The notch is the pass where Route 26 cuts through the Mahoosuc Range, between Newry in the south and Upton in the north, and it is one of the finest short stretches of road in the state. The mountains rise steeply on both sides, with Old Speck, at about 4,170 feet the third highest peak in Maine, on the east and Baldpate on the west.
Grafton Notch State Park protects the pass, and the roadside is dotted with natural curiosities that can be reached in a few minutes' walk. Screw Auger Falls, a series of cascades that have drilled round pools in the bedrock, is the best known; Mother Walker Falls drops through a narrow gorge, and Moose Cave is a cleft in the rock where a cool air stays all summer. The Appalachian Trail crosses the road here, on its way over the Baldpate and Old Speck ridges, and hikers with heavy packs and tired faces are a common sight. The geology is glacial: ice scoured this valley during the last ice age and left the rounded, polished rock.
The ride is a delight. Route 26 climbs from Newry in gentle bends beside the Bear River, with the cliffs on both sides closing in, then runs along the valley floor with views up to the high peaks. The surface is usually smooth, and traffic is light, though weekends in October bring a stream of leaf-peepers. Moose are a real danger, particularly at dawn and dusk, when they come to the roadside pools, so ride with caution. Fog can fill the valley in the morning, and the temperature drops several degrees in the shade.
There are no services in the notch itself. The nearest fuel and supermarkets are at Bethel, about twenty minutes south, where the Sunday River ski resort and a handsome old village green offer food and lodging. Farther north, the road runs through empty forest to Errol in New Hampshire, so fill up before heading that way. The best season is late September to mid-October, though June is fresh and quiet. The park is open from spring to autumn, with fees at some trailheads, and winter closes the side roads.