Discover Oxford: Nature, Culture, and Active Days

Oxford combines impressive landscapes, historic places, and seasonal activities into a destination with many possible areas of focus. The Grafton-Mahoosuc landscapes lie in a region of Maine that includes Franklin County and Oxford County. When choosing your vacation rental or vacation home, it is therefore especially useful to consider whether you want to focus your stay on nature, winter sports, culture, or a variety of day trips.

Winter Sports and Active Days

The eight interconnected peaks of Sunday River offer more than 800 acres of ski terrain. Black Mountain of Maine has 33 kilometers of Nordic trails and The Edge Tubing Park. In winter, Mt. Abram Ski Area also offers skiing and snowboarding with lift service, lessons, rentals, and seasonal programs. When the snow melts, Mt. Abram becomes a bike park with lift access, trails, and downhill riding. This makes it possible to accommodate different seasonal interests when planning a trip without limiting the destination to a single activity.

Another option for active days is Roberts Farm Preserve. In winter, it offers nearly 25 kilometers of groomed Nordic ski trails; there are also opportunities for hiking and mountain biking. The preserve is physically connected to downtown via the Farm to Town Trail System. Access to this system is at 22 Water Street. When choosing accommodations, you can use these offerings as a guide to the type of daily rhythm you want: long days of skiing or cycling can be the focus, but shorter nature experiences are also possible.

Landscapes, Trails, and Wildlife Viewing

For hikes on the Appalachian Trail and Grafton Loop Trail, the Route 26 trailhead offers day hikes and overnight hikes. The Grafton Loop Trail is a 38-mile-long, high-elevation long-distance trail in the backcountry. Access to Screw Auger Falls is considerably shorter: the 23-foot waterfall can be reached via a footpath from Route 26. Grafton Notch forms a U-shaped valley shaped by glacial activity during the last ice age.

Valentine Farm offers another kind of nature experience. The accessible trail consists of two loops, each 0.6 miles long, for a total of 1.2 miles. One of the loops leads to the Androscoggin River, where you can observe birds, fish, and other wildlife. Valentine Farm also features the Habitat for All Garden, a lush garden designed especially for pollinators and birds. McLaughlin Garden complements these landscape experiences with mature plant collections, more than 200 lilacs, and Maine wildflowers and ferns. The McLaughlin Foundation invites visitors to explore the historic house, barn, and Garden Gift Shop.

History, Events, and Regional Culture

Those who want to combine their trip with culture and local history will find historic homes, prominent public buildings, and a former stone jail in Paris Hill that now serves as a library. From Paris Hill, you can enjoy expansive views of the White Mountains. In Bethel, the Dr. Moses Mason House is a Federal-style home with murals in the style of Rufus Porter depicting seascapes and landscapes.

The cultural offerings range from historic sites to events and performing arts. The Fryeburg Fair is an eight-day event with more than 3,000 animals and takes place during the first week of October. Oxford Plains Speedway hosts the Oxford 250. Celebration Barn is an international residency center for theater training and theater creation; performances bring touring artists and local audiences together for live shows. Depending on the time of year and your interests, you may therefore choose accommodations primarily for nature days, seasonal events, or cultural discoveries.

Other Places for Regional Planning

For further orientation, you can also consider Rumford, Lovell, Paris, Newry, Fryeburg, and Norway. At the same regional level, you will also find Androscoggin and Washington County.

For the broader travel overview: Maine.