Maine's Three National Scenic Byways and All-American
Road Offer Excellent Touring Opportunities With A Touch of History
Reprinted courtesy of Maine Office
of Tourism
AUGUSTA, Maine -- For visitors in search of spectacular
scenery, Maine's three National Scenic Byways and the nation's
newest All-American Road encircling Mount Desert Island offer
stunning vistas with a good measure of history and local culture
mixed in.
With the special designation of an All-American Road, the Acadia
Byway starts on Route 3 just south of Trenton, passes through
historic Bar Harbor and then loops through Acadia National Park.
Craggy shorelines, granite-capped mountains, crystal lakes, old-growth
forests and carriage trails blazed during Rockefellers' heyday
are among the captivating views accessed by the roadway.
One of Acadia National Park's most dramatic, but lesser known
parts is traversed by the Schoodic Scenic Byway. According to
the Maine Department of Transportation, this byway travels through
"one of the last frontiers on the eastern seaboard"
and reveals an "unspoiled and real" Maine. Beginning
on Route 1 just east of Hancock and following Route 186 to Prospect
Harbor, the road passes through a working landscape of lobstering,
clamming, blueberry barrens and timberland, offering breathtaking
views of mountains, islands, historic buildings and lighthouses.
Maine's two other National Scenic Highways cut through the western
portion of the state. The Old Canada Road Scenic Byway, which
runs along Route 201 from Solon to the Canadian border, provides
a snapshot in time, tracing the route of generations of travelers
between Maine and Quebec. Described as one of the most beautiful
in the northeast, the scenic corridor winds alongside the Kennebec
River, Wyman Lake, the Dead River and vast working forests and
affords several hours of driving though remote and majestic territory
where moose and other wildlife are abundant.
The Rangeley Lakes Scenic Byway comprises Route 17 and Route
4 and takes a v-shaped route through the mountains of western
Maine. Offering fantastic vistas of rugged mountains, cascading
rivers and streams and the more than 100 lakes and ponds that
dot the region, the byway passes through an area rich with history
from ancient settlers to the logging industry that still shapes
its character today.
All four roadways are sure to provide visitors with a unique
touring experience and an opportunity to visit some of Maine's
most scenic locations.
Maine offers comprehensive information on its visitor-friendly
Web site, loaded with current information, photos, and calendar
of events information at www.visitmaine.com.
Additional information on Maine's scenic byways can be found
at the National Scenic Byway Web site at www.byways.org.
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