Thompson's Orchard
Donuts & cider · New Gloucester · Maine
A family orchard north of Portland that has fried apple cider doughnuts on site since 1906, still the reason most people pull off the road to stop here. The bakery now fills out a full menu of pies and baked goods, and live music plays most fall weekends.
Don’t miss
Plan your visit
Color nearby peaks: October 14–October 18
Color builds from October 1 · mostly bare by November 6
Method: daily ERA5 temperatures drive a photoperiod + chilling phenology model, sampled at Thompson's Orchard’s own coordinates and elevation (142 m) rather than a regional average. Estimates, not promises — check locally before you plan a trip around it.
Thompson's Orchard on the map
More things to do in Maine
Acadia National Park (Park Loop Road)
National parkPeak October 15
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: Cadillac Mountain summit road · Thunder Hole and Sand Beach stops · Carriage roads built by John D. Rockefeller Jr.
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
Frequently asked
- When does Thompson's Orchard peak in 2026?
- Peak color is predicted for October 14–October 18 (best estimate October 16). Color starts around October 1 and is mostly bare by November 6.
- What is Thompson's Orchard best for?
- A cider doughnut stop north of Portland.
Own or manage Thompson's Orchard? Update your listing or get in touch.