Maine Four Corners

[Stoneman]

Anyone here done this? In no particular order, you visit the Lubec post office, Grafton Notch State Park, Kittery Trading Post & Four Corners Park in Madawaska. You can take as long as you want to do it and use the vehicle of your choosing. The loop itself is a little over 630 miles if I remember, but from my location it's closer to 1000. There's no set order in which it needs to be completed. Hell, there's not even a set time to do it. Just do it, meet the requirements, pay the fee and get your shirt & certificate.

I'm starting to plan a four day trip to do this on the Street Glide. At this point, it's looking like Thursday, Sept. 12 to Sunday, Sept. 15.

Plan is to leave my house and head over to Kittery Trading Post, then shoot up to Lubeck post office and spend the night somewhere around there. From Lubec I'm gonna head on up to Four Corners Park and stay near Madawaska for the night. Day 3 will have me going from Four Corners Park to Grafton Notch State Park where again I'll find a place for the night. Day 4 just has me heading home from the Grafton area.

Pictures of you & the vehicle near landmarks as well as gas receipts are about all that's required if you wanna make it all official like. If you do the "official" thing, it's $50/person. For that you get a shirt and a fancy certificate signed by the Gov of Maine.

If anyone has any good stops between my stops, please share 'em! I'm also interested in hearing from anyone that's done this.

[OreoGaborio]

I was curious so I googled it.

A bit more info here: https://untamedmainer.com/road-trip-...perience-tour/

[Stoneman]

I was curious so I googled it.

A bit more info here: https://untamedmainer.com/road-trip-...perience-tour/

Yup, already read that one. Thanks though!

[FirstDuc-1098]

Stoner, do it in a straight 24 hours and claim the 1000 mile Iron Butt

[RandyO]

that used to be a day ride for me, now 2 weeks and commando camping in a potato field

[Stoneman]

Stoner, do it in a straight 24 hours and claim the 1000 mile Iron Butt

that used to be a day ride for me, now 2 weeks and commando camping in a potato field

I kinda thought about trying the Saddle Sore 1000, but I have the time and quick figuring by today's prices (but being liberal) isn't all that expensive. Plus, I wanna make the most of the trip and enjoy a nice, long weekend at the end of summer.

[Garandman]

If you think the motorcycle market is weak check the sailboat market….

[Stoneman]

If you think the motorcycle market is weak check the sailboat market….

Did you pull the wrong lever again?

[nhbubba]

I get Lubec, I get Kittery, I get Madawaska.. but Grafton? That isn't what I would describe as the corner per my map. Aren't there any roads further north than Grafton? Or are they all private?

Once again this summer I meant to ride out East Inlet road to the tippy top of NH and make obscene gestures at the border, but did not manage to. Maybe next year.

I am still trying to get acclimated with riding in eastern Maine. This summer I made it out to Lubec and Calais. Pretty cool. Pretty cool. My phone decided I was in the Atlantic timezone for a bit. Did the coastal route up and then "Airline" road (rt 9) back to Ellseworth. Damn, I thought parts of VT were desolate. Not much going on out there and a much, much longer hop between ecampments in that part of the world. I don't normally think too hard about fuel stops here in New England... but you probably should up that way.

[Stoneman]

I get Lubec, I get Kittery, I get Madawaska.. but Grafton? That isn't what I would describe as the corner per my map. Aren't there any roads further north than Grafton? Or are they all private?

I don't make the rules, kid. It's the loop they laid out, those are the points I'll hit...

[FriskyDingo]

....If anyone has any good stops between my stops, please share 'em! I'm also interested in hearing from anyone that's done this.

Nothing personal, but I recall a story here about a certain Maine diner, Mr. Kates, toothless waitresses and titties may be worth a stop for coffee

[xrocket21]

I get Lubec, I get Kittery, I get Madawaska.. but Grafton? That isn't what I would describe as the corner per my map. Aren't there any roads further north than Grafton? Or are they all private?

Once again this summer I meant to ride out East Inlet road to the tippy top of NH and make obscene gestures at the border, but did not manage to. Maybe next year.

I am still trying to get acclimated with riding in eastern Maine. This summer I made it out to Lubec and Calais. Pretty cool. Pretty cool. My phone decided I was in the Atlantic timezone for a bit. Did the coastal route up and then "Airline" road (rt 9) back to Ellseworth. Damn, I thought parts of VT were desolate. Not much going on out there and a much, much longer hop between ecampments in that part of the world. I don't normally think too hard about fuel stops here in New England... but you probably should up that way.

Theres literally nothing up there

[Stoneman]

Nothing personal, but I recall a story here about a certain Maine diner, Mr. Kates, toothless waitresses and titties may be worth a stop for coffee

I'm listening. Do you know the location? Is it within my loop?

[OreoGaborio]

Theres literally nothing up there

Sounds like my kinda place.

This thread has me scouring the north west corner of Maine in google maps....

Rangeley looks to be the most North Western town worthy of having a gas station as well as a few places to eat, but there are indeed some roads that go about two hours further North West...

Parmachenee Lake, North Oxford, ME looks to be the most North Westerly lake that actually has a couple of lake houses on it. And there ARE roads that keep going past it.

Peppin's General Store, past the Chain of Ponds has a gas station, is right on the Canadian border and is well further North but not as far west.

[xrocket21]

Rangeley is GORGEOUS, but practically a damn city, only about 1.25 hours from me. It's getting expensive though, goddamn out of staters.



Between Rumford and Jackman, there is some stuff, but pretty rural.

I'm talking about where it says "MTNS", there's almost literally nothing there. No power, very few roads, little to no trails for ATV or snowmobile. Mostly just logging if theres anything.

If you want a way out trip, go camp up there to what we call, "The Allagash" and paddle down the river.

I snowmobile a lot north of Katahdin in the Chesuncook/Chamberlain Lake area, and it's is far enough out there I get nervous.

You might be into visiting the Ghost Trains, I have always wanted to do that actually. Tried on sleds once and got lost.

[nhbubba]

I was talking about the far NW corner of the state where the borders with Canada and NH meet. Where the "A" in your map is pointing. On the NH side, not far from the border, there is a dirt road that goes out to a clearing not far from the border. Its actually part of the NEBDR. Looking (quickly) at the map I saw "roads" on the ME side as well. But those may well be private and/or logging roads that only barely exist in reality.

Ghost train is on my short list too.

Although I've not been to any of the Allagash or even Katahdin. Everything north of Old Town is pretty much a mystery to me.

[RandyO]

I was talking about the far NW corner of the state where the borders with Canada and NH meet. Where the "A" in your map is pointing. On the NH side, not far from the border, there is a dirt road that goes out to a clearing not far from the border. Its actually part of the NEBDR. Looking (quickly) at the map I saw "roads" on the ME side as well. But those may well be private and/or logging roads that only barely exist in reality.

Ghost train is on my short list too.

Although I've not been to any of the Allagash or even Katahdin. Everything north of Old Town is pretty much a mystery to me.

Parmachenee Rd ? is a private road, used to be gated, runs from Rt 16 to Parmachenee Lake, along west side of Magalloway River mostly in ME, but dips back into NH a bit

[Stoneman]

Yeah, didn't get this in last year. This is definitely on the list this year though. I'm still trying to figure out when exactly...

[xrocket21]

I was talking about the far NW corner of the state where the borders with Canada and NH meet. Where the "A" in your map is pointing. On the NH side, not far from the border, there is a dirt road that goes out to a clearing not far from the border. Its actually part of the NEBDR. Looking (quickly) at the map I saw "roads" on the ME side as well. But those may well be private and/or logging roads that only barely exist in reality.

Ghost train is on my short list too.

Although I've not been to any of the Allagash or even Katahdin. Everything north of Old Town is pretty much a mystery to me.

We should explore sometime!

[PurplePackage]

This guy in his electric Zero is braver than you think

https://madawaskafourcorners.org/tou.../kai-jenstrom/

[SteveM]

I plugged in the four corners destinations point and came up with 995 miles round trip from my base at Pleasant Mountain in Bridgton, ME. But it didn't look like much of a loop. Then, thanks to Trump, I realized that international borders are only arbitrary lines. I decided to put together a more proper loop, annexing southeastern Quebec to Maine, and with the addition of only another 90 limes, this is what I came up with.



I would probably take this as a 2 or 3 day trip, my iron butt days are behind me.

I'd run it counter-clockwise.

A two day trip would overnight in Madawaska (600mi day 1 / 485mi day 2)

A three day trip would be

Day 1 Bridgton - Kittery - Lubec (373 miles)
Day 2 Lubec - Madawasks - Quebec City (424 miles)
Day 3 Quebec City - Grafton Notch - Bridgton (275 miles)

[nhbubba]

That much I95 makes me cringe. You can do much better, especially in Eastern Maine where the traffic is less but the coast still is.

Given the political environment I am suddenly starting to have reservations of crossing the border. Reservations I have never had before.

[RandyO]

This is an Ironbutt SaddleSore 1000 route I have planned. Unless I was trying to make it a day ride, I'd stay off highways
https://maps.app.goo.gl/BLy35Nn9MRD68Uvt9

originally, it was a plan for a winter sub freezing "FrozenButt"

[SteveM]

That much I95 makes me cringe. You can do much better, especially in Eastern Maine where the traffic is less but the coast still is.

Given the political environment I am suddenly starting to have reservations of crossing the border. Reservations I have never had before.

It won't be 95, this is just the first pass. I might nix Kittery to spend more time on 2 lanes up North.

I look at Canada as a place that wants some friendly Americans.

[e30addict]

It's extremely rare that Colin and I agree on anything, but I think he's on track with his concerns. Canada is extremely pissed at us right now and might not be a pleasant place to be. I'd rather not add the stress of dealing with that BS on what should be a fun trip at the moment.

Also, if you're going up that far, why not add day or two and loop around Gaspe. Or make a proper trip, loop Gaspe, grab the ferry at Matane and cross to Baie-Comeau. Pop down towards Tadoussac and the Saguenay Fjord then back through Quebec City.