Fall color: the Kancamagus to Acadia

Route description

From Boston, head north on I-93 into New Hampshire and through Franconia Notch to Lincoln, the western end of the 34-mile Kancamagus Highway (NH-112). The “Kanc” climbs over Kancamagus Pass through the White Mountain National Forest, and Sabbaday Falls is a short walk from its roadside parking area to a waterfall in a narrow gorge. There are no services along the highway, so fuel up in Lincoln, and note that a recreation pass is needed to park at the trailheads.

The Kancamagus ends near Conway, a few miles south of North Conway, a busy mountain town with views of Mount Washington. From there, cross into Maine and work east toward the coast, joining US-1 through small harbor towns on the way to Mount Desert Island and Bar Harbor.

Acadia National Park surrounds Bar Harbor. Cadillac Mountain is the tallest peak on the North Atlantic coast and often among the first places in the US to see sunrise, but vehicle reservations are required for the summit road in season. Blackwoods Campground lies in the woods a short walk from the Ocean Path and the Cadillac Mountain trailheads.

Peak foliage usually reaches the White Mountains from late September to mid-October and the coast a little later, and weekends are very busy. Book campgrounds and inns well ahead for foliage season, and expect cold nights in the mountains.