Mid-Maine - Adventure Guide to Maine - page 384

Continue north on 132 to US 202, then east
on 202 into Winthrop ; take 41 north then
133 north through Wayne to near
Livermore Falls . Head east on 17 to Kents
Hill , with its crystal-clear views of sur-
rounding lakes; then take 41 north to Mt.
Vernon , go east on secondary road and bear
left at the fire station in Mt. Vernon, contin-
uing straight to 27. Take a left on 27 to Rome Corner, the site of Blue-
berry Hill , a scenic outlook from which you can see all of the Belgrade
Lakes. Travel east on 225 to 8; then south on 8 to 27 again, around Great
Pond through quaint Belgrade Lake Village . Head back to Augusta on
27 south.
Route courtesy Maine Department of Conservation

e

:
The Maine foliage
hotline, in service each
fall, offers the latest
color-peaking informa-
tion for leaf-peepers.

Foliage Hotline

800-932-3419.

Route 2, Bangor to Farmington
80 miles, 1¾ hours, one way
Highlights: Route 2 from Bangor is really the only way to easily head
over to the western part of the state. It is not really a wilderness road, but it
does pass through plenty of woods and by rolling farm fields and small
towns. A pleasant drive.
Route: Jump on Route 2 where Interstate 395 ends at its intersection
with Interstate 95. After a short area of commercial sprawl the road
heads west through Northern Maine Junction , the busy marshalling
yard for what was formerly the Bangor and Aroostook Railroad. Route 2
then winds through Bangor's bedroom towns like Hermon and, to a lesser
extent, Carmel and Etna. Activity picks up again in Newport , where
Route 2 can also be easily accessed from Interstate 95.
About 10 miles farther, just outside of West Palmyra there is a rest area
with picnic tables and pit toilets on the right. Route 2 gently climbs the
hills and passes through the villages of mid-Maine as it continues west
through Canaan and by Eaton Mountain ski area. The Kennebec
River passes through Skowhegan just ahead. There is a shady, attrac-
tive riverside picnic area with pit toilets on the right just before you get
into town. Following Route 2 through Skowhegan is a little tricky as the
small downtown has multi-lane, one-way traffic. It is easy to get into the
wrong lane.

WISE WORDS: Stay in the left lane after the first
turn. Stay in the right lane after at the second turn.
After you cross the river, be ready to take another
right. If you follow the signs, you will do fine.