Acadia National Park (Park Loop Road)
National park · Maine
The 27-mile Park Loop Road threads Acadia's granite coastline and Mount Desert Island's hardwood forest past Sand Beach and Thunder Hole to the summit road up Cadillac Mountain, where sunrise crowds and fall color both peak in early-to-mid October.
Don’t miss
Peak: October 13–October 17
Color builds from September 30 · mostly bare by November 5
Method: daily ERA5 temperatures drive a photoperiod + chilling phenology model, sampled at Acadia National Park (Park Loop Road)’s own coordinates and elevation (29 m) rather than a regional average. Estimates, not promises — check locally before you plan a trip around it.
Acadia National Park (Park Loop Road) on the map
More things to do in Maine
Camden Hills State Park
State parkPeak October 16
A toll auto road switchbacks to the 800-foot summit of Mount Battie, where a stone tower frames the classic view of Camden Harbor, Penobscot Bay's islands, and the surrounding hills, one of the most reproduced fall-foliage panoramas on the Maine coast.
Don’t miss: Auto road to the Mount Battie summit tower · Views over Camden Harbor and Penobscot Bay · 30 miles of hiking trails
Height of Land (Rangeley Lakes Scenic Byway)
Scenic drivePeak October 8
The best pull-off on the 52-mile Rangeley Lakes National Scenic Byway sits at 2,300 feet on Route 17, framing Mooselookmeguntic Lake against layered mountain ridgelines. It's routinely named among the best fall foliage views in the country.
Don’t miss: 2,300-foot roadside overlook on Route 17 · Views of Mooselookmeguntic Lake · Part of the Rangeley Lakes National Scenic Byway
Treworgy Family Orchards
OrchardColor nearby peaks October 14
Branded Maine's Pumpkin Farm since the 1980s, this Levant orchard plows a new corn maze design every year (repeatedly voted the country's best by USA Today readers) alongside u-pick apples, a pumpkin patch, and a farm-animal barnyard.
Don’t miss: Corn maze voted best in the nation multiple years · U-pick apples and pumpkin patch · New maze design each season
Damariscotta Pumpkinfest & Regatta
Fall festivalColor nearby peaks October 18
For two weeks each October, Damariscotta's Main Street fills with giant pumpkins grown from a single seed strain distributed to locals every spring. The festival peaks with the Pumpkinboat Regatta, where growers paddle hollowed-out 600-pound pumpkins across the Damariscotta River.
Don’t miss: Pumpkinboat Regatta on the Damariscotta River · Giant pumpkins from a shared seed strain · Runs roughly October 4-20, peaking mid-month
Frequently asked
- When does Acadia National Park (Park Loop Road) peak in 2026?
- Peak color is predicted for October 13–October 17 (best estimate October 15). Color starts around September 30 and is mostly bare by November 5.
- What is Acadia National Park (Park Loop Road) best for?
- Maine's signature coastal fall drive.
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