The Maine fall foliage is changing from their summertime greens. In the fall, spectacular reds, oranges and yellows appear. The air is drier. Consequently, our windows are open at night and we pull up the blankets. And oh those cobalt blue skies! It sure seems like my favorite time of year is here at Wolf Cove Inn. Yes, leaf peeping season is here! Therefore, I’ve created your guide to the many ways to enjoy this spectacular season. I hope it inspires you to take a Maine fall foliage getaway. You won’t want to miss it.
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Maine Fall Foliage – 5 Ways To Enjoy The Spectacle
There is more than one way to enjoy Maine fall foliage this autumn. Since variety is the spice of life, here are 5 suggestions for enjoying one of the best times of year in Maine. In addition, if you want more ideas on foliage season, read two of my past fall foliage blogs here and here. So come on up to our lakeside bed and breakfast in Maine and bask in the glory of this inspirational season.
1 – Take A Hike
Within fifteen minutes of the Wolf Cove Inn there is a great variety of hiking, most of it dog friendly. Therefore bring Fido and Rover along in any of our dog friendly rooms.
Around Tripp Lake
First of all, due to their proximity to the Inn, many folks enjoy hiking along Tripp Lake and Garland Swamp Road. Both are adjacent to the Inn. Each provides a leisurely lakeside stroll on flat terrain with great views of Tripp Lake Maine fall foliage.
The Heart of Poland
Also, one mile from the Inn is The Heart Of Poland trail network, 3.5 miles of interconnected loops. There are some interesting features and a few minor elevation changes. Therefore sneakers are OK.
Range Pond State Park
In addition, a short ten minute ride takes you to either of two hiking spots. Head east to Range Pond State Park. Here you’ll find several trail networks. My favorite is a multi-use network for mountain biking, jogging and hiking. The trailhead is just outside the turn off for the park entrance. This network is a nice easy walk through the woods with an occasional ascent here and there. You’ll hike past a babbling brook, then through old growth pines and along tree lined ridges overlooking Wortherly Brook.
Bri Mar Trail
Another option is to head south from the Inn for ten minutes, then east on Route 85 for a mile to the Bri Mar Trail. This three mile (round trip) hike brings you up Rattlesnake Mountain and offers some great scenic overlooks. So you’ll have great panoramic views of the colorful Maine fall foliage surrounding Crescent and Sebago Lakes, and the White Mountains. Most of the hiking is relatively tame. However there is one moderate exertion section of the trail that only lasts about ten minutes. Therefore I recommend hiking boots or good sneakers. Please note that this trail is no longer dog-friendly.
Mount Apatite
Finally, head northeast about fifteen minutes to Mount Apatite in Auburn. Here you’ll find 7.6 miles of easy/moderate hiking among the old mining quarries. Folks still search for Apatite, Tourmaline, and Quartz specimens.
2 – Go For A Scenic Ride
There are four great scenic byways for leaf peeping here in western Maine. Head north to the Rangeley Lakes National Byway or the State Route 27 Byway to explore nature’s beauty. You’ll be but a stone’s throw from the Canadian Border. Best of all you can do both in the same day. A short 20 minute drive on Route 16 between Rangeley and Stratton connects the two. I call it my “Around The Block” tour.
There is a fun hike up Little Bigelow mountain in that neck of the woods. From Carrabassett Valley, follow the Carriage Road to the end and take a left. The trailhead is on the left about a quarter mile down the road. The trail is part of the Appalachian Trail. Here is a video of my hike with Gabby and Ellie.
To the northeast is the Grafton Notch Byway on the border of New Hampshire. Be sure to check out Snow Falls and Screw Auger Falls during your journey. In addition, some folks may want to head southwest into the Fryeburg area for the Pequawket Trail that meanders through the Saco River Valley. This area was once inhabited by the Sokokis Indian Tribe. Now you can enjoy a variety of shops, landmarks, views and outdoor activities throughout the region.
I’ve previously written about other scenic ride ideas, including a trip down the Kancamagus highway in the White Mountains. Only about an hour from the Wolf Cove Inn, the Kancamagus is regionally known as one of the best foliage season drives in New England.
3 – Visit Beautiful Maine Waterfalls
Fall is a splendid time to visit area waterfalls. The colorful Maine fall foliage paints the landscape and frames the cascading water in nature’s canvas. Would that make it watercolors? Especially relevant here are two recent blog posts where I detailed a northerly waterfall tour and a northwesterly waterfall tour. So bring along the swimsuit, the water shoes, a camera and a towel. Invigoration soon follows.
4 – Get Out On The Water
Grab one of our watercraft and get on the lake. You get a different perspective on life in general silently relaxing in the middle of a lake. You’ll probably achieve a zen-like state when immersed in the striking beauty of colorful Maine fall foliage painted on the surrounding landscape.
Wolf Cove Inn offers complimentary use of our three kayaks and two canoes. So get out there and start your communion with nature. As a result, I can foresee your blood pressure dropping 20 points already.
Finally, most of the Tripp Lake area activities are available during fall foliage season.
5 – Two Great Things That Go Great Together – Maine Fall Foliage And Gorgeous Sunsets
Rather than any of that, you can just chill out here at the Wolf Cove Inn on Tripp Lake and enjoy the foliage. Pull up that Adirondack chair, a bottle of wine and your significant other. We’ll even get the fire pit and gourmet 1927 s’mores kits ready for you (note: these delicious s’mores kits, which comes with 4 settings, are for an additional charge!). Click to learn more about foliage season in Poland Maine.
Quietly experience the transition while the color migrates from the Maine fall foliage to the skyline as sundown progresses. Listen for the call of the loons. You can almost smell the campfires of the recently departed Tripp Lake campers. The colors then depart for the evening under a glistening black blanket dotted with stars. Soon, the brisk autumn evening air settles in. As a result, you’ll want to grab a blanket while marveling at all those stars under our light pollution free skies.
In conclusion, you can see there is a wealth of activities for you to enjoy during leaf peeping season. And it seems like lots of folks know about, or are right now reading about those fun adventures. Therefore I recommend not waiting to make your plans. Furthermore, I hope you include a visit to our beautiful Inn when making those plans.
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