From hikes to boat rides to nights spent sleeping peacefully above the trees, there are lots of ways to enjoy the immense beauty of Maine. But, unless you’ve got at least a week to spend doing it all, you’re probably going to have to choose just one or two things to see in a short period of time. That’s why a scenic drive can be one of the best ways to see and enjoy as much of Maine as possible. This particular beautiful scenic drive in Maine might be one of the best ways to maximize your time. So, fuel up, grab some snacks and get out there!

For driving directions that you can use from your own starting point, click here.

There are tons of beautiful drives in Maine. Some, like the Million Dollar View Scenic Byway along Route 1, are well known. Others are less traveled, but offer just as much in the way of beauty.
dougtone / Flickr
One of our favorites is the Rangeley Lakes Scenic Byway, which takes drivers along Route 17, Route 16 and Route 4, offers some of the most dramatic views in the state as well as wonderful side trips.
loonyhiker / Flickr
The route takes drivers along Routes 17 and 4 as the roads wrap around Rangeley Lake. The beautiful byway follows the ridgeline of the mountains while also going into the gorgeous rolling hills and valleys of the area.

For many, the highlight of the trip is reaching the Height of Land on Route 17, which overlooks Mooselookmeguntic Lake.
To start this beautiful drive, head a bit southwest of West Central Franklin and find the intersection of Maine Route 17 and Main Rd.
Google Maps
From the intersection, you'll continue northwest on Route 17 towards Route 4 in Oquossoc.
dougtone / Flickr
Once on Route 4 you'll continue towards the Smalls Falls Rest Area where the scenic byway officially ends.
dougtone / Flickr
The drive itself is beautiful, offering quiet and peaceful scenery that's even better during peak fall foliage.
dougtone / Flickr

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But making sure to take a few side trips will add to the experience!
binkley27 / Flickr
Make sure you stop at Angel Falls for the 45-minute wooded hike leading to one of the most awe-inspiring falls in the state.
daniboi1977 / Flickr
Be sure to also spend some time at the lakes in the region.
Nate Merrill / Flickr
If you've got some time to spare, we like the Wilhelm Reich Museum in Rangeley, too.
Wilhelm Reich Museum / Facebook
Reich was an Austrian-born physician-scientist who studied with Freud in the 1920s. He fled Germany in the 1930s and soon after, began studying what he said was a life energy called "orgone."

Eventually, he was arrested by the government after the FDA found him selling questionable machinery as actual medical devices. Whether or not you agree with his ideas, his life and enthusiasm for his interests are intriguing.

His laboratory and home are called "Orgonon" and now house The Wilhelm Reich Museum. The area is a historic site and nature preserve comprised of 175 acres of fields and woodland, a system of trails, a Conference Center, and the Orgone Energy Observatory.
To get back to nature, plan a stop at Coos Canyon which you'll find just off of Route 17.
christine4nier / Flickr
This beautiful byway reveals why inland Maine is worth the time and energy it takes to explore here. The coast is great, but head inland for beauty you won't find anywhere else!
Google Maps

While we’re huge believers in the idea that the journey is as important as the destination, we also think sometimes a drive is worth taking even if there’s just one fun thing waiting for you at the end. A great example? This huge blueberry-themed store in Columbia Falls!

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