Grafton Notch State Park

Grafton Notch State Park is a 3,129-acre Maine state park surrounding Grafton Notch, the pass between Old Speck Mountain and Baldplate Mountain.  Glacial action created Grafton Notch and the gorges within the park.  It is surrounded by the 31,000-acre Mahoosuc Public Lands and is bisected by Maine Route 26.  There are several scenic spots along the highway to stop and see waterfalls, gorges and caves.  Additionally, the park provides access to many hiking trails, including the long-distance Grafton Loop Trail and Appalachian Trail.

Contact Information:

1941 Bear River Road

Newry, ME 04261

 
Phone: (207) 824-2912

Directions:

From Bethel, head east on US-2 for about 6 miles and left on ME-26 north. Drive about 9 miles north to enter the park.  There are parking areas on both sides of the highway.

Points of Interest:

Moose Cave:

Moose Cave is found in a gorge along Bear River.  The cave is named for an unfortunate moose that fell in, so don't get too close.

Mother Walker Falls:

Mother Walker Falls is a series of small drops in a narrow gorge on Bear River.

Screw Augur Falls:

Screw Augur Falls is a 25-foot waterfall on Bear River.

Wildlife:

Red elderberry (Sambucus pubens)

Reindeer lichen (Cladonia rangiferina)

Blog Entries:

27-Aug-2021: Moxie Falls

External Links:

Maine State Parks website: https://www.maine.gov/cgi-bin/online/doc/parksearch/details.pl?park_id=1