Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
tradition, French-Acadian heritage and annual potato harvest. It is also
where fall's bright foliage appears first.
Route:
Start in
Presque Isle
, watching for
signs of the season's bountiful potato har-
vest. Travel west on 163 to
Ashland
, site of
the
Ashland Logging Museum
, then head
north on 11 through Eagle Lake to
Fort
Kent
. Take US 1 east to
Frenchville
,
named for its French-Acadian founders,
then head south on 162 along
Long Lake
,
stopping for a picnic or canoe trip. Continue
on to
Guerette
, then southeast on 161 to
New Sweden
. Visit the
New
Sweden Historical Museum
and take in the colorful panoramic vistas
of Canada from the town's park benches. Take a secondary road to US 1
and go north to
Van Buren
, site of the
Village Acadien
, a detailed re-
creation of an early Acadian settlement. Go south on 1A to
Limestone
,
then west on 89 to
Caribou
, stopping at the
Nylander Museum
to view
geological and Native American artifacts. Drive south on 161 to US 1A at
Fort Fairfield
,onto
Mars Hill
, then northeast on US 1, returning to
Presque Isle.
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.
US 1, Houlton to Fort Kent
100 miles, 2½ hours, one way
Highlights:
Houlton is literally the end of the road, at least as far as di-
vided highway Interstate 95 goes. Even here, 300 miles from Kittery, there
is still plenty of Maine to go. There are still 100 miles to Fort Kent and the
way to go is US 1. Aroostook County is potato country, although in recent
years the broad flat fields have been often planted in broccoli.
Route:
US 1 heads almost due north from
Houlton
passing through nu-
merous neat villages including Littleton, Monticello, Bridgewater and
Mars Hill
. Many people believe Mars Hill is one of the first places in the
United States to be touched by the rays of the rising sun on many days of
the year. The new International Appalachian Trail, which runs from
Baxter State Park to the Gaspé Peninsula, crosses the border here.
From Mars Hill US 1 leans toward the westard, passing through two
good-sized towns -
Presque Isle
and
Caribou
. After a long run through
very wild lands it passes through
Van Buren
on the Canadian border.
For the remainder of its run US 1 hugs west side of the
St. John River
.
The river forms the international border for much of its length. It was
once the only highway for transporting pulp wood and saw logs from the
vast woods to hungry mills.
