awe-inspiring whitewater
rafting trips on the two rivers. A few miles west of The Forks is Moxie Falls, at
90-feet one of the tallest waterfalls in New England.
The scenic drive continues south on Route 201 to Bingham. This stretch of the
road follows the Kennebec River through Caratunk, offering magnificent views
of the river and surrounding hills, and is one of the best fall foliage sections on
this tour. Stop on occasions and marvel at the way the river has carved out
such wonderful scenery for us to admire. If you’ve got a camera - use it!
Follow Route 201 back to Skowhegan to complete the tour.
Unlike other scenic drives in New England this one’s main attraction is the
natural beauty of the Maine wilderness, rather than villages and towns or other
historic monuments. This is a drive to build an outdoor vacation around, but it
also makes an ideal fall foliage weekend jaunt.
For more details on these and other Maine
scenic drives and to grab your free
valuable travel reports go to Cliff's
vacations guide to New England at:
www.new-england-vacations-guide.com
around Acadia National Park and the rocky coastline of upper Northern Maine
to Baxter State park region, to some of the larger lakes in the state. Many of the
scenic drives emphasize the rugged wilderness of thick forests and impressive
mountain terrain of the Maine backcountry.
Maine is one of the most heavily forested states in the nation, containing over
17 million acres of natural beauty, hikes, and magnificent summer scenic
drives. One of the drives is nicknamed "The Lakes and Leaves" and I’ve chosen
it because it’s especially stunning in fall foliage season.
The "Lakes and Leaves" route follows a 218-mile loop through central west
Maine along the lower western shore of Moosehead Lake, and then runs
parallel with the tree-lined banks of the Kennebec River. It’s best experienced
over a few days rather than a one-day excursion trip, and lodging reservations
are recommended during the popular fall foliage season.
Let’s get you started...
In the first part of the tour you’ll wind your way towards the town of
Greenville on the southern tip of Moosehead Lake. Begin the tour in the town
of Skowhegan by taking Route 150 to Route 151 in Athens. Follow Route 151
west to Newport where you’ll pick up Route 7 to Dover-Foxcroft. Take Route 6
to Guilford, and then follow Route 6/15 north to Greenville.
At Greenville stop and relax for a bit. Greenville is a center for those seeking
the pastimes of hunting, fishing, hiking and boating in the area. It’s also home
to a number of attractions in the area. One such attraction is the 110-foot SS
Katahdin, a popular steamship that cruises on Moosehead Lake during the
summer and through fall foliage. It leaves from the center of Greenville. The
views from the ship are dramatic and worth the extra scheduling preparation.
A 20-mile excursion east of Greenville takes you to beautiful Gulf Hagas. This
is a stunning 3-mile-long gorge, with waterfalls, water chutes, deep pools, and
vertical walls 300 feet tall in places. The hike is especially scenic during fall
foliage. For those spreading this scenic drive over multiple days this is a must-
do side trip.
The Greenville area also boasts splendid hikes along the close-by Appalachian
Trail, and is the preferred stop over town in the area if you’re intending to do
any of the excursions over multiple days. Like most lodging in New England
during the fall season... book early.
The scenic drive continues along Route 6/15 passing Big Squaw Mountain and
Ski Area on the left, and winding along the Moosehead Lake shore to the
village of Rockwood. Once at Rockwood you’ll see across the water the
imposing Mount Kineo with its sheer cliff face rising over 700 feet from the
deepest point in Moosehead Lake.
Stay on Route 6/15 and head west to Jackman. This 30-mile portion of the
scenic drive is all about Maine wilderness. You’ll find plenty of opportunities
to stop and admire the fall foliage views in the hills and on scenic lookouts
across the lakes and ponds along the road.
Just south of Jackman Route 6/15 will connect with Route 201, and you’ll
follow Route 201 south towards The Forks along the National Scenic Byway.
Jackman is a canoeing center, famous for the 42-mile Moose River Bow Trip.
The canoe trip takes two or more days and is a favorite of outdoor enthusiasts.
It’s one of the few remaining wilderness canoe trips in the Northeast, and
organized tours are run by local operators.
Continue on Route 201 south to The Forks where the Kennebec and Dead
Rivers meet. The Forks is base for popular and awe-inspiring whitewater
rafting trips on the two rivers. A few miles west of The Forks is Moxie Falls, at
90-feet one of the tallest waterfalls in New England.
The scenic drive continues south on Route 201 to Bingham. This stretch of the
road follows the Kennebec River through Caratunk, offering magnificent views
of the river and surrounding hills, and is one of the best fall foliage sections on
this tour. Stop on occasions and marvel at the way the river has carved out
such wonderful scenery for us to admire. If you’ve got a camera - use it!
Follow Route 201 back to Skowhegan to complete the tour.
Unlike other scenic drives in New England this one’s main attraction is the
natural beauty of the Maine wilderness, rather than villages and towns or other
historic monuments. This is a drive to build an outdoor vacation around, but it
also makes an ideal fall foliage weekend jaunt.
For more details on these and other Maine
scenic drives and to grab your free
valuable travel reports go to Cliff's
vacations guide to New England at:
www.new-england-vacations-guide.com
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