Headed to Maine

[florida]

We are going to Maine/New England on the 18th and I know a bunch of you live there. We'll be going to Baxter State Park and Mt Desert Island and are looking for some off-the-beaten-path hints. We prefer out-of-the-way places that don't get a lot of visitors. 

We're probably going to go again in June and take a couple of our grandkids and they love waterfalls so if you know of any off the beaten path let me know.

[JJ]

this place is cool, and not far out of your way.. Old fort knox (bring flashlights) and new observatory bridge.
Penobscot Narrows Bridge & Observatory & Fort Knox

   JJ

[JJ]

Gulf Hagas, very close to Baxter State Park and lots of waterfalls.

https://visitmaine.com/things-to-do/parks-natural-attractions/gulf-hagas

[Mooseherder]

North entrance of the park.   The road in front of the check in goes thru Shin Pond to Patton.
It's an old logging road thru the woods.   

[peakbagger]

FYI - BSP is best hiked not driven through. My guess is the leaves will be past peak. There are a few views but the perimeter road through the park is almost entirely closed in by the canopy. Drive up spots are the dock at Daicey Pond, Kidney Pond. Slide Dam (views of Doubletop), Picnic Area at South Branch Pond. A short relatively flat hike from Daicey Pond on the Appalachian Trail there are a couple of waterfalls. The road to Roaring Brook is mostly in the trees but there is a short flat hike to Sandy Stream Pond which is somewhat famous for moose encounters and the backdrop (do a search for Sandy Stream Pond images). Just east of the park is the new Katahdin Woods and Waters, I havent been there but the reputation is better views as the the woods are less mature.

Acadia is zoo. Head east https://discoverboldcoast.com/hiking/

Pick up a copy of Delorme Maine Atlas and Gazeteer and look for a lot of the smaller state parks along the coast. They may not be big but far less used. There is a section up front that lists all sorts of areas of interest broken up into types. So if you want waterfalls look in the waterfall section. The maps show the trails. Best investment for finding lesser used places. Unfortunately much of inland Maine has been in drought conditions for months so river flow are minimal meaning its not a great time for waterfalls.

By the way Gulf Hagas is hike which requires fording a river. Its probably knee deep but the rocks on the bottom are round and slippery. Its a very deep slate canyon. Also check out the small block of huge white pines along the way.

[Jack Lilley]

If you're going through Baxter then I would suggest a short hike to Shin Brook Falls. It's located near Shin Pond, you drive right past it on the north entrance to the park.
A little research on line will give you miles of trails and sites to see that are less occupied than Baxter Park.
The leaves are at peak right now, will most likely be gone or will have lost many by the 18th. 
Safe travels.

[florida]

Thanks for all the advice so far! We'll try to get to all the places you all mention. We have always enjoyed hiking but age and arthritis have caught up with both our knees this year making hiking a bit harder and the hills steeper! We will sure try the old logging road as well. But, is Acadia too busy? I told my wife it looked to be too popular to me, we try to get as far from crowds as we can so I'd rather not go at all than be trying to park in crowded parking lots.

I'm sorry to hear we'll miss the leaves but we intentionally picked the end of the season to avoid crowds so I'm sure whatever is left will be fine. I have a Delorme Altas on the way as well as Roadside Geology of Maine.

[Southside]

Guess it depends on what you are looking to see but Maine changes when you get north of Millinocket.  Aroostook County has an amazing array of lakes up north (Fish River Chain), big potato ground to the east (Mars Hill to Limestone), and a couple million acres of commercial timber land that you can access to the west via Ashland, Portage, and St John, St Francis, Allagash.  The Allagash River Waterway and the St John River are both amazing in their own respects.  The St John was a working river complete with farms and layovers the whole length of it during the horse logging days.  Many of these sites are now camp sites where you can still find old remains, Nine Mile Bridge and the steam shovel comes to mind.  The Allagash is much more "preserved" if you will and a neat attraction is Churchill Dam that keeps the river level high enough all summer for some pleasant canoeing downstream of the lakes.  The areas to the west are a trip you need to be prepared for, it's all shale or gravel road, no gas stations at all, no towns, no services.  Check out the book "Nine Mile Bridge" or information on The Realty Road or North Maine Woods to get an idea.  Personally I would go there 100 times before I went to Acadia.  

[Mooseherder]

Bring warm gear.  The wind is cold mornings and evenings. My waterline froze twice so far.

[florida]

The cold weather sounds wonderful! Since we live in South Florida, hot and wet, we always vacation in cooler climate areas. It's nice to be able to get out and walk and not sweat or sleep with the windows open for a change.

Northwest of Millinocket sounds like just what we like! My wife has her heart set on Mt Desert Island, Acadia, and Baxter so the Northwest may have to wait until June.

[thecfarm]

Acadia is very car friendly. I worked there for 2 summers.