Maine Coast - The Most Scenic Drives in America: 120 Spectacular Road Trips - page 815

11. Port Clyde
ThedrivedownthepeninsulatoPortClydepassestinyvillagesandpeaceful,pristinewilds
and seashore. Andrew Wyeth, the American painter, spent many boyhood summers here.
To this day artists come from all over to find inspiration in the far-reaching vistas of is-
lands, sea, and sky.
Some 12 miles offshore, appearing as little more than a speck in a lovely seascape, is
Monhegan Island, which can be reached by ferry from Port Clyde. Although no cars are
allowed on the remote and tranquil island, nature trails abound, winding through stands
of red spruce and balsam fir to veritable gardens of wildflowers and the crests of wave-
battered cliffs towering over the sea.
12. Rockport
Inaddition to its picturesque harbor and interesting shops,Rockport offers a variety ofcul-
turalentertainments.Chambermusicconcertsarepresentedweeklyintheoperahouse,and
works by well-known local painters hang on the walls at the Maine Coast Artists Gallery.
Pictures of a different sort can be viewed at the Maine Photographic Workshops, which
also offers evening lectures.
13. Camden Hills State Park
Graysquirrelsleaping throughthetreetops, woodpeckershackingatthebranchesinsearch
ofinsects,aharmlessgartersnakeslitheringforcoverbehindarock—thesearebutafewof
the animals found at Camden Hills State Park. Nature trails thread through the 5,000-acre
refuge, and a toll road ascends Mt. Battie, where, at about 800 feet above the sea, an unob-
structed view unfolds before your eye in every direction.
BelowisthevillageofCamden,huggingthedeepestpartofacove.Forestsdottedwith
evergreens cloak the slopes that rise from the harbor's edge. These evergreens make a spe-
cial contribution to the setting, for here as elsewhere along the Maine coast, the fragrance
of pine needles mixes with the salty air of the sea to create a memorable sensation.
Camden is also a good place to learn about the region's settlers. The restored 18th-cen-
tury Conway House, an early homestead complete with barn and blacksmith shop, is well
worth a visit.