The Forks, Maine travel guide: things to do, food & where to stay

Overview

The Forks is a city in Kennebec and Moose River Valleys.

2 sights · 4 things to do

Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage

Best things about The Forks

Moxie Falls

Harris Dam

Three Rivers Whitewater Inc

Northern Outdoors

Magicfalls

Crap Apple Whitewater Rafting

Plan your trip

Best time to visit & weather

Most comfortable: Jul–Aug. Summer highs reach about 55°F; winter lows dip to about -3°F. Cold months (Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, Oct, Nov, Dec) can bring snow and ice; check road conditions. Wettest: Oct and Jul. (climate data from nearby Mount Washington State Park)

Blue bars: average daily high and low (°F). Purple columns: average monthly rain and melted snow (inches).

Getting there

From you: to see whether to drive or fly, and how long it takes.
BGR Bangor International Airport, Bangor — 67 mi away. Directions
AUG Augusta State Airport, Augusta — 71 mi away. Directions
PWM Portland International Jetport, Portland — 118 mi away (major hub). Directions

Full “Get in” guide ↓

Budget & where to stay

No prices are listed for this place yet. See the Sleep guide ↓ for options.

Sample 2-day itinerary

Day 1

Morning Moxie Falls, Three Rivers Whitewater Inc
Afternoon Magicfalls

Day 2

Morning Harris Dam, Northern Outdoors
Afternoon Crap Apple Whitewater Rafting

Stops are grouped by area so each day needs little backtracking. Check opening hours before you go.

Food for you

What to ask about, for your diet

Diet labels come from each listing's description and cuisine; “likely” means the cuisine usually has good choices, not a promise. Check with the restaurant. Open the food finder

Understand

The Forks is located in northwestern Maine within the Somerset County. It's actually called The Forks Plantation by the books but, the locals call it simply The Forks. The Forks is an extremely small town which consists of an estimated population of 35 residents as of 2008. It's a very unique place where the Kennebec and Dead Rivers join.

Get around

By car

Getting around by car is definitely the way to go. The distance between towns are fairly far and would be a hassle to use other means of transportation. Try to understand that this is Maine and there seasons can be very intense. Try to have a reliable car also; having four wheel drives would be a huge saver. Some of the roads within The Forks and also on the outskirts are often unpaved and can cause damage to certain cars. From Points South: I-95 North to Exit 133 in Fairfield, Maine. Follow Rte 201 North 65 miles to The Forks. Pass through Skowhegan and then Bingham (23 miles to The Forks). In The Forks look for our signs and the bridge crossing the Kennebec. Take right turn before bridge and then enter second driveway on right. Travel time from Boston: 4 .5 hours Travel time from Worcester: 5 hours Travel time from Providence: 6 hours Travel time from Hartford: 6.5 hours Travel time from Portsmouth: 3.75 hours Travel time from New York: 9 hours From Points North: Take I-95 south to Exit 157 in Newport. Take Rt 2 West to Skowhegan. In Skowhegan take Rt 201 North. Pass through Skowhegan and then Bingham (23 miles to The Forks). In The Forks look for our signs and the bridge crossing the Kennebec. Take right turn before bridge and then enter second driveway on right. Travel time from Bar Harbor: 3 hours Travel time from Bangor: 2 hours Travel time from Calais: 4 hours Travel time from Houlton: 3 hours

By foot

The Forks is a very small town so many of the buildings are within walking distance. What is called the center of The Forks is where the Kennebec and dead river meet. In this area of the forks you have a small store and a few houses along the road. Also, you have a white water rafting company called Crap Apple. All of these places are minutes of each other.

See

See Moxie Falls

Moxie Falls is absolutely magnificent. It has about a 90-foot plunge due to the moxie stream. If you have any spare time in The Forks Maine you should definitely catch a glimpse of old moxie falls. To get to moxie falls is fairly simple. First you take Lake Moxie road which leads into the center of the town, with Crap Apple towards the right. You take the road for 1 1/2 miles until you reach a very distinctive parking area for moxie. The hike is about a 20-minute easy hike to the viewing area. You'll know you're there by the thundering moxie fall and the mist is produces as well. There are many ways to view the falls once you're there but, they can be very dangerous and should use extreme caution.

Maps

See Harris Dam

Harris Dam is immense in size and is huge energy producer for Maine. This huge dam stands about 175 feet tall and spans 250 wide. Along with producing electricity for Maine it has also served as transportation for lumber. If you look towards the other end of the river you'll see a shoot. That shoot was used to slide down huge barren trees down and allow them to float down river to a destined town. Part of what makes Harris Dam a great site is its immense size surrounded by lush and dense forestry, and of course the mighty Kennebec River. Here are the direction from The Forks: 13.7 mi (about 34 mins) 1. Head northwest on US-201 N toward Lake Moxie Rd 125 ft 2. Take the 1st right onto Lake Moxie Rd 5.3 mi 3. Turn left at Indian Pond Rd 8.4 mi

Maps

Do

Outdoor activities are abundant in this region. You can do many things such as: Hiking, Whitewater rafter, Canoeing and kayaking, Snowmobiling, fishing, hunting, Animal and bird watching, and amongst all of them you get amazing scenery. Listed below are some local Rafting and snowmobiling companies: