The Best Small Towns In Maine To Catch Fall Foliage
It is that time of the year again, when natural factors, particularly the drop in temperatures, reduced daylight, and breakdown of chlorophyll, cause leaves to transform into vibrant hues of red, yellow, crimson, and orange. No season displays such magical colors as fall does, and that is just one of the reasons it is such a great time to travel, alongside reduced crowds. New England is famous for being one of the best places in the US to enjoy premium fall foliage scenery, and Maine is an incredible state in the region to set your radar. Nicknamed the Pine Tree State, Maine is a true paradise for leaf peeping, featuring towns with streets lined with colorful leaves and lush woodlands that create scenes reminiscent of flames. Notably, the fall foliage season across Maine peaks between early and late October, so make time this month to visit these towns to catch the breathtaking colors.
Bethel
Bethel is an amazing destination to catch impressive fall foliage scenery in the White Mountains. Located on the Androscoggin River, the town and its surroundings display brilliant colors, and the nearby Deepwood Farm is among the best places to soak in the views of autumn in style. This farm is just outside the town and invites autumn lovers to ride horses through wooded areas characterized by fiery leaves, with some still holding on to branches and others scattered on the ground. For more fall foliage scenery, a short drive to the nearby Sunday River Covered Bridge is recommended. Built in 1872, this bridge combines historic charm with natural beauty, as the Sunday River often reflects the surrounding colors of red, orange, and yellow.
Bethel’s location on the Androscoggin River also translates to opportunities for kayaking with the views, and Bethel Outdoor Adventure is readily available to help everyone enjoy this experience. On top of that, Bethel has a few trails to delight hikers, including Mount Will Trail, which leads three miles through wooded areas, with great views of the Androscoggin River Valley as it is painted in enchanting colors. But perhaps even more exciting, Bethel is just 20 minutes from Grafton Notch State Park, where nearly a dozen miles of hiking trails offer access to some of the best autumn scenes in the country. Old Speck Trail, one of the park’s top trails, is particularly exciting, offering a seven-mile round-trip hike that winds through heavily wooded areas featuring streams and waterfalls.
Greenville
Located right on Moosehead Lake, the largest in Maine, Greenville is an amazing place to witness the magic of fall. For starters, the town’s location on a large lake makes it one of the few places where one can boat or paddle with beautiful autumn scenery. Moreover, Greenville is surrounded by several trails that present stunning views, one of which is the Eagle Rock Trail. This trail is 3.7 miles and leads hikers through a forest drenched in fall foliage, eventually ending at a summit with 360-degree views of Moosehead Lake and the surrounding landscape.
The Little Moose Pond Loop Trail is another great trail near Greenville, winding through a lush autumn-colored forest to an overlook with even more breathtaking scenery. Elsewhere, the Lily Bay State Park invites visitors to catch more foliage by hiking a two-mile shoreline trail, relaxing on a beach, and kayaking on Moosehead Lake.
Bar Harbor
Bar Harbor is an exciting place to visit year-round, but when it comes to the views, fall is the best time to be in this town. As the temperatures drop and summer crowds decrease here, the fiery colors take over, and Park Loop Road invites visitors to soak in some of that scenery. Stretching 27 miles, this road is the premier drive in Acadia National Park, winding through fall foliage-drenched forests and along lakes, mountains, and coastlines.
On the way, stops can be made to hike top trails, such as the Beehive Trail, a 1.4-mile loop trail that leads to steep cliffs with unobstructed views of the Gulf of Maine and forest-carpeted mountainscapes painted in vibrant yellow, red, and orange hues. Even more incredible fall scenery can be enjoyed at the Jesup Path and Hemlock Path Loop, which winds 1.5 miles through birch and hemlock trees. Other than hiking and driving, fall visitors in Bar Harbor can enjoy the views by embarking on boat or kayak tours, which also offer opportunities to see marine life, including humpback whales and harbor seals.
Camden
Nestled between Mount Battie and Mountain Megunticook and the Atlantic Ocean, Camden is a unique place to be in the fall. With the town almost surrounded by lush trees, it is drenched in hues of yellow, red, and orange, especially between early and late October. Hiking the Mount Battie Trail is one of the best ways to take in all that natural beauty. Located in Camden Hills State Park, this 1.1-mile trail winds through heavily wooded areas to an overlook offering breathtaking views of Penobscot Bay, downtown Camden, and the surrounding forest, all painted in autumn colors.
Still in the park, the Maiden Cliff Trail is another great spot for leaf peeping as it winds one mile through lush areas to a cliff with spectacular views of Megunticook Lake and the surrounding countryside. At the Camden Harbor Park back in town, one can picnic and enjoy the fall beauty from a different perspective with closer views of the bay and boats, while the fall foliage-covered mountains and trees loom in the background. For a bird’s-eye view of the town’s autumn splendor, travelers are invited to ride the chairlift at Camden Snow Bowl every Sunday throughout October.
Kennebunkport
Located on the Atlantic Ocean and the Kennebunk River, Kennebunkport is a charming town where travelers can enjoy vibrant fall colors alongside coastal scenery. Ocean Avenue, one of the town’s top attractions, for instance, invites travelers to a relaxing drive or walk with views of the rugged coast and the town’s foliage scenery between mid- to late October. Meanwhile, the Cottages at Cabot Cove can be accessed from this scenic route and are a must-visit for cozy lodging and exceptional autumn scenery. At this establishment, the enchanting colors are everywhere, and most cottages have lovely patios with chairs where one can kick back and soak in the views while reading a storybook or sipping something, a truly sensational experience.
Kennebunkport also has thousands of acres of land preserves with trails offering access to premium foliage. Emmons Preserve, for instance, features the Batson River Trail, which offers a 1.3-mile adventure along the Batson River and through woods and fields with gorgeous fall foliage. Nearby, the Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge invites fall travelers to hike the one-mile Carson Trail and be treated to the fall beauty of coastal Maine.
Ellsworth
Ellsworth boasts some of the most intense autumn scenes in Maine, thanks to its location on the Union River, near the Maine coast. Thankfully, there are plenty of ways to enjoy the sights here, with a ride on the Downeast Scenic Railroad being the most unique. This heritage railroad is one of the few of its kind in the state, offering rides on vintage train cars through pine forests and along crystal-clear waters, all set against the backdrop of autumn beauty. The ride typically takes 90 minutes, leaving ample time to soak in the views and learn about the area. Away from the railroad, Ellsworth is home to a couple of trails to delight fall travelers.
For one, the town is the starting point of the Down East Sunrise Trail, a nearly 100-mile trail that traverses small towns, forests, wetlands, and coastlines in eastern Maine. Bikers and ATV riders alike are invited to take on this amazing trail for some quality leaf peeping. At the Birdsacre Sanctuary (Stanwood Wildlife Sanctuary), more trails provide access to a variety of habitats with impressive fall scenery, as well as a nature center with live bird exhibits of birds native to Maine. This sanctuary is also a stopover for migratory birds in the fall, offering even more spectacular sights to complement the fall foliage.
Bangor
Bangor, one of the larger towns in Maine with over 30,000 people, is also an excellent place to visit from early to late October for premium leaf peeping. This town sits on the Penobscot River, surrounded by lush landscapes and attractions like Bangor City Forest, where breathtaking foliage scenery can be enjoyed. Travelers to this town in the fall are invited to this forest, which covers 650 acres and features over a dozen miles of multi-use trails winding through beautiful scenes of amber and crimson. The wheelchair-accessible Orono Bog Boardwalk, one of the top trails in the Bangor City Forest, offers a one-mile adventure through dense forests of fern, skunk cabbage, and moss, with impressive foliage scenery. The East-West Loop Trail, another great trail in the forest, presents similarly enchanting autumn sights and is four miles long.
Meanwhile, Bangor also hosts the Walden Parke Preserve, a 400-acre area featuring a 2.5-mile trail that winds through beaver wetlands and a mixed forest of aspen, spruce, fir, and white pines. This preserve is a great place to soak in more fall beauty and observe beavers.
A Robust Feast of Fall Foliage
Fall is a great time to be outdoors, especially in a place like Maine, where pine forests dominate the landscape and display vibrant shades of yellow, red, and orange as the days grow shorter. In these towns, particularly, the views are sometimes mixed with scenes of coastlines and mountains, meaning a more robust feast for the eyes. Moreover, these towns in Maine present many ways to soak in the views while getting familiar with the local fauna and flora. Visit these small towns in Maine this October with a camera to capture and soak in some of the best fall foliage scenery in the world.
