If you're not venturing farther north to our next two Maine coastal mountains, this is a great place to watch the sunrise. Beyond the white spires of Camden, set against fall colors, you can look out across Vinalhaven, Deer Island, and Isle au Haut, with Blue Hill in the distance. For an even better vantage point, climb the squat stone tower that has stood on the summit for nearly 80 years. The Cadillac summit road winds for just over two miles to the windblown, pink granite, 1,530-foot crest that stands as the East Coast's loftiest spot. Climb to an observation platform on a radio tower to see Mount Monadnock, Vermont's Green Mountains, and Mount Wachusett in Massachusetts.
Superlatives reign on the Northeast's highest peak.
At 6,288 feet you'll find the strongest wind speeds on earth, the worst weather in New England, and the oldest man-made attraction in the United States. At the summit is the renowned Mount Washington Observatory and its interesting little museum. Foliage isn't much of an issue up here, as you're way above treeline, but the views of it from here rank among the best. Burke Mountain, at 3,267 feet, is the training ground for many American Olympic skiers. Views from the 3,491-foot summit stretch across the Taconic Range and southern Green Mountains, and far to the east beyond the Hoosic River.