Grafton Notch State Park
“Turns out, not where, but who you’re with that really matters.” ― Dave Matthews Band
Yeah BUT what if you’re with amazing people and in an amazing place, Dave? I guess this is when you know you’ve got it real good and we sure had it good back in October. We visited Grafton Notch State Park just a handful of days before peak foliage with friends that know the best and worst of us. Close friends, college roomies and another match made at the Catholic institution known as Saint Joseph’s College of Maine. You may remember these guys from our very first family camping trip at Camden Hills State Park. They’ve been at this type of parenting longer than we have and it’s great to venture out together.
It wasn’t long ago that the 4 of us were all teenagers doing dumb teenager things, but doing them together at least. Actually, it was long ago but it certainly doesn’t feel like it the second we see one another. We’ll leave out the stories but here’s a couple oldies but goodies.
It’s not like we haven’t seen each other since college but we all have kids now and live about 90 minutes apart. The weekly hangouts just aren’t a regular thing anymore but we make sure to carve out time throughout the year, and when we are visiting a state park close by, it’s a wonderful excuse to get together and explore. Especially when it’s on their home court.
Grafton Notch is very unique compared to many of the other state parks. It’s almost a little similar to Mt. Blue State Park in how it is spread out but it’s missing a family campground. This place is just too big and too special for a day visit but that is what you have to do here, unless you are on a backpacking trip, hiking the AT or use a private campground. There are a couple private ones nearby but of course the state does it the best so that would be the ideal situation. That being said the park is built like a Swiss Army Knife and seems to be doing perfectly fine as is. Another “something different” here is checking in, there isn’t an official one. You don’t meet a Park Ranger in a vestibule at an entrance but there are areas to drop the small park fee if you don’t have a season pass, which we HIGHLY recommend buying. It makes for a great holiday gift!
Screw Auger Falls
This blog is called Rubys on the Road but we’d rather not be in the car. We often scratch our heads when folks roll up to some of Maine’s most beautiful and iconic locations and don’t leave their vehicles. They lower their windows, snap a few pics and take off. We’ve actually witnessed this a lot but hey, we always preach “you do you” so if that makes folks happy, then perfect. That said, just driving through the heart of Grafton Notch would be worth the visit and you wouldn’t have to get out of your car. Any season here is beautiful but the colors in the fall make it downright incredible. This all being said, it gets even better if you exit the vehicle as well! You are completely surrounded by some of the most beautiful mountains in the state and this notch cuts right through the center of them. Most folks turn onto Sunday River Road to head to the resort for activities but this state park is just another 15 minutes from that turn on RT 26. We aren’t saying Sunday River isn’t fun because even in the off season you can find a grand ole time; for example, the annual North American Wife Carrying Championship takes place there. We’ve found in our travels that there’s often quite a few gems just around the corner from Maine’s most visited attractions.
Whether you’re heading into the Notch or on your way out, there is a must stop for treats. It doesn’t matter if you spent the day hiking, sightseeing or driving around, this Puzzle Mountain Bakery booth on the honor system has something for you. You can go big with one of their pies or jams but don’t you dare walk away without at least one maple cream cookie. Just bring cash and toss it in the tin can! On this morning, we opted for treats on the way in before making our first stop at Screw Auger Falls.
Screw Auger Falls are beautiful and you can make your way down and around them with varying views. In warmer weather, they can be a place to hop in and cool off but on this cold morning, the only goal was to keep Eloise out of the deep puddles near the top of the 23ft falls. We failed about 15 minutes in because between the excitement of friends and waterfalls, she took a slow riding dip into one and her overalls were nice and submersed. Of course she didn’t care and we always bring back-up clothes for Miss Eloise.
There are lots of signs posted throughout this area explaining the geography of the land but as you could imagine, glaciers bullied their way through a few years back and carved out this amazing roadside attraction. The walk from the parking lot to the top of the falls is quicker than a diaper change and certainly easier.
Our next stop was to Moose Cave; which was about a 2 minute drive from these falls. There are 4 or so popular stops along this route. The other two that we didn’t stop at on this trip were Mother Walker Falls and the Spruce Meadow picnic area. Moose Cave is the perfect hike for kiddos, just keep them close as you get near the cave and 600 foot gorge. This cave has now been the foundation for several bedtime stories over the last month. The falls were pretty but this spot ranks higher in the coolness factor, plus there were less people kicking around.
You can’t really see and do everything in this area during a morning or afternoon visit; especially with little kids in tow. It actually can be bit of a challenging place with littles and that is why we opted for the scenic drive and waterfalls and caves on this visit. We would have done lunch at the picnic area if it wasn’t for a 1pm Pats game..Sunday priorities.
Even a full day isn’t going to get you too far at Grafton Notch State Park; which is wonderful because it just forces you to keep coming back. It’s like a killer buffet, you wish you could make room for everything but you can’t. There are a ton of day and overnight hikes that could challenge all levels and satisfy every appetite. The Grafton Notch Loop is a 40 mile trail that takes you through the state park and the Mahoosuc public lands. It’s bucket list material.
Ray & Ben hiking the Grafton Notch Loop Trail – 2015
See what we mean, you can park here and backpack for days around a breathtakingly beautiful but brutally difficult loop or you just pull over and check out some 360 views. The state does a fantastic job building maps/brochures for not only the state parks but also preserves and public lands. Review and or get a copy before visiting by car or venturing out on foot. There is just too much going on to not have something in your hands to help you keep your bearings.
Oh and we didn’t mention the sleepy little town of Bethel nearby. Another Hallmark channel town in Maine, just waiting for the busy businessman to get stuck here in a snow storm over Christmas, only to fall in love with a pretty lady who drives a 1960’s Ford pickup in mint condition, and color. If you’ve been following us for a while, then you know we love all of Maine and the many faces that it has, but we do have places that we could see ourselves leaving Portland for and relocating to someday and the Bethel area is high on that list.
Our grade? 9 Rubies and honestly it should be 10 but it can be more challenging of a visit with young kids. There’s always some sort of thing for them to fall into or off of so depending on their ages, you might have to be more on your game. That being said, it’s worth several visits over the years and each one could be different as you and they become more comfortable with what you are attempting to bite off. This area is so unique and so beautiful, that we believe it’s a must visit for everyone. Kids or no kids, hiking or driving, it doesn’t matter but you need to make your way out here at some point. Then you’ll realize for yourself that you’ll need to come back, many times over. It’s a hiker’s paradise and as the girls get older, we will continue to return to this well often for the trails. Who knows, maybe someday when the girls are teens, we will even hike the loop as a family…praying that they’ll still want to hang out with their parents.
