There are many ways to enjoy the splendor of fall in Maine! Tour by car or bus, pedal a bicycle, walk a mountain trail, fill a bushel basket with apples, paddle a canoe or gaze from the basket of a hot air balloon.
The dramatic change of foliage color from early September to late October seems to enhance any outdoor activity. Biologist and author Bernd Heinrich grew up in the state and wrote about the show of color in his book “A Year in the Maine Woods.”
“I go around gaping, as if I have never seen anything like it before. I could see this display every year and never grow tired of it, like seeing the flight of geese or hearing the bird songs in spring.”
Try these other Maine fall activities and attractions between leaf peeping excursions.
- Keep it on the green, surrounded by color: Fall golfing in Maine comes with a spectacular view whether the course is in the mountains, beside a lake or on the ocean. More than 100 courses are open to the public, and affordable rates and plentiful tee times mean more holes to play on a weekend getaway or extended stay. Try the 1893 Poland Spring Country Club, America’s oldest resort course, or Newry’s Sunday River Golf Club which was named to Travel + Leisure Golf’s 2005 list of Top 10 Best New Courses in the World. Check the Golf Maine Association (www.golfme.com) Web site for stay and play packages or call 1-877-553-4653.
A humble meeting house with a surprise inside: From outside, the South Solon Meeting House looks like many in New England. Inside, the 1842 building is unlike any other. During the 1950s, students and faculty of the nearby Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture decorated every inch the interior walls and ceiling with fresco murals showing contemporary images from the Bible and the founders of the meeting house. The structure is open to visitors while it undergoes renovations. Just unlatch the front door (it’s never been locked) and step inside to photograph the colorful scenes or reflect in solitude. Find the meeting house east of Skowhegan and Route 201 on Meeting House Road, 1.5 miles north of its intersection with Route 43.
- Small fairs with big appeal: These small agricultural fairs are exciting community events with fun for the whole family. The Clinton Lions Fair (www.clintonlionsfair.com) happens September 4-7 in Central Maine. Meet animals at the 4-H barnyard exhibit, enjoy the midway and live music, and don’t miss the crowning of the Maine Dairy Princess or children’s butter shaking contest. The Litchfield Fair (207-683-2487) takes place September 5-7 in Southern Kennebec County while the New Portland Lions Fair happens September 12-14 in the Western Maine town of North New Portland (www.newportlandmaine.org).
Two days of thrills high and low: Three Rivers Whitewater and Skydive New England have the perfect weekend for the thrill seeking foliage fan. Their two day Jump and Raft package (http://jumpandraft.com) includes an 11,000-foot tandem skydive over the town of Millinocket and a day of rafting on the Class IV and V rapids of the Penobscot River with an all-you-can-eat barbecue lunch. You choose which day to jump and which day to raft. You tell your friends about the view two miles above Mt. Katahdin. And, you show them the custom made DVD of each experience when they don’t believe you.
- Your guide to the best foliage photo album: If you’re tired of taking just OK foliage pictures from scenic turnouts or the deck of a B&B, hire a guide to show you lots of color away from the crowds. River to Ridge Guide Service (www.rivertoridge.com) leads photography trips in the Rangeley region. In Bethel, guided foliage tours with an outdoor educator are offered at Sun Valley Sports (www.sunvalleysports.com). For an up close look at the changing colors in Acadia National Park (www.nps.gov/acad) try the 1.5 hour Autumn Ramble. The easy one mile ranger-guided walk through the forest begins at the Sieur de Monts Nature Center.
A mountain hike with a breeze: Mars Hill Mountain isn’t the tallest in Aroostook County but it does have the tallest man-made attraction. The long, low mountain ridge located two hours north of Bangor, is home to New England’s largest wind farm. Twenty eight turbines standing 389 feet from base to blade tip dot Mars Hill which looks over rolling hills and farm land to the west and New Brunswick, Canada to the east. The mountain’s Big Rock (www.bigrockmaine.com) ski area will offer foliage chairlift rides on the first and second weekends of October. Visitors can walk along the ridge trail to see the wind towers.
For more information about accommodations, touring routes and events taking place in Maine this fall log on to www.visitmaine.com .