Maine has over 17 million acres of forestland, thousands of miles of rivers and coastlines and 6,000 different lakes. It’s a great destination for a scenic paradise and exploration. You will get plenty of natural beauty and unspoiled area views. Most of the visitors to this state head to the coast, but if you want a break from the crowds, head inland for other types of views. There are a lot of options and different styles of rides. Here are a few of the best.more

Acadia National Park and Bar Harbor Loop

This motorcycle route gives you shore and coastline views with plenty of awe-inspiring rock formations. You’ll also have mountain top views that overlook large lakes. Sometimes, fog creeps over the hills and gives it an eerie look. This national park has well maintained roads. Bar Harbor has all sorts of restaurants and other amenities to enjoy.

Central Maine

This two hour long route takes you through the farms all the way to the coast. Once you’re on the coast, you get to see boats on the ocean and some ideal little coves. It combines nice roads and rolling fields with ocean views so you get it all. Some of the roads are rough and cracked, but most are pretty well maintained. There are tons of restaurant options with classic Maine food waiting for the motorcycle rider.

Northern Route 201

This 100-mile ride covers the most scenic portion of the Kenebec River Valley, which sits along the western mountains. The highway sits in the side of the foothills and runs along the river with mountain views just across the way. You’ll want to watch for wildlife and enjoy the views on all sides. The road is well maintained and has fun twists and turns along the curves of the river. There are signs out showing you where to watch for moose and you will enjoy the wilderness for the entire road without too many stores to interrupt the sites.

Boston to Maine

You get everything from a city skyline to a beach with this over 100-mile route. You will see forests, fields, marshes, small towns, and the big city skyline. Even in the summer, the wind chill can be rather cold so dress warmly. There are plenty of places to stop along the way and you can take your time enjoying each type of view.

The Dover Loop

This New England ride is a must. You get to stop through a few small towns as you pass by one of the biggest lakes in the state. You’ll see typical mill towns and rolling farmland as well as open roads. Most of the route goes through the forest and there are a lot of places to pull off for pictures. Take your time on these twisting roads and do the ride on a weekday so you don’t have a lot of traffic.

Mount Desert Island Loop

You can do this short ride in an hour on the Mount Desert Island, home to Acadia National Park. The ride has dense forests and plenty of shorelines to enjoy. While you are on the island, you will want to go to the top of Cadillac Mountain and get the phenomenal 360-degree view of the Atlantic Ocean. The nice, winding road has some inclines and declines and it can get crowded during local tourist seasons. There are a number of good things along the way like the Hulls Cove visitor center and the Jordan Pond House.

Maine has some beautiful views no matter what time of the year you decide to ride within the state. The fall is especially beautiful with the leaves on the mountains changing colors. The winter can be hazardous depending on snowfall, but the rest of the year is quite lovely. The roads vary and you can get a lot of different scenery and styles of motorcycle routes all within the same state.