A Scenic Drive in Western Maine, Route 113
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6Last Fall you might remember I wrote about Haley Pond and Rangeley Maine? Well, today I’m going to tell you about a lesser-known scenic byway on the Maine-New Hampshire border, Route 113.
After we left Rangeley, we started heading back home, and this starts the second part of our Maine scenic drive. We headed Southwest on Route 17. We then caught Route 2 which wound south and west. We came to Gilead ME, and just past that, we took State Route 113 South. At this point, you are traveling in the easternmost point of the White Mountain National Forest.
Even though 113 is a “less traveled road”, you WILL see others on it. Most often, I find it’s when I really want to get out and explore views through the trees is when someone comes from one direction or the other to make you move.
The beginning is just a decision to take a turn
Lisa and I have taken this route a few times over the years and we brought Conor Knighton and the CBS crew here to interview me in 2018. As you head south and you get past Stow Maine, the road flattens out into farmland… But I’m getting ahead of myself.
This route is not terribly long but for such a short drive it offers a lot of opportunities for views down streams, and exploring many trails, and side roads. “A scenic drive is never a guarantee, it’s not even a promise, only a chance to find something not seen before, and a new place to explore”.
Fall colors overhead on Route 113 surround you on both sides when there are no side views. I was tempted to finish the route and turn around to drive back up it to see if the views got better going the other way. 🙂
You turn down onto 113 and it almost immediately narrows to the point of making you cautious for fear of another car coming up from the opposite direction.
Don’t worry, while the road is narrow it is wide enough for two cars side by side (barely).
But this doesn’t come without a warning… Route 113 at times runs along the Wild River and turns west into New Hampshire. This is about where the map may say you have arrived in Hastings. There is a right turn here that will follow the Wild River for some distance. And this is what we’ll talk about next…
Wild River Road Scenic Drive
This road Is one of those you’ll find off Route 113. This road is dirt, and for the most part, they keep it graded so any car can make this side trip but the best part is, there are lots of places to pull over!
I also won’t say there are great vistas to see and photograph, but I like this shot along the Wild River.
Later on, I used my wide-angle lens to get a different perspective of the multi-hued fall colors on the trees around us.
Wide Angle Fall Foliage Perspective
But as with all things, this too came to an end. A dead-end to be exact, where the road ended at the Shelburne South Trailhead and there were signs for camping and checking in with a Ranger… Where this mythical Ranger was to be found, I don’t know. This one-way trip is about 4.7 miles, so please point your car back to Maine and Route 113 to continue our scenic drive.
Once back on State Route 113, it will follow the narrow Evans Brook. This brook can be a real stream or a trickle depending if it’s been a dry month. Just so you know, I’ve never been able to pull off along much of route 113 to date, at least for more than a quick stop or a shot out the window.
Now, before you start wondering if you should even take this scenic drive, after about 14 miles (from Route 2 in the north), you will come upon a parking area with room for 4-5 cars on the right.
Evans Notch Maine
“Evans Notch is at the northern end of Route 113 and it’s the point where the watersheds of the Androscoggin and Saco Rivers divide and water flowing south enters the Saco River and water flowing North enters the Androscoggin River”. (written on a sign at the notch)
If you look south, your eyes will follow the mountain ridge, to the east and west, Royce Mountain and Bean’s Purchase, and the White Mountain National Forest.
The Brickett Place
John Brickett established this farm in 1816 and he and his kids made a go of farming the land till the US Forest Service acquired the “Bricket Place” in 1918. Today you can pull in there and you’ll find that several different trailheads start in the parking lot. and just across Route 113 on the western side is…
The Basin
Back when I first wrote this piece, I had just finished a foliage season and I was once again exploring Google Maps and I was looking at Route 113. I noticed that I had driven right by this pond and I was pretty mad that I had missed it. Since that date, Lisa and I have been back there many more times.
Yes! I have now found the Basin! And you can read about when I took the CBS Sunday Morning crew there. Oh and if you want to see the interview follow this link to CBS Sunday Morning on my YouTube channel
This is a wonderful spot and the road into it is easy with a parking lot at the end. There is a small boat ramp to put in a kayak or canoe as well. But it’s not really big and there are no hidden alcoves to go exploring. But, it is worth a visit or two.
From the basin, we continue South on 113 eventually heading east toward Conway and South on Route 16 or Route 153 or 113… And that sort of stuff we can talk about the next time we get together.
Jeff Foliage Folger
Autumn is a state of mind more than a time of year – Jeff Foliage
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Beautiful!!!
Thanks Ron
The first photo, with the bright orange & red l& yellow leaves in the background, and the more delicate darker ferns in the foreground, is simply gorgeous. That’s Fall in Maine!
Thanks Harvey, At Rangeley, I expected it all to be gone by the 20th of October and normally brown and bare would be the outcome. but because of the hot temps slowing things up, there was still real nice color to be found but it wasn’t color everywhere either…
A great off the beaten path drive Jeff, I started taking this drive two seasons ago and it’s always on my list. Last year was my first trip on the dirt road along the Wild River and it certainly didn’t disappoint, I found that the reflections of color in the river from along the riverbanks was at times spectacular and luckily I think only one car passed me on that day. If you can catch a day where there is no wind, Basin Pond offers up great glass like reflections too. Great drive to suggest to all your followers.
sounds like a great drive- and people worry about crowds… get your maps out and venture like Jeff onto roads less traveled. !! thanks for your input Matt- sounds like an area worth a drive probably early October
Looking forward to a FOLIAGE update ! THANK YOU JEFF !