Grindstone Scenic Byway
Grindstone Scenic Byway is a National Scenic Byway in Maine. Within Maine it covers roughly 60 miles. The map below shows its route. Use “Plan a drive” to open it in the Road Sorties route planner — already routing along Grindstone Scenic Byway with scenic roads turned on, ready to add your own stops.
This entry, catalogued as 'Grindstone Scenic Byway,' corresponds to Maine's Katahdin Woods & Waters National Scenic Byway. The 89-mile route follows Route 159 and connecting roads, linking Millinocket, Patten, Shin Pond, and the northern entrance to Baxter State Park at Grand Lake Matagamon. The byway takes visitors past Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument, established in 2016, as well as Grindstone Falls on the Penobscot River, for which this entry is likely named, and the Debsconeag Ice Caves. The remote East Branch of the Penobscot River, with seven waterfalls along a popular canoe route, and the West Branch, considered the best whitewater rafting in Maine, both lie within reach of the byway. Mount Katahdin itself, Maine's tallest peak and the northern terminus of the Appalachian Trail, dominates the skyline for much of the drive, and the region remains one of the most sparsely developed and genuinely wild parts of the eastern United States.
- 89 miles, Route 159 & connecting roads
- Officially the Katahdin Woods & Waters National Scenic Byway
- Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument (2016)
- Grindstone Falls, Penobscot River
- Baxter State Park's Matagamon entrance
- Mount Katahdin & Appalachian Trail terminus
Plan a drive on Grindstone Scenic Byway →
What is a National Scenic Byway?
National Scenic Byways are roads recognized at the federal level for at least one outstanding quality — scenic, natural, historic, cultural, archaeological or recreational — that gives travelers a reason to seek them out rather than just pass through.
Where to Stay along Grindstone Scenic Byway
1 campground or RV park sits within about 5 miles of Grindstone Scenic Byway.
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