This Scenic 179-Mile Road Trip Has 8 Stunning Waterfalls—and Hardly Anyone Knows About It

There is a 179-mile loop in Maine that takes travelers to eight waterfalls in four hours. It starts and ends in Snow Falls Gorge near West Paris, Maine.

Maine is best known for its dramatic coastline, which is rugged and rocky and dotted with lighthouses and fishing villages serving up fresh-from-the-ocean seafood. But few tourists venture inland to the south-central part of the state where salt air is traded for dense forests—and surprisingly—an impressive number of waterfalls.

The team at Only In Maine showed off this often-overlooked resource via a 179-mile-long road trip leading to eight different waterfalls. The 4-hour loop (not including time spent at the waterfalls themselves) starts and ends in Snow Falls Gorge near West Paris, Maine. The scenic gorge is home to four distinct cascades and is a great way to begin your waterfall road trip.

From Snow Falls, the route heads north to Rumford Falls, which includes several distinct cascades, including the upper falls, which are the main draw. From there, continue to Smalls Falls, which is a short hike off the road (.5 miles roundtrip) and features a swimming hole. Make sure to save enough time to cool off in the pool, or extend your trip and drive to the neighboring Rangeley Lake State Park.

The next waterfall on the road trip is the impressive Angel Falls, a 90-foot cascade surrounded by cliffs. It is well worth the one-mile hike in, especially since the next waterfall on the tour can be seen from the car.

Coos Canyon may be visible from the road, but you won't want to miss the chance to swim in its green-water swimming hole, which is surrounded by a canyon of smooth, curving rocks.

Next is The Cataracts, a series of clear pools and small falls set in a narrow gorge, followed by Dunn Falls, one of the more popular and well-known falls in Maine. Dunn Falls has two main cascades—an upper and a lower—which can only be accessed via a nearly two-mile-long loop trail. It also boasts access to the Appalachian Trail.

The final cascade in the Maine waterfall loop, the Screw Auger Falls, returns you close to where you started, north of Snow Falls Gorge and the town of West Paris. These falls are fed by a rugged stretch of the Bear River, producing two impressive cascades up to 30 foot drops. The lovely gorge setting makes Screw Auger a popular place to visit in the summer.