What a gorgeous day it was today! We decided to head out and take a look at some of the fantastic foliage in the lakes region. Bre always likes to go along on our expeditions so we used The Ultimate Guide to Dog Parks, Beaches & Trails in Maine. (Published by Downeast Dog Guides and available at www.downeastdogguides.com or, if you stay at White Cedar Inn with your dog a copy is included with the pet fee.)
Here is Bre on one of the side trails we found.
We ended up taking a 120 mile round trip to check out the Jay-Farmington Rail Trail. The Rail Trail from Jay to Farmington is approximately 14 miles long. We hit about 2-3 miles of it before turning around and heading back. (We also wanted to check out places to eat along the way!)
Although we were headed out for walking, we passed so many boat access points along the way, I would definitely recommend this route for anyone wanting to canoe or kayak. (Lake Auburn, Androscoggin Lake and Sabattus Pond looked good from the road!)Not being a bicyclist, I am not sure this trail, at least the Jay end of it, is suitable for anything other than mountain or trail bikes. The trail bed is a combination of sand and gravel for a few miles, then the gravel is less and the sand is more. It was great for walking. (Wear sturdy shoes as there are some 'off road' trails that go off to the sides of the main trail. And the gravel can get annoying if it's constantly getting into your sandals.)
Many of the roads we took meandered alongside the Androscoggin River, which is well-known for it's scenic beauty via canoe or kayak. A good river map will point out where the dams are and where the portage points can be found.
The walk was easy and the tree canopy dense enough that I think this would be a good walk even in the summer. (bring bug spray!) Then in the winter the section we were on would be an easy x-c skiing trek (exception being the parts that cross the roads).
Although we saw the usual suspects as far as flora and fauna- robins, blue jays, raptors, chickadees, ducks, a couple of snakes, a beaver dam and the beautiful maples & birches, we were told that locals have sighted moose on the trail. And why not! It's an easy hike for the moose as well. It had just rained pretty hard last night so there were no tracks at all, people or animals, when we hit the trail around noon.
We had the trail pretty much to ourselves for most of the walk. We started to see other walkers and ATV riders as we were on our way back to the car. The ATV's were very quiet, which was nice given the serenity of the walk up to that point.
After walking along the trail until it hit Rt 4, we headed back to the car and decided to stop along the way home for lunch. Eschewing the chains (as we always do), we stopped in at LaFleur's Restaurant in Jay. The service was great and Rock had the scallop basket and I had the lobster roll (remember I'm on the lookout for lobster roll everywhere).
A new twist on the lobster roll was to put it on a hamburg bun instead of a hot dog bun. Interesting! My requirements are a nicely toasted bun, whether hamburg or hotdog and this one was. A little schmear of butter and it's good to go. For me, I took the lettuce and tomato off the sandwich and made a small side salad with them. The lobster had good, big chunks in it but a little too much mayo for the way I like it. Overall, we definitely recommend LaFleur's!
A couple more shots of the trail and then directions for how we went, althought there are a number of routes to take to get you to the same places. And, you can drive all the way to Farmington and start at that end of the trail as well.
So, how we got there: Take Rt 136 to Auburn and then Rt 4 through Turner and Livermore Falls to Jay. (Right turn onto Rt 4 in Auburn, heading North.) Once in Jay (approximately 54 miles from here), park at the back of the Jay Plaza. (Dollar Tree & Hannafords, across the street from the Jay Municipal Building...very nice people in Jay all around. Thanks for all the directions!) You'll be on a small side road on the left side of the plaza and you will see the trail head straight ahead of you.
To return home, we took Rt 133 and Rt 41 through Wayne and Winthrop, Maine and back to Rt 202 in Lewiston/Auburn. You could turn off and head toward Lisbon Falls just after Mardens on Rt 202. That will take you to Rt 125 and eventually back to Rt 136.
Another foliage walk that is close by and could be incorporated into this drive is at Bradbury Mountain, about 5 miles from here.
Don't forget about our foliage and lobster package which is available through October, Sunday-Thursday!
