Camden Hills State Park offers a variety of trails of varying degrees of difficulty totalling aproximately nine miles in length. Many of the trails offer scenic views of Camden and Penobscot Bay. While some of the trails may seem too difficult to ride, with extensive hike-a-biking, many are fine for all levels of riders. 

The park is open from 9:00 am till Sunset and parking fees range from $1.50 - $4.50.

Hadlock Community Forest is one of a number of town properties. It hosts numerous trails including one section of the Cross Falmouth Trail. Just under 300 acres, Hadlock's trails are fun though shared with hunters during hunting season. This is a working forest so expect to see signs of forestry. Trails lead into and out of this property. Including one to the Rines Forest in nearby Cumberland. Read more about [node:title]

The Androscoggin Riverlands State Park offers mountain bikers more than 10 miles of trails. They range in difficulty from easy singlle and doubletracks to more advanced trails picking thier way along rocky ledges. It's a beautiful park, located along the Androscoggin river and is a favorite of area paddlers. Not every trail in the park is suitable or open to mountain bikes and a few are also used by ATVs.

Containing 2345 acres of woodlands, it will take you some time, perhaps a number visits to explore it all. There are numerous scenic overlooks, so bring some snacks and plan to stop and relax for a while.

You'll find yourself coming back to Riverlands over and over again.

There is a second trailhead parking lot at the southern end of the park at 2637 Conant Rd, Turner, ME 02402.

Read this Portland Press Herald article on the park.  Read more about [node:title]

The Pine Ridge and Inland Woods Trail System offers a moderate level experience. Located just to the East of Robert LaFleur Airport on Pine Ridge Recreation Area lands there are about 7 miles of interconnected trails on 144 acres of protected land.  

The trails are open to montain bikers, hikers, walkers cross country skiers and all other types of non-motorized trail users. There are also playing fields and tennis courts.

Located in the heart of Waterville it's a hidden gem and very popular with local riders. Read more about [node:title]

Hallowell Reservoir is a fun place to ride. Not a lot of trails, certainly not a "destination" to travel to from afar.

But it's perfect for a short 'after work' jaunt.

The map link above shows not only the trails but gives a lot of information about the area. Read more about [node:title]

Located on a hill behind the airport and within riding distance of the University of Maine, Augusta, the Bond Brook Recreation Area offers a convoluted network of trails. They are perfect for all levels of riders but newer riders will find themselves challenged by some of the technical features.

The mountain bike singletracks are some of the best MTB trails anywhere. The wider cross country ski trails offfer a break from the seemingly endless, busy singletracks. They are also better for newer riders, though some are hilly.

Depending on the season, you may find that most of the Tred Fest race course is marked out on the ground with red and white painted arrows.

Central Maine NEMBA has worked hard with Augusta Trails to make these trails both fun and challenging.  At only 270 acres you'll be surprised to discover over 12 miles of singletrack trails here.

For another look at the trails check out the map for the 2012 Bond Brook Tread Fest race course.

25 Bond Brook Road is the junction with Tall Pines Way, a dirt road that may not appear on your GPS.  Drive up Tall Pines Way to find the main parking lot and kiosk. Read more about [node:title]

Expect to do a lot of climbing at the Dedham Trails. There is a gravel road leading to the top and numerous singletracks leading off of it.  Many of these are rocky or challenging. Sone have wooden ramps over damp areas. You will probably have to get off your bike occasionally, unless you are a very experienced ride. But, don't let this description turn you off. Dedham is a lot of fun and the views from the top are memorable.

Directions:

From the intersection of 1A and 46 in Holden
Head southeast on U.S. 1A E for 4.3 miles
Turn in will be on the left, there is a gate and small parking lot

***Note for those driving eastbound: During busy hours drive past the trailhead and turn around at the end of Lily Road (next road on the right) so you can turn right into the trailhead.  Taking a left while stopped in the middle of the road is almost always a tense moment as folks drive very fast coming down the road. Read more about [node:title]

The Old Town and Orono trail systems adjacent to the University of Maine are quite large to say the least. These trail systems are where mountain biking started for our area. You could say they are the heart of the Penobscot Region. The trails offer all types of riding that a beginner or advanced rider can both enjoy. In these network of trails you can ride a short three mile loop or a long 25 to 30 mile loop. You can also use these trails to access the other trail systems such as Newman Hill, the Veazie land trust, or even the Bangor City Forest.

I grew up riding on these trails over 20 years ago. I have watched them change from less than 15 miles of doubletrack ski trails into about 40 miles of real single track. The trail system can be confusing at times. We have been working for the last five years to make proper maps of these trail systems and have been making great progress. If you are planning on coming to this area to ride, join a group or local shop ride to get the best experience. One of our main goals over the next couple of years will be to make these great trails even better and easier to navigate.


–Jeremy Porter

Parking:  The link above will direct you to 169 Gilman Ave. The parking area for the North section of Marsh Island is across the street from La Bree's Bakery.

There are two other parking lots on Stillwater Avenue one is at the Old Town Eelementary School at 585 Stillwater Ave. The other is at 717 Stillwater, which is also the start of one of the University's paved bicycle paths. Read more about [node:title]

Known affectionately to local riders as "the dump" or "the bog," the trails at Rolland F. Perry City Forest and Walden-Parke Preserve are a hidden surprise.

Less than two miles from the perfume counter at Macy's department store at the Bangor Mall lays an intricate web of rocky, rooty singletrack and easier double track trails, all contained within nearly 1,000 acres of wildlife habitat and working forest. This mountain bike network winds through towering spruce and pine trees, past pristine ponds and along narrow rocky ridges. Need to gear up before your ride - it's just a 5-minute drive from a Starbuck's latte.

The easiest way to access the trails is to park at the end of Kittridge Road, just off Hogan Road. There you'll see a field resembling a half dome-literally the capped former city dump. Over this sloping hill you pass birdhouses where red winged black birds fly about and down past an iconic beaver dam leading to the trail network.

There's something for every rider: from the smooth gravel path of Deer Trail to the rocks and roots of Bear trail to the woodsy path of Woodchuck. (This network, including the smooth West and East trail, is popular with walkers and runners, so be considerate.) In general, you get classic Northeast single track-lots of rocky, rooty trails.

Cross over to the west side of the old Veazie Railroad bed, and you enter the Walden-Parke Preserve, owned by the Bangor Land Trust, a 300-acre habitat that includes hardwood and softwood forest, vernal pools, and a large bog. Through the woods lies a series of less technical single track, but lots of fun, flowy loops through thick swaths of trees, along the edges of the bog, on top of rocky outcrops.

Unlike at city forest, the mountain bike trails are not marked, but local riders or the group at The Ski Rack, located just off the Hogan Road, can direct you to excellent trails: Charlie's trail or Ianazzi's or Hayden's.
For more information, check out www.cityforest.bangorinfo.com or www.bangorlandtrust.com.

And enjoy this wild place so close, yet so far from the Bangor Mall.

  —Mark Condon Read more about [node:title]

The Perch Pond area, located off the Kirkland Road in Old Town, offers the newest riding opportunity in the greater Bangor area. Several miles of new single track trails were cleared this past summer and fall and work will continue throughout the year. These trails are now refered to as the Rick Swan Trails.

This 850-acre parcel, which borders the undeveloped Perch Pond (formerly Mud Pond) in Old Town, came under ownership of the University of Maine in 2010. In the spring of 2012, local mountain bikers were invited to help develop a sustainable multi-user trail system under the direction of university forester Al Kimball, the Forest Society of Maine, and Inland Fisheries and Wildlife of the the State of Maine. Since then over eight miles of single track trails have been cleared.

The trail system at Perch Pond was designed to provide drier riding conditions during the wet seasons, better user access to Perch Pond, and challenging New England style technical riding. All new trails were designed and built by mountain bikers and are open to all users. The single track trails range from a half mile to 2 miles or more in length and will challenge both intermediate and expert riders. Users may spot moose, deer, porcupine, and other wildlife while riding. An abundant supply of wild blackberries will provide a sweet snack for late summer riders and post ride beverages can be found in the nearby college town of Orono.

Those who like the excitement of exploring a new trail system, and seeing the trails evolve, should visit in the early summer. By late summer, trails such as "Hundred Acre Wood," "Long Way Home," and "Twitch" will have become classics!  When the Perch Pond crew of Penobscot Region is not riding trails, they will be flagging additional trails, working with the university on building key bridges, helping with signage, and developing user friendly maps of the area. 

—Deb Merrill Read more about [node:title]