Leaf Peeping Through Maine & New Hampshire – Epic Fall Road Trip

Highlights: Flume Gorge, Kancamagus Highway, North Conway, Lake Winnipesaukee, Wolfeboro, Bar Harbor, Acadia, Portland

We planned a trip to New Hampshire and Maine for our 30th anniversary in May 2020. Enter Covid and a silver lining. We rescheduled our New England trip for October during peak leaf season. I mean why not go when the area is at its most beautiful? And fall in Wilmington, NC is never spectacular. We booked a round trip flight to Manchester, NH. As we got closer to the departure date, I started watching the foliage reports. It had been a warm, dry summer meaning the leaves would peak later. This helped me choose a northern route where the color would be best during our visit. I didn’t book our hotels until the last minute!

Day 1, Friday, October 1st, Live Free or Die

From the Manchester Airport we headed 70 miles north to Campton for lunch at Covered Bridge Farm Table. Not too much fall color on our first drive, but the restaurant felt autumn with its many potted mums and pumpkins. The weather was perfect on the back deck that overlooked the Blair Covered Bridge. There’s something so scenic about a covered bridge and New Hampshire has over 50!

Another 20 miles north brought us to Franconia Notch State Park. We hiked the Flume Gorge Loop through the granite cliff walls and saw waterfalls, more covered bridges, mountain views and forest. Raised boardwalks with handrails make this an easy hike for just about everyone!

The Kancamagus Highway was our link to North Conway. The “Kanc” is a bucket-list experience for serious leaf peepers. You won’t find any gas stations, power lines or billboards on this 2-lane, 35 mile, stretch of road – just gorgeous scenery.

We spent the night at the cozy Cranmore Inn. Starting our trip on Friday was intentional. We wanted to avoid the weekend crowds at Flume Gorge and the Kancamagus.

Day 2, Saturday in the (State) Park

The next morning we walked to North Conway’s charming downtown and stepped back in time at Zeb’s General Store. From there we drove south just past Alton to hike up Mount Major. This is a moderately challenging trail. I recommend hiking boots. We took the blue marked ‘Main Trail’ which ends with a boulder scramble to the summit. The views of Winnipesaukee and the mountains beyond are outstanding! Make sure to take the yellow marked ‘Brook Trail’ down. It’s a more gradual decent along (you guessed it…) a babbling brook.

After we conquered Mt. Major we had a couple beers and delicious plate of steaming muscles at Shibley’s on the Alton Bay. From there we headed to our hotel, the Wolfeboro Inn. It’s a quiet and well located water-front town, filled with white clapboard shops and churches.

Day 3, a Sunday Drive

I wanted to see some more of Winnipesaukee’s surroundings, so we spent our third day driving in a misty, intermittent rain (Route 109 to 25 to 3 and back).

First we headed to Holderness and Squam Lake where On Golden Pond was filmed. Lunch at Walter’s Basin included a terrific New England Clam Chowder. No photos due to the rain, but sometimes it’s nice to just relax and take in the view! Then we set off to Moulton Farm in Meredith followed by a climb up the Abenaki Tower in Tuftonboro. We also happened by a vintage gas station near Melvin Village.

Day 4, Meandered to Maine

Our last activity in New Hampshire was a long morning walk along the Cotton Valley Rail Trail. The fall color had increased each day making our hike magical! There are many rail trails in New Hampshire. They are former train lines where the tracks have been removed. This leaves a hard-packed and wide surface that’s free from heavy traffic.

From Wolfeboro we headed to Bar Harbor, Maine. First stop was Rose Eden Lobster, the most authentic lobster pound we found! The menu was simple: whole lobster, corn in the husk and muscles or clams cooked in huge pots over wood fueled fires. Hours and menu are seasonal and weather dependent as the tasty meal is served at outdoor picnic tables (check their facebook, link above).

After our amazing seafood feast we went to watch the sun set at the Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse (1858). It’s iconic coastal Maine and lots of people know about it. The small parking area fills to capacity and it becomes one car in one car out. You didn’t hear it from me, but you could take your chances and park at the Bass Harbor Campground. The lighthouse is less than a mile walk away. Between the crowds and the huge, uneven boulders, It’s nearly impossible to get a good iPhone shot here, but it’s still worth the trip! For stunning professional photos and information on all of Acadia and Bar Harbor check out Greg Hartford’s website, Acadia Magic.

Day 5, The Two Faces of Acadia

We awoke to a leisurely breakfast delivered to our room (Covid protocol still in place). The Mosley Cottage Inn was a great choice as our home-base on Mt. Desert Island. We left for the Acadia National Park around 10:00 am. Turns out, we should have left much earlier. The crowds at Bass Harbor Head were sparse compared to Acadia. The enormous parking lot at Jordan Pond was already full. Hubby parallel parked at a road-side spot and we began the trail with dozens of other people. It was so congested we weren’t enjoying it and chose to double back to our car.

Autumn is a great time to ride the car-free carriage trails. They are less crowded than summer. We biked the 2 miles from Bar Harbor to the Duck Brook Bridge entrance. Our route took us around Witch Hole Pond, Beaver Pond, Eagle Bridge and one side of Eagle Lake, the top of Jordan Pond to Deer Brook Bridge, the incline to Sargent Overlook (hello cardio), Aunt Betty’s Pond and back to Duck Brook.

We were on our way before 8:00 am. I’m obsessed with the bridges! There are seventeen stone structures; no two are alike. We rode by five of them. Aunt Betty’s Pond was the perfect place for our picnic lunch. We packed subway subs purchased the day before and two beers. When we returned the bikes at 1:00 pm, we figured we had ridden about 18 miles. Remember to bring plenty of water and a good Carriage Roads Map. As always…leave no trace. There are restrooms periodically along the trails and pretty good directional markers. Worried you don’t have the stamina? Class 1 E-bikes are allowed and Acadia Bikes rents them. It was our favorite thing we did the entire trip!

Day 7, a Glorious Sunrise, then off to the Big City

One of the must do things in Acadia is watch the sunrise from the Cadillac Mountain summit. At certain times of year it is the first visible sunrise in the United States. In 2021 Acadia instituted a reservation system allowing 150 cars the opportunity to drive up the mountain. Spots sell out quickly, but it has alleviated the problems that came with over-crowding. I opted not to get pinned down to a date when I wouldn’t even know the upcoming weather. If this is on your bucket-list, National Park’s expert Riley describes the best way to catch the Cadillac Sunrise HERE.

While in Bar Harbor, we were talking to local residents and brought up that we were a little bummed that we weren’t going to experience this event. We learned about two other places with fewer hurdles, sunrise at the Shore Path, or a hike up Dorr Mountain’s east face on Emery Path. We decided on Emery Path.

At 5:45 am we parked at the Sieur de Monts Nature Center in total darkness and tried to find the right trail head. All we had for light was a cell phone. In hindsight we should have scoped out this place during the day, but we finally located Emery Path. The trail is a stairway to heaven. Dawn arrived while we were hiking up the granite steps that ascend the east face of Dorr Mountain. Breathtaking views of Frenchman Bay and a symphony of color were our reward. There are a few shear drop-offs next to the path, so don’t go taking any risky selfies!

It is a wonderful experience to see the sun rise over the water and islands! I think this hike is also a good alternative to the Precipice or Beehive hikes that can really challenge someone uncomfortable with heights. Although there are a couple of major cliffs along Emery, the path is wide enough to feel secure. Kurt Diederich’s Climb was the trail we took down. We arrived back at base at 7:15 am then headed to our last stop, Portland.

Coastal Route 1 is a gorgeous drive. We crossed the Penobscot Narrows Bridge, took a stroll through the quaint harbor town of Camden and visited the unique Rockland Breakwater Lighthouse.

The Rockland Lighthouse is almost a mile out to sea. It doesn’t look that far until you begin walking along the granite breakwater. It’s a bit before the lighthouse moves closer. This engineering marvel was completed in 1899 to prevent storm damage to the harbor. The lighthouse was added in 1902. The walk is flat, but there are uneven surfaces and gaps in the monstrous sized pieces of stone.

We continued our drove to Portland and checked into the Press Hotel. I was happy with the location and our room. With only 24 hours in Portland I had to be choosey about what we would do and see. For a more in-depth guide to Portland written by one of my favorite travel bloggers read HERE.

Day 8, A Hip, Happenin’ City

The next morning brought blue skies and beautiful light. The amateur photographer in me knew we needed to check out the Portland Head Light. If I had unlimited time, I’d see all the lighthouses in New England! There is a great path around Maine’s oldest lighthouse with many scenic photo angles.

For lunch, Hubby and I went to the Allagash Brewery. The Bite of Maine food truck is often at Allagash. We had the triple lobster roll sampler. It was the best lobster rolls we had the entire trip! That evening we explored the Old Port’s cobblestone streets and harbor. The next day we headed home quite fulfilled by our New England autumn adventure.

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