Leaf-peeping destinations in Maine
Route 88 (east of Falmouth) to Yarmouth: “Mid-October is usually when this area is in peak color, but it varies yearly due to weather,” says Sarah Long, a meteorologist at WMTW television in Portland, Maine. “Main Street in Yarmouth has some great stops for food and shopping.”
Route 35 along the eastern shore of Long Lake from Naples to Harrison: “It’s a beautiful drive, with hills and turns and lots of color,” Long says. “You can stay on Route 35 north of the town of Harrison all the way into the Bethel area. There are plenty of side roads and beautiful foliage mixed with fields and farmhouses.”
West on Route 25 from Portland to Cornish: “You’ll see some great stretches of colorful display winding through Standish and Cornish,” Long says. She recommends a stop in downtown Cornish for a bite to eat or to browse some of the antiques stores.
Bridgton west to Fryeburg or Cornish northwest to Conway, New Hampshire: In the Mount Washington Valley, “there are multiple back roads that will not disappoint,” says Long.
Route 17 in western Maine: “The Rangeley Lakes Scenic Byway passes several picturesque overlooks with lake views and the opportunity to see moose and other wildlife,” says John Burk, a photographer who drives the back roads of Maine. “It is easily combined [via US 2] with Route 26, which leads through the heart of Grafton Notch State Park. These routes are close to other scenic drives in the adjacent White Mountains and North Woods regions of New Hampshire.”
Acadia National Park: The Park Loop Road is a popular scenic drive with many viewing areas, including the Cadillac Mountain summit, says Burk. “After a great fire burned a large area of Mount Desert Island in 1947, deciduous species such as sugar maple, beech, red oak, birch, and aspen sprouted in the aftermath, replacing burned evergreen spruce–fir woodlands, especially on the east side of the island,” Burk says. “Over time, barring further disturbance, these woodlands will ultimately cycle back to conifers, but for now they offer colorful foliage for visitors to enjoy.”