Maine’s Best Fall Foliage Drives

Maine’s Favorite Routes for Leaf Peeping

Maine Fall Foliage Drives Maine’s foliage season runs roughly from mid-September to mid-October, but this varies widely depending on weather, topography and geography. During this time, the deciduous trees of Maine begin their colorful transformation.Columbus Day Weekend is often the focal point of fall foliage excursions although “peak colors” usually arrive well before the end of October in most of northern and central Maine. Ask us about Maine Foliage or share your Maine Fall Foliage tour comments. To feature your business, contact us.

Top Maine Fall Foliage Drives

Lakes and Mountains

From Sebago Lake State Park head north on Rte 302 to Naples. There are some wonderful shops here. Continue north on 302 to Bridgton and the junction for Rte 117. Take Rte 117 north to South Paris. From here get on Rte 26 north to Bethel where nearby White Mountain National Forest offers some wonderful vistas.

Take a scenic drive through one of the most spectacular mountain passes in New England: take Route 2 west to Gilead, then head south on 113 through the White Mountain National Forest to Evans Notch, which offers magnificent foliage panoramas of the White Mountains

Coastal Splendor

For a beautiful drive along the coast take Rte 1. It stretches the entire expanse of Maine’s coastline.

In Skowhegan take Rte. 150 to Athens, then get on Rte. 151 east through Hartland and north through Newport.

Head north along Rte. 7 to Dexter and Dover-Foxcroft. Peaks Kenny State Park is a great place for a picnic on the shores of Sebec Lake. Head west on Rte. 6 to Guilford. Follow Rte. 6/15 north to Greenville, along the shores of Moosehead Lake.

From Greenville, continue north on Rte. 6/15 to Jackman, from here get on Rte. 201 south– a designated National Scenic Byway – to The Forks, where the Kennebec River offers some of Maine’s best foliage. If you are willing to walk half a mile you can see Moxie Falls, which is 96-feet high.

The drive south on Rte. 201 to Bingham follows one of Maine’s Scenic Highways and will bring you back to Skowhegan.