The Kennebec Explorer 2014 Visitor's Guide to Maine's Kennebec Valley | Page 12

Let’s Ride! Shimmering leaves. Dappled sunlight. Neverending views . A journey through heaven on Earth. A great way to cover our region’s nearly 5,000 square miles is by car, and whether you’ve come for world-class outdoor adventure or just a quick camping getaway, you’re bound to see some of our best from behind the wheel. Our unforgettable scenery is matched only by the chance you’ll have to spot a bald eagle, moose or family of deer, all at no extra charge. Here are four abbreviated driving trips that show our best side; full route descriptions, as well as others, can be found at KennebecValley.org. Now hit the road and discover those things that makes our region so very special. Refer to the map on page 28-29 for a closer look. Old Canada Road (Route 201) National Scenic Byway Maine’s historical, industrial and economic past travels along Route 201 weaving a story through our cities and towns. Officially, the Byway begins in the hills above Skowhegan where ME-43 meets US-201 and heads north to the international border with Canada. Unofficially, it began in the 1600s and continued through Maine’s industrial boom years of the 20th-century, providing the connective tissue for generations of French-Canadians living in Maine to this day. Length: 78 Miles Travel Time: 3 Hours Scenic Lower Somerset (a quick one, sort of) Proceed on 150 from Skowhegan to Athens; join Route 151 and onto 16 to Bingham then south at 201 all the way to Skowhegan. Length: 60 Miles Travel Time: 1 Hour, 15 Minutes 10 It Takes Moxie (includes a hike to Moxie Falls) Take 201N from Bingham to The Forks (turn right onto Lake Moxie Rd.) Two miles down on the right will be a parking area for the trail to Moxie Falls. The easy hike is 1.2 miles total. Back on Route 201, head north to Jackman, with a right onto 6/15 to Rockwood and onto Greenville Center, then south to 16 at Abbot and back to Bingham. Length: 144 Miles Travel Time: 3 Hours, 18 Minutes Voyage International (as the name suggests, bring your passports) Follow 201N from Skowhegan through to the Canadian border. Once in Canada, take 173, turning left at Route 269 and left again at Route 204 in St. Gideon. Then follow Route 161 to Woburn crossing into the US to Maine’s Coburn Gore, following 27 into Kingfield, turning onto Route 16 through Madison then south on 201A with a final left onto Route 2 back into Skowhegan. Length: 245 Miles Travel Time: 5 Hours, 25 Minutes For more detailed directions and drives, visit KennebecValley.org.