Scenic Motorcycle Routes, Portland Me. area

[rockin rockwood]

Will be camping at Wild Duck Campground, looking for any scenic byways to explore, away from the coast. The more twists and turns the better! Hopefully will see a moose or 2, off in the distance obviously Thanks for the input
Dan

 

[bigbit]

How far are you willing to drive?  If you really want to see moose, your chances improve the further north you go, toward less populous areas.  Someplace like Kingfield or Stratton or Jackman is a good 100+ miles one way, but you'd have a much greater chance of spotting a moose up there.  South of route 2, your chances of spotting moose are pretty slim.  I can't say it wouldn't happen, but the probabilities are a lot less. 

Viewing is best done at dusk where there are marshy areas lined with pines.  The locals know where to look - be polite and they'll share the good viewing spots with you.

 

[Hfx_Cdn]

    You are going to be about 60 to 70 miles from the start of the White Mountains National Park.  That is one of the favoured motor cycling areas on the east coast.  There are nice straight roads, and curvy back roads, all of which present some very nice scenery, nice walks, and nice challenging hikes.  There is a cog rail up Mount Washington, a hiking trail or a switchback road.  They have several motor cycle rallies every year, so you might want to Google that to see if there is one when your around.
  A little further away is Baxter State park, a little more rustic, but almost as scenic.  The bottom line is that Maine is not heavily populated, so any road or highway will present lots of nice driving with plenty or views.  As for moose, it is really the luck of the draw.  We live in moose country and only see them every now and then. 

Ed

 

[rockin rockwood]

  Thanks for the suggestions. Although a 100 mile trip seems like a bit of a stretch, I've been known to get caught up in the moment only to realize that I've got a three hour ride back home! Sometimes getting there, is more fun than actually being there.  I'm really excited about Mt. Washington. That thought never entered my mind, especially the Cog Railroad.
Again this site has proven to be a priceless tool from everything to repairs to sightseeing tips
Dan

 

[Daisy]

Look for the Kangamangus (sp?) Hwy, out of Conway, NH, or someplace near there.  It's been awhile.  Beautiful drive, along the river, but only two lane, so be careful.  Almost all of western Maine is beautiful backroad travel, Hwy 35 has lots of ups, downs, and curves, but again great attention is needed since it is also two-lane and no shoulders to speak of.  Have fun and enjoy.

Daisy, former Mainiac

 

[Daisy]

I should have been a bit more specific.  Rte. 35 from Kennebunk north with a few heavy traffic areas, Standish/Windham area specifically is what I should have said and some of that has been widened significantly.  Rtes. 11 & 13 to the northwest are nice country drives taking you through the foothills of the White Mountains and into NH.  Rtes 302, 114, 35 (back to 302) around Sebago Lake can be nice, but most of the lake views are hidden by trees.  There are a few stopping places with a view though.  Kangamangus Hwy (in NH) during fall season will be jam packed with bikers and 4-wheelers so will be slow going, especially on weekends, but it is a beautiful drive.  There are lots more places further north and west, but Portland is not a handy place to them.  You'll spend most of your time getting out of the metropolitan areas to reach them.  Rte. 26 and 4 north and west of Lewiston/Auburn, ME are very scenic also.  I'm not familiar with cgs in those areas since we never camped out in ME.  We had too much work to do when we lived there.  ;D

Daisy

 

[hoddinron]

There are more Moose Crossing signs on Rt 2 near Mt. Washington than anywhere I've ever seen!

And we have spotted a moose along that route!

Ron

 

[JackT]

The good news is that you will love Wild Duck - nice facilities, nice people.  The bad news is that while there are some beautiful drives around the area, you are not in the best part of the state to see wildlife.  While Maine is a big state with a small population, the vast majority of the population lives in the small wedge of southern Maine. We lived in Maine for three years, up on lake sabago about 30 minutes from where you are staying.  We never saw a moose although a farmer nearby did have a field full of alpacas. That said, there are some nice drives. Try going up through Windham and through lake country.  Also, the drives along the coast are terrific.  You should also spend some time in Portland.  Becky's Diner is a classic on the water front.  At 4 am, the fishermen will be there for breakfast and at midnight, the old port partiers will be there as well.  Great food. Great vibe.