7 Gorgeous Fall Foliage Rides in Maine

Brightly blazing fall foliage is one of nature’s most beautiful sights, and Maine is among the best places in the country for leaf-peeping. Your motorcycle is an ideal vehicle for carrying you through Vacationland’s orange, red, and yellow trees.

You’re guaranteed a fantastic leaf show virtually wherever you go in Maine, but some spots are always a bit better than others. We put together this travel guide to help you choose the ideal location for your motorcycle rides this fall.

Without further ado, here are seven motorcycle routes for an astounding fall ride in Maine.

Christmas Cove

From the town of Newcastle on US 1, head south on SR 129. This road skirts the eastern shore of the Damariscotta River and offers an enjoyable, relaxed romp through rural coastal Maine.

Virtually all 15 miles of this short but sweet ride is lined with trees. There are no technical curves or other challenges, so you can fully immerse yourself in the burning foliage around you.

At the end of the ride awaits the grand prize—the seaside village of Christmas Cove. Based in this location, you can easily get on one of the many hiking trails in the area to get an even closer look at the trees. You can also immerse yourself in local history at places like the Thompson Ice House that once harvested ice for delivery far and wide.

However, might we recommend booking a sailboat cruise along the coastline? Seeing the orange trees from the sea gives you a whole new and unique perspective on how stunning fall can really be.

Park Loop Road

If you’re vehement on experiencing autumnal Maine strictly from the saddle, there are few places more suited for it than the town of Bar Harbor. From here, you can hop onto the famous Park Loop Road.

This 27-mile two-lane loop follows the squiggly, rugged coastline. Here, you’ll pass a scenic overlook or beach every few yards, so make sure to reserve plenty of time for the stops—and pack your camera.

Following the coastal section, the road heads straight into the middle of the Acadia National Park. You’ll be surrounded by a wonderful mixed forest, where evergreen conifers compete for your attention with the orange leafy trees. If you do feel like stretching your legs, there are several short hikes to unique beauty spots, like the Bubble Rock perched on a tall cliff.

Finally, you should top off your trip by scaling Cadillac Mountain with your motorcycle. The views of the fall forests and ocean opening from the top are jaw-dropping, but remember to reserve your ticket for the mountain road well in advance.

Bold Coast National Scenic Byway

The name of the Bold Coast National Scenic Byway is no exaggeration. This wonderful route is tailor-made for motorcycle tourers looking for a longer ride to see all that fall in coastal Maine has to offer.

This 125-mile route begins in Milbridge and follows US 1 east to Eastport. Between them, it makes detours to Jonesport on SR 187, and Cutler and Lubec on SR 191.

Along the way, you’ll pass majestic forests of deciduous trees and conifers, rugged wave-scarred coastal cliffs, and serene river estuaries. Particular highlights include the Cutler Coast area and West Quoddy Head south of Lubec (with the easternmost point in the U.S.).

In addition to nature, this ride is perfect for immersing yourself in the history and culture of Maine’s coast. In the small towns, you’ll see lobster wharfs and old fishing boats sitting in harbor, and almost every village has its own local museum. You should definitely stop to see at least the West Quoddy Lighthouse and the Waponahki Museum in Pleasant Point.

Rangeley Lake

For some riders, the ride isn’t the main point of the trip—it’s great, of course, but the motorcycle is but a vehicle to an unforgettable off-saddle experience. Such riders will find the fall adventure they’re looking for at Rangeley Lake.

This lake, sitting in the forests near the Maine-Vermont border, is a must-visit destination for outdoors enthusiasts. Whatever you like to do, you can do it, from hiking to fishing, hunting, horseback riding… You name it.

Of course, with Rangeley Lake being relatively far from civilization, the fall foliage is without equal (discounting other areas of Maine). Book a cabin at one of the many lodges surrounding the lake, and you can continue admiring the leaves from your porch after the day’s excursions.

All that said, you can’t forget the riding opportunities. The region surrounding Rangeley Lake has many roads both wide and narrow, paved and gravel through vast stretches of undeveloped land for an autumn motorcycle tour in the wilds.

Fish River Scenic Byway

The Fish River Scenic Byway covers the 106 miles of SR 11 from Sherman to Fort Kent on the Canadian border. There is very little there along those miles—which is the entire point.

This scenic byway plunges you deep into the forests of northern Maine. In fall, the forever green mass of conifers gets blazing highlights from the leafy trees growing between them, making for a spectacle of a lifetime.

However, it’s not all empty wilderness out here. Occasionally, the scenery changes into expansive farmland. The small towns along the road organize many events and festivals in fall, celebrating the region’s Native American, Acadian, Franco-American, and Scottish-Irish heritage. 

The road is admittedly made up of long straight stretches interspersed with sweeping curves. But that only invites you to embrace the slow pace of life in these parts, so slow down, lean back in the saddle, and celebrate fall as you chew up the miles.

Pequawket Scenic Byway

What’s that? Even the Fish River route has too much civilization for you? Then you must start your engine and roar post-haste to the Pequawket Scenic Byway.

Covering 60 miles along SR 113 from Gilead in the north to the intersection with SR 25 in the south, this byway truly puts you in the middle of nowhere. Although you will pass the occasional small town, SR 113 mostly carves through undeveloped, thickly forested land.

Unlike in Maine’s northern reaches, the vegetation consists of fewer conifers, so the fall leaves take the center stage. That’s especially true in the northern section of the byway, which plows through the White Mountain National Park.

If you do put your wheels on the Pequawket Scenic Byway, ride cautiously. Some parts of SR 113 nominally have two lanes but they’re very narrow, and the pavement is often in less than stellar condition. Additionally, with its remote location, wildlife can (and will) find its way onto the road, so avoid riding during twilight.

Kennebec Valley

Motorcyclists who want to carve some curves amidst fall leaves should head to the Old Canadian Road Scenic Byway. This jaunt on US 201 carries you from Solon in the south to the Canadian border in the north over roughly 75 miles.

In sections, the road follows the meanders of Wyman Lake and the Kennebec River. Their squiggly shores make for some excellent S-curves to challenge your riding skills while leaf-gawking.

And there is plenty to gawk at. The scenery along this road is gorgeous, especially along the aforementioned river and at the northern Parlin Pond. You can also find many trailheads on the Old Canadian Road, in case your legs are feeling stiff.

Once you arrive in the towns dotting the route, you’ll probably hear some French. Don’t be intimidated, though, as the locals in this French-speaking area are friendly.

When Is Maine Fall Foliage at Its Best?

Seeing the fall foliage at its most vibrant is all about timing. The fall colors come on quick and fade fast, so you must time your autumn moto tour correctly or you’ll miss the sights.

In Maine’s northern regions, such as on the Fish River Scenic Byway, fall leaves are at their finest around the end of September. If you’re heading into this area, the latest you should go are the opening days of October.

In western Maine, the best colors arrive in early to mid-October. So, riders with the Kennebec Valley or the Rangeley Lake on their itinerary will want to do their ride at that time.

If you’re hitting the Pequawket or the Bold Coast scenic byways (particularly the latter’s eastern sections), you can wait a little bit later into October. Here, the leaves shine their brightest typically during the middle week of October, from the 15th to the 20th.

Finally, for Maine’s southern coast where Christmas Cove and the Park Loop Road reside, you should aim for the end of October. The ocean keeps the air a little warmer here, so this region makes for a wonderful season-closing ride before the year’s first snow arrives.