Niagara Falls to Northern Maine trip

[Jaycophil]

My DW and I are planning a trip for late summer 2023 from SC to Roosevelt Campobello Int Park in Northern Maine. We plan on heading up to Buffalo to spend some time at Niagara Falls area and then from there head NE across NY, Vermont, New Hampshire up to Roosevelt Park. I would appreciate anyone's ideas on Roosevelt Park/Niagara Falls as well as preferred routes and stops along the way as neither of us have ever been north of NY City. We are retired so we have no need to rush the trip. Any suggestions would be appreciated as we would hate to miss any highlights this trip could offer. We enjoy historical sites, sightseeing, short hikes, and just beautiful scenery/campsites along the way. Thanks ahead for any suggestions.

[THE MEEKER]

Niagara Falls Area:

Letchworth State Park - Genesee River Gorge & Mt. Morris Dam

Lockport Locks & Erie Canal Cruises - Lockport NY

Fort Niagara State Park - Youngstown NY

Villages of Youngstown & Lewiston NY

Niagara Falls State Park

Canadian side of Niagara Falls and Clifton Hill, plus Niagara on the Lake.

Canalside and Naval & Servicemens Park, Downtown Buffalo

4 Mile Creek State Park for camping, close to all of the above.

[Kim Gass]

Originally Posted by Jaycophil

My DW and I are planning a trip for late summer 2023 from SC to Roosevelt Campobello Int Park in Northern Maine. We plan on heading up to Buffalo to spend some time at Niagara Falls area and then from there head NE across NY, Vermont, New Hampshire up to Roosevelt Park. I would appreciate anyone's ideas on Roosevelt Park/Niagara Falls as well as preferred routes and stops along the way as neither of us have ever been north of NY City. We are retired so we have no need to rush the trip. Any suggestions would be appreciated as we would hate to miss any highlights this trip could offer. We enjoy historical sites, sightseeing, short hikes, and just beautiful scenery/campsites along the way. Thanks ahead for any suggestions.

Roosevelt Campobello is not in Northern Maine. It is not even in the USA. You will have to have a passport. It is in the province of New Brunswick,Canada. The closest town ( and its quite close) is Lubec Maine and it is on the southern coast.

How allergic are you to bad roads? The most scenic way would be leave the NY Thruway in Utica and spend a night or two in the Adirondacks.. Leave NY State on Route 2 at Rouses Point and cross Vermont on that road. It goes through NH White Mountains too. At Gorham go north on rt 16 to Errol and then Rangeley and Eustis.. Make your way to Kingfield and Skowhegan and get on the Maine Turnpike to exit 182 in Bangor and down 1 A to Ellsworth. then east on Rt 1 to Whiting and state 189 to Lubec.

If you want to follow the coast you can go from the White Mountains down 302 to Portland.. But you will miss the magnificent scenery around Rangeley and Eustis and Kingfield. And rt 1 doesn't hug the coast.. you have to investigate the many peninsulas and that alone can take a lot of time.

So your route from Nifls goes E then North and then E and drops again South.

Not many RVers actually go to Northern Maine as its mostly unpaved logging roads.

Also how long is your TT? Looks to be quite long.. You will need to reserve campgrounds and pay CLOSE attention to length specifications given for each campsite. We don't see many big rigs in State Parks cause they do not fit. Same for Adirondack Forest Preserve DEC campsites.

Also do you require full hookups ( usually here that means water and electric,) but some private campgrounds have all.. Public campgrounds almost always mean boondocking though they have dump stations and fresh water fill hoses ( not city water!)

[Jaycophil]

Thanks Meeker and Kim. Both will be very helpful in planning trip.



Kim--sorry for my misdirection on Roosevelt. To little me looking up from SC, it is north to me but certainly not northmost point in Maine. The route you provided will be very helpful. My trailer is 27 feet so hopefully I can find sites to accommodate??? Appreciate your guidance!!

[Kim Gass]

What are your interests?

Seeing forests. paddling on lakes or hiking or a mountain view?

Or the seashore with boat tours and whale watching etc?

Do you prefer serviced campsites?

Some of the things you can see conveniently are : go to the top of Mt Washington. You can self drive your truck( NOT the trailer!) or take the Cog Railway. Its another world up there.. way above treeline.

If late summer means Sept the Eustis area with Cathedral Pines Campground ( directly on Flagstaff Lake ) electric and water serviced sites is a terrific campground with well spaced sites.. You have to call for reservations ( not online). It has stunning views. You might see moose but the area is not very tourist oriented and I don't know of moose tours ( there are moose tours in Gorham NH on rt2). Most moose tours are out of Greenville ( a couple of hours away). Another thing to do in Greenville is ride the steamer Katahdin for a tour of the bottom half of the lake ( Mt Kineo is amazing from the water)

The leaves start to turn in both Rangeley-Eustis in mid Sept and Greenville a week later.

There are whale and seabird watching tours out of Boothbay Harbor and also the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens are beautiful ( must reserve ahead of time on line)

Personally I would also suggest booking at Pemaquid Point Campground ( a modest campground near New Harbor) and chowing down at Shaws Lobster Pound and catching a boat to Monhegan Island and staying overnight at the Island Inn there or Monhegan House.. Visit the brewery hike the many short trails with oceanside cliffs. It is not crowded there as cars are not allowed. You walk or catch the golf cart jitney if your feet are tired. All the roads are dirt and it retains its 19th century fishing village charm. It's 12 miles off shore.

I am not a big fan of Bar Harbor. Being relatively local( two hours ) we could go anytime but parking in the summer is a huge hassle and if the cruise ships are in there are a glut of visitors in the stores. However there is wonderful hiking in Acadia NP .Some hard and some not so hard.

I love love the Lubec Brewery.. Nuff said.. I also like Eastport( Raye's Mustard Museum). We usually stay at Cobscook Bay State Park which has sites that you would fit into. ( and a few that you wouldn't of course!) It too has lovely ocean views. and cheap. There is a campground on Campobello Island : Herring Cove PP and also Sunset Cove RV park in Lubec.. haven't been to either.

There is one small grocer on the island. Don't miss East Quoddy Light! We quite liked the tours at Campobello and going to "Tea with Eleanor"


If you want lobster it matters not where you go in Maine.. Most all restaurants have it. My favorite pounds ( outside eating) are Five Islands in Georgetown Maine and also McLoons in Spruce Head ( just south of Rockland). Both have those iconic views.. and are working pounds.

On rt 1 in Columbia Falls we have the wildly schmaltzy looking Wild Blueberry Land. The harvest is in late July so late summer is perfect to get a souvenir. Nearby Machias is blueberry pie central. You cant make a mistake eating there.

[Kim Gass]

oh yeah and how much time do you have?

[Jaycophil]

Kim Gass. This is great info! We have plenty of time on this trip as we are retired and are just planning at this time to take a route from SC to Maine with the side trip to Niagara on the way. At present, I have chosen our northernmost destination as Roosevelt and have a reservation at Sunset. From there, I am just getting started on looking at routes to Roosevelt (which I plan to use yours as a my model) and from Roosevelt back to SC. So basically we will have two trips through Maine. The tours you mention are similar to what we like to do--whales, lake tours, nature sightseeing, etc (have seen plenty of Moose). Thanks for the restaurant and camping suggestions--we love lobster which we don't get down here often and the campsite locations will be very helpful. Probably be picking your brain as I begin booking things for other suggestions as the route is developed. Thanks again for all your help!!

[Kim Gass]

In your planning, be aware that many campgrounds suspend water service or close entirely after Oct 1( freeze up). Some stay open till the 15th and some close earlier like State Parks. Acadia's campgrounds close either Oct 9 or Oct 16. I don't recommend Blackwoods for an RV .. Tight sites ( the campground was built a long time ago) and Seawall has just one loop suitable for RVs .. yours will fit.

Schoodic Woods is the farthest from Bar Harbor and by far the loveliest.. Bike right out of the campground.. has serviced sites some elec only others elec and water. Its a newish campground ( 2015 I believe)

[Jaycophil]

Thanks Kim! I welcome any information you can share. This is very useful having never been there.

[lesrunmore]

Hi JaycoPhil!
This past summer/early fall my husband and I spent a week in Maine, at Acadia NP, and then 3 weeks in the Adirondacks. We are hikers so we had amazing views in Acadia from summits that most people don't seem to visit. However, I have to say that the high peaks in the Adirondacks are a very special, well kept secret to those of us not from the Northeast. The small towns from Keene Valley to Saranac Lake and lovely Lake Placid are friendly and charming. The mountains are majestic and very challenging! Who knew, when you are used to hiking out west? I think Kim Gass's suggestion of a few days in the Adirondacks is spot on and I would suggest as much time as you can spare, especially if outdoor pursuits are your thing!

p.s. The KOA in Wilmington, NY has gigantic sites! It's right in the middle of the Olympic venues.

Leslie Flattery
Katy, TX
2021 Greyhawk 27U

[Jaycophil]

Thanks Leslie. Encouraging. We plan to.

[Kim Gass]

Just be aware that the Adirondack High Peak region is very busy in the summer and trailhead parking may close early.. DEC is cracking down on road parking. I personally used to find the Daks attractive when I lived there in the late 60's but now every year when I go for a weeklong job there. I cringe. For hiking start by 8 am otherwise you may be hunting out where to park.

For hiking you can ask questions on www.adkforum.com. There are less traveled areas.

Do go to Donnelly's for ice cream.. Made right there.Just north of Saranac Lake on rt 86.

I am in the White Mountains of NH-ME ( on the Maine side) and they are IMO much different in ecology and not quite as trampled though there are some "tourist trails". Nothing like emerging above treeline or for a lazier hike driving to the top of Mt Washington ( without the RV) and hiking down the Tuckerman Trail to the Alpine Garden trail in June with the tiny flowers. Bring a cold weather coat. It can snow in July. ( not often but it happened this year a couple of times!)

Many Maine mountains are similarly above treeline too . www.mainetrailfinder.com. Acadia is kind of an anomaly.. the glacier left no dirt for trees so summits above 1000 feet are mainly bare though not high . Rent a bike and ride the carriage roads.

Camden is a tourist town and most tourists have a heck of a time finding parking.. But they don't search for the lots and on street parking on Mechanic St. one block from the shops. My favorite yarn store is there and never had issues. Camden is also home to some amazing hikes in the Camden Hills.. Ocean views.

[Jaycophil]

Thanks Kim. We definitely do not like crowds and will plan our trip accordingly. My plan is to be in the Maine area the last two weeks in August. I am hoping school will be back in and a lot of the tourists gone. Your thoughts?? Also, you mentioned snow in July. How does late August/early September look for such precip?? Thanks for your input. Very helpful.

[Kim Gass]

That snow is only on the summit of Mt Washington! And July snows nelt quick
On a good summer day you can see 100 miles
It can get hot sometimes(85) but nesr the coast almost always cooler
But humid