Coos Canyon in Byron, Maine, by Beth Comeau
Location: Byron, Oxford County
Description: Coos Canyon is a roadside park carved out of the Swift River. Erosion has chiseled steep cliffs on both sides of the river. There are pools to swim in, flat rocks to sit on while you sift for gold, 15-foot cliffs to jump from, smooth rocks to slide down.
The Land for Maine’s Future program helped protect nine acres of Coos Canyon in 2006.
Activities: Swimming, cliff-jumping, gold-panning, photography, and wildlife & bird watching
Tips: Once you are in Byron, Coos Canyon is easy to find, near a sign marking the rest stop. However, meandering even farther along the Swift River will reveal many more hidden gems that are worth the extra effort to discover.
More info and directions: https://newenglandwaterfalls.com/me-cooscanyon.html
