Bethel

The town itself is a classic New England arrangement of a common ringed by white clapboard, a preparatory school, and a main street that has kept its buildings.

What Bethel is known for

Sunday River Resort (4.6 across 3,081 Google reviews) is the anchor: eight peaks, one of the largest ski areas in New England, and reliable snowmaking that extends the season at both ends. It sits in Newry, about ten minutes from the town common.

Grafton Notch State Park (4.8 from 1,069 reviews) is the summer counterpart, and it is the more interesting of the two for most visitors. Screw Auger Falls, Mother Walker Falls and Moose Cave sit within a few minutes of each other along Route 26, all reachable on short walks from roadside parking. The Appalachian Trail crosses the notch and climbs Old Speck.

Things to do

Ski or hike depending on the month. Between the two, the Androscoggin gives easy flatwater paddling, and the back roads north toward Errol are the best moose-spotting drive in this part of the state at dawn and dusk.

The town has a real food scene for its size. The Bethel Sugar Shack (4.8 from 528 reviews) and Butcher Burger (4.5 from 976 reviews) are both reliable, and The Millbrook Tavern (4.2 from 923 reviews) covers the après-ski end.

Getting here and when to go

Bethel is about ninety minutes north-west of Portland on Route 26, and close to the New Hampshire line. It pairs with Rangeley for a longer mountain loop.

Two peaks: February and March for snow, and late September into early October for foliage, which arrives here earlier than on the coast. The shoulder weeks in April and November are genuinely quiet.

Common questions

Is Sunday River in Bethel?

Not quite. Sunday River Resort, rated 4.6 from 3,081 reviews, is in neighboring Newry, just north of Bethel village. Bethel is where most of the area's lodging, restaurants, gas and services sit, which is why the mountain and the town are usually talked about as one destination. Plan on driving between the two rather than walking.

Is Bethel a good base for a ski trip?

Yes, and it is the main one in western Maine. Sunday River is the big draw, with the smaller, less crowded Mt. Abram a short drive away. Basing yourself in Bethel instead of at the mountain gets you a real village with restaurants and shops, at the cost of a drive to the lifts each morning and back each night.

Is Grafton Notch State Park worth the drive from Bethel?

Yes. Grafton Notch rates 4.8 from 1,069 reviews and is the highest-rated outdoor destination near town. The road north through the notch strings together waterfalls and gorges you can reach in a few minutes from the parking areas, plus harder climbs onto the Appalachian Trail for anyone who wants a full day out.

Where do people eat in Bethel?

Casual and ski-town, rather than fine dining. Butcher Burger rates 4.5 from 976 reviews and The Bethel Sugar Shack 4.8 from 528, while The Millbrook Tavern, at 4.2 from 923, handles the sit-down meal after a day on the hill. Expect waits at peak times in winter; the town does not have much spare capacity when the mountain is full.