This Gorgeous Town In Maine Offers Scenic Trails That Come To Life With Fall Foliage

Maine is well-known for the popular Acadia National Park, which is considered among the best national parks on the east coast, with rocky cliffs, scenic overlooks, wooded hiking trails, and wildlife. While the "crown jewel of the North Atlantic Coast" is worth visiting, there is much more nature to see in Maine — including places without the Acadia crowds. 

Close to Maine's border with New Hampshire is the small town of Bethel. Just as fall is the best time of year to visit Acadia's Thunder Hole, Bethel is all the more wonderful during this season as well. Get started at the Museums of the Bethel Historical Society in the Broad Street Historic District. The O'Neil Robinson House is part of this organization and dates back to the early 1800s. Its exhibits help you learn more about the town's history, but the house is only open from late May through mid-October. Luckily, mid-October is when Maine's fall foliage is at its peak. Even if you can't go inside, the changing leaves around Robinson House and the other nearby historic buildings make for a lovely walk in this part of Bethel.

Maine is a nature lover's paradise and Bethel is the perfect home base for outdoor adventures. Drive just under 6 miles north of Bethel on U.S. Route 2 to find Mount Will Trail. This 3-mile loop trail is located within a natural space monitored by Bethel conservation authorities, and it is easy to see why the town deemed it worthy of protection. Mount Will Trail goes to South Cliffs and North Ledges scenic points, both with spectacular views of the Androscoggin River Valley and its rolling hills. You can either head back after checking out these vistas or keep going to the Mount Will summit. Parking is available across from the Bethel Town Transfer Station.

While the Sunday River which connects with Androscoggin is smaller, a 7-mile drive from Bethel to the Historic Sunday River Covered Bridge is a must. The old wood of this bridge looks like something out of a painting when it becomes surrounded by yellow and orange leaves every October. Take U.S. Route 2 and then Sunday River Road to get to the bridge.

For some rocky scenery around Bethel, head to Grafton Notch State Park. Getting to and from this park on Route 26 is one of the most scenic drives to take in Maine. The Appalachian Trail runs through the park as well. If you don't plan on tackling a trail as long as the multi-state Appalachian, veer off onto shorter routes which have amazing scenery on their own. Look for Appalachian Trail signs on Route 26 for the 2.4-mile Table Rock Loop Trail, marked in orange, that takes you to an expansive viewpoint overlooking Old Speck Mountain.

Within Grafton Notch is Screw Augur Falls. This is the perfect place to spend time in nature without a long hike. It is a few minutes' walk from the parking lot on Route 26 to the 23-foot waterfall. Trek slightly further from Route 26 to find Moose Cave. When navigating down into this 45-foot-deep canyon, you'll see that it is an excellent example of Maine's geology. And, like all of the hiking options near Bethel, it is a wonderful place to see the state transform in the fall.