Old Canada Road Scenic Byway
State: Maine
Length: 78.2 mi / 125.8 km
Time to Allow: 2.5 hours to drive or a day to enjoy this byway.
Old Canada Road follows Route 201 for 78 miles between Solon and the Canadian border through the highly forested terrain, a trading route originally used by the Abenaki tribe. This National Scenic Byway is ideal for wildlife viewing and autumn leaf-peeping. It takes three hours to drive, making for a lovely day or a long weekend.
Starting at the edge of Quebec, the byway borders Boundary Bald Mountain with access to lakes, ponds, rivers, waterfalls, and more. Among the fun places to stop are Moxie Falls, Parlin Pond, Kennebec river, and Dead river. Holeb Falls, located west of Jackman on the Moose River, offers a long vertical plunge into a swimming area at its foot. This region is renowned as the “Switzerland of Maine” because of its mountainous backdrop.
The Jackman region, north of The Forks, is a recreational haven. Thousands of miles of groomed crisscrossing tracks running up to Canada and across New Hampshire make up a vast network of snowmobile trails in the winter. In the summer, the gorgeous Moose River, which passes through Jackman, has relatively mild rapids and offers some of the best canoeing and kayaking in the Northeast, as well as camping along a 34-mile stretch. Some of the fauna that can be seen include eagles, osprey, deer, and moose.
Take some time at Attean pond to enjoy the view and a picnic before visiting Moose river and the historical society. Next, stop at Sawyers Maple Farm for a tour and specialty gifts and do a little shopping at the Trading Post. The town offers a hotel too with a bar for a fun evening. Finally, continue to The Forks at Kennebec River for some white water rafting and stay at the Inn by the River for a comfortable stay.
Further down, drive through the town of Caratunk by Moxie Mountain for a day tour or fishing. Next, grab a meal at the Riverside Pub and Fine Country Dining Restaurant for an exquisite New England experience. Finally, drive past Wyman Lake, where you can stop for a dip in the water or even swing in from a tree rope! Here you will also find Houston Brook Falls, an orchard, and a golf club.
Continue down the rural byway to Solon, where the byway ends off. Nearby find Sugarloaf Mountain with a resort where you can go skiing. Teens can enjoy skating at the indoor Anti-Gravity Complex. Check out one of New England’s bridges covered in leaves during the fall and stop at the Nowetah’s Indian Museum and Store.
The entire byway offers outdoor activities for the whole family and tons of local charm with friendly people. In the fall, it’s like another world cast in orange, yellow, and red-hued leaves. Maine gets massive amounts of snow in the winter, so it’s best to plan outside activities for the other seasons. After this trip on the byway, take your passport to Canada to explore more beautiful northeastern locations.
More Maine Byways
You can check out additional Byways in Maine by clicking on the list of byways below, or by going to the Maine Byways home section. To find even more of scenic byways in the United States, visit our scenic byways map.