After a morning at nature preserves, we moved inland and started our drive toward New Hampshire. Located in mid-western Maine, Moxie Falls is one of Maine’s highest waterfalls with a 90-foot vertical drop and some additional smaller cascades. The Moxie Falls Scenic Area is along Lake Moxie Road. It has a gravel parking lot and there are no fees to visit.
The Trail
It is a moderate difficulty 2-mile roundtrip hike. You’ll walk dirt paths and multiple wooden boardwalks and staircases.
The trail starts at the middle of the parking area and begins with a flat, smooth path. It was raining when we visited, which means we tried to hurry a bit and my big camera stayed in the car.
There are four main viewing platforms:
- Early cascades
- The brink of the waterfall
- Two platforms to views the main drop
Moxie Falls
Moxie Stream flows over the falls and empties into the Kennebec River Gorge. It is a beautiful waterfall, and we enjoyed some early autumn colors.
Early Cascades
Main Drop
This is a very popular waterfall during the summer months and on weekends so be prepared for heavy traffic on the trail.
Rumford Falls
After Moxie Falls, we drove to the town of Rumford. Our hotel (Best Western Rumford Falls) was right near the waterfall. We had dinner at Hotel Rumford.
The next morning, we visited the waterfall and the Paul Bunyan statue. Both are free to enjoy and available from the J. Eugene Boivin Park/tourist information parking area along U.S. Highway 2.
Rumford Falls is a chain of multiple cascades on the Androscoggin River. Originally known as Pennacook Falls, multiple dams split the once continuous cascade. The upper and middle falls are visible from the roadside park. From the parking area to the reservoir is a universally accessible paved path with a few switchbacks.
The upper falls had a low flow at the time; most of the water is diverted to the powerhouse next to it. It was still a beautiful sight across the reservoir, and we were treated to some silhouettes of native Americans who once hunted and fished here.
The 20-foot lower falls have no official parking space but can be seen from the Portland St bridge or you can hike a quarter mile from the middle falls.
There is a 20-foot statue of Paul Bunyan and his faithful sidekick Babe the blue ox as another fun roadside attraction.
In you are in the area, this is a charming little stop to stretch your legs. From here, we continued on our way to New Hampshire.
Another interesting side trip. The reservoir picture was so calming, I will look forward to stopping.
Paul Bunyan surely got around I’ve seen him and Babe at other sites. Thank you.
Moxie Falls was one of my favorites – even in the rain! You’ll definitely want to add this to your stops.