Escape crowds on a scenic Maine loop through the Maine Highlands and Aroostook County. This drive through northern Maine not only takes you away from coastal crowds, it also traverses four Maine Scenic Byways and passes through fields and forests and by lakes and mountains. In autumn, brilliant reds, golds, oranges and greens color the landscape—and you’ll have it all to yourself.
While you can make this loop in one very long day, I advise slowing down and savoring it over at least two, but ideally three days or longer. I’ve included recommendations for places to stay and eat along the way. You can travel clockwise or counter-clockwise, using I-95 (or even better, Route 2) to close the loop. Below is clockwise.
Katahdin Woods & Waters
Begin your scenic Maine loop in the Millinocket area. Once paper mills dominated the economy here, now Millinocket is an outdoor recreation hub. It’s the gateway to Baxter State Park, home to Katahdin, as well as the Katahdin Woods & Waters National Monument.
Outdoor recreation defines this region: Hike in the parks, book a whitewater rafting trip on the Penobscot River with New England Outdoor Center, hire a guide for a fishing trip, paddle to the Ambajejus Boom House, or simply take it all in from a lakeside porch or aboard a pontoon boat.
Route 11 noodles through the eastern parts of the Maine Highlands, and the section from Medway to Patten doubles as the Katahdin Woods & Waters Maine Scenic Byway. Millinocket is the region’s anchor town and the last bit of civilization before heading into Baxter State Park or into the National Monument. Even if you’re not going into Baxter, follow the Baxter State Park Road at least as far as the gate, stopping en route to enjoy the lake and mountain views.
For a long but rewarding day, consider looping from Millinocket through Baxter and back via the Katahdin Woods & Waters Scenic Byway and Baxter State Park Road. You might even detour into the national monument (bring water and food). Drive very carefully, keeping an eye out for deer, moose, and even black bear.
Note: the Baxter State Park and national monument roads are gravel; no RVs, motorcycles, or pets are permitted in Baxter.
Call it a night
Worth the splurge: For stunning views over water to Katahdin, make reservations at the Five Lakes Lodge, a comfy log-and-stone bed-and-breakfast on a spit of land extending into South Twin Lake.
On a tight budget: book a bunk in the Appalachian Trail Lodge in downtown Millinocket.
Prefer a cabin: New England Outdoor Center‘s Twin Pine campus, which edges Millinocket Lake backed by Katahdin, offers cabins and guest houses in various sizes. Or stay near Baxter’s northern entrance and the northern section of the national monument at Mount Chase Lodge, on the shores of Upper Shin Pond, off Rte. 159 northwest of Patten.
Notable nibbles and bites
For a delicious adventure, consider a Fly n’ Dine package with Katahdin Air. You’ll be flown round trip via float plane to a remote sporting camp for dinner. En route, enjoy the elevated wilderness views and perhaps spot moose or other wildlife.
North to the St. John River Valley
From Patten, head north on Route 11, parts of which double as the Fish River Maine Scenic Byway. This route ebbs and flows through forests and farmlands, over mountains and by lakes, offering a few pull-outs, rest areas with picnic tables and toilets, and sigh-inducing views along the way. Consider detouring to Portage Lake or Eagle Lake, which is almost surrounded by public lands.
In Fort Kent, the Fish River Scenic Byway intersects with the St. John River Valley Cultural and Scenic Byway. This journey through Acadian, Scots-Irish, and Quebequois heritage follows the St. John River from Dickey, just west of Allagash, to Van Buren. It also includes a spur inland to St. Agatha and Sinclair on Long Lake.
Route 1 begins in Fort Kent, which honors this with a monument dedicated to The First Mile. In nearby Madawaska, the Four Corners Park attracts long-distance motorcyclists pinging the four corners of the country or the state.
Heritage sites
Quite a few heritage sites pepper this section of this scenic Maine route. The National Historic Landmark Fort Kent Blockhouse, built in 1839, is a remnant of the (bloodless) Aroostook War, a border dispute with Canada that began in 1784 and wasn’t settled until 1842.
The St. Agatha Historical House and Preservation Center overlooking Long Lake is one of the best, small town, local history museums I’ve ever visited.
Acadia heritage is especially strong in the St. John Valley. The Mount Carmel Museum and Cultural Center in Grand Isle, a former Catholic church, now displays Acadian antiques and artifacts and often hosts concerts. In St. David’s, stop by the Tante Blanche Museum, honoring an Acadian heroine. Just below it on the river is the Acadian Cross, marking the 1785 landing site of Acadians expelled by the British from Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. (Others went to Louisiana, where they’re known as Cajuns). Tour through 19 antique and replica buildings at the Acadian Village in Keegan (see photo with Evangeline, above).
Call it a night
Built as a convent and later renovated as a nursing home, the Inn of Acadia, in Madawaska, sat empty for a decade before imorphing into a chic and contemporary boutique inn. Choose from rooms, suites, and options with kitchens. Rates include a continental breakfast buffet augmented with fruit-filled ployes (crepes-style Acadian buckwheat pancakes) and drizzled with maple syrup. Trust me: You want one.
Breakfast is served in the hotel’s Voyageur Lounge, which also offers a wide-ranging dinner menu at reasonable prices. I can vouch for the duck wings and the ahi tuna salad.
Notable nibbles and bites
I have a few favorite restaurants in this region. Dolly’s, in Frenchville, just west of Madawaska, is a must for ployes, creton, and chicken stew.
Enjoy lunch or dinner at the waterfront Long Lake Sporting Club, in Sinclair.
Misty Meadows Organic Farm, in Grand Isle, dishes out delicious farm-fresh comfort foods with an Acadian and Quebequois accent and doubles as a craft shop.
The Potato Triangle
From Van Buren, Rte. 1 heads south, passing through Caribou and Presque Isle, two corners of the Potato Triangle (Fort Fairfield is the third). Visit in mid July, when the potato blossoms bloom, and varied shades of pink and lavender, along with yellow and white color the farmlands. Many farms have honor-shacks, where you can purchase a bag or two of new or other potatoes.
Amish communities pepper this region, and Caribou is home to a world-class biathlon (cross-country skiing and target-shooting) center. Don’t be surprised to see Share the Road signs depicting a horse-and-buggy or a roller-skier, in addition to the usual snowmobile and moose warnings.
Detour inland, and end up on Maine’s Swedish Colony. In 1870, William Widgery Thomas established a model agricultural community here with 50 Swedes. There descendants populate the region today. While Midsommar—celebrated traditionally with food, a Maypole, and dancing—is the liveliest time to visit, historical sights and heritage museums are open sporadically through the summer season. For more Swedish delights, pop into Monika’s Imports, a Scandinavian specialty store in Caribou.
Mosey byways
Honestly, the best way to appreciate this region is to mosey the byways. Detour off Route 1, and you’ll be rewarded with Amish settlements, the Watson Settlement covered bridge, and open ridges with forever views. Do pay attention to where you are, though. One time while exploring gravel roads west of Rte. 1, I came upon a Welcome to Canada sign. Whoops! Didn’t have my passport with me, or I might have ventured further.
Speaking of venturing farther: This scenic Maine loop includes interplanetary travel along Rte. 1 between Topsfield and Houlton. The three-dimensional Maine Solar System Model comprises the sun, planets, dwarf planets, and the moons for Earth, Saturn, Jupiter, and Pluto. You can see all the major planets along this nearly 100-mile stretch. One mile is equal to the distance between Earth and the sun, and the speed of light is 7mph. Find tiny Pluto in the lobby of the Houlton Visitor Center.
World War II sights
Although there’s not much to see these days, Houlton International Airport, established in 1941 as Houlton Army Air Base, has an interesting history. Neutrality laws prevented U.S.-built planes from flying directly from the states to Britain. During the months before Pearl Harbor, planes were known to land in Houlton and then be towed by tractor across the border to Canada for takeoff on the highway.
In 1944, part of the base became Camp Houlton, Maine’s largest POW camp. Nearly 4,000 German prisoners lived here in barracks. They labored in area lumber camps, canneries, potato farms, and paper mills.
Where to Sleep
In Caribou, book a room at the Old Iron Inn Bed & Breakfast, a 1913 arts-and-crafts-style house where innkeeper Kate McCartney provides insider tips and a great breakfast. Her husband, Dr. Kevin McCartney, a geology professor at UMPI and genius behind the Maine Solar System model, can also tell you the history behind each of the hundreds of old irons displayed within the house.
Notable nibbles and bites
A culinary anomaly in this region of comfort foods is Canterbury Royale, a très French semi-private dining experience, complete with hard-carved woodwork, silver, candleabras, and crystal, amidst the potato foods in Fort Fairfield. Plan well in advance, as it only takes two or three parties per night. You’ll also order your main entrée in advance. Classically trained chefs Barbara Boucher and Renee O’Neill will chose the other four courses.
You’ll also find Amish bakeries here and there, pop in for good homemade breads, jams, cookies, doughnuts, etc.
The Million Dollar View
South of Houlton, an 8-mile section of Rte. 1, between Orient and Danforth, doubles as the Million Dollar View Maine Scenic Byway. The aptly named road offers two scenic pullouts. One looks east over the Chiputneticook chain of lakes (also known as the East Grand Lakes) into Canada. The other offers views to Katahdin and beyond to the Western Mountains. The latter is especially gorgeous at sunset. I imagine the former is equally gorgeous at sunrise, but I can’t vouch for that.
Where to Sleep
Guests at First Settler’s Lodge, sited along the Million Dollar View Scenic Byway, can enjoy views eastward over the lakes and west to Katahdin from the spacious log lodge. Breakfast is included; dinner is available; and pets are a possibility for a fee.
Notable nibbles and bites
Grammy’s Country Inn, on Rte. 2A in Linneus, has a well deserved, larger-than-life rep for serving gigunda portions of scratch-made comfort foods at wallet-friendly prices. Order conservatively, and even then, expect leftovers. And do try to save room for dessert (see photo, below). NOTE: Grammy’s closed during the pandemic and has a new owner who plans to reopen it during summer 2022.
Closing this scenic Maine loop
While you can close the loop through the Maine Highlands and Aroostook County via I-95, there are more scenic options. I love Rte. 2 between Smyrna and Lincoln. This far-less-traveled route include farmlands, Amish settlements, and dreamy views to Katahdin and beyond.
___
For more information: See my Moon-series Maine guidebook, published by Avalon Travel.
