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Trail Day Essentials
Maine has some of the most scenic riding in New England. You can pedal the car-free carriage roads of Acadia National Park, cross salt marshes on an old coastal rail line, ride gravel trails through blueberry barrens and potato country, and hit professionally built singletrack in the mountains around Sugarloaf.
We’ve grouped the trails below into three regions: Portland and Southern Maine, Central Maine, Acadia and Downeast, and the Western Mountains and the County. Each card lists the trail’s surface, length and type, with a link to the map, directions and the official trail page, so you can pick a ride that fits your bike and your legs.
Maine Bike Trails Map
All 11 Maine Bike Trails at a Glance
Sort by any column or search by trail name, county or region. Lengths are in miles; click a trail name to jump to its details.
| Trail | Region | Counties | Length (mi) | Surface | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eastern Trail | Portland & Southern Maine | Cumberland & York Counties | 28.8 | Asphalt, Crushed Stone | Rail-Trail |
| Back Cove Trail | Portland & Southern Maine | Cumberland County | 3.6 | Asphalt | Greenway |
| Mountain Division Trail | Portland & Southern Maine | Cumberland & Oxford Counties | 9.6 | Asphalt, Gravel | Rail-Trail |
| Bradbury Mountain State Park | Portland & Southern Maine | Cumberland County | 17.5 | Dirt, Rock, Roots | Mountain Bike |
| Acadia Carriage Roads | Central Maine, Acadia & Downeast | Hancock County | 45 | Crushed Stone | Greenway |
| Kennebec River Rail Trail | Central Maine, Acadia & Downeast | Kennebec County | 6.8 | Asphalt | Rail-Trail |
| Down East Sunrise Trail | Central Maine, Acadia & Downeast | Hancock & Washington Counties | 87.8 | Crushed Stone, Gravel | Rail-Trail |
| Carrabassett Valley Trails | Western Mountains & the County | Franklin County | 80 | Dirt, Rock, Roots | Mountain Bike |
| Narrow Gauge Pathway | Western Mountains & the County | Franklin County | 6 | Crushed Gravel | Rail-Trail |
| Whistle Stop Trail | Western Mountains & the County | Franklin County | 14 | Gravel, Crushed Stone, Sand | Rail-Trail |
| Aroostook Valley Trail | Western Mountains & the County | Aroostook County | 28.8 | Crushed Stone, Dirt | Rail-Trail |
Portland & Southern Maine
A rail-trail across Maine’s largest salt marsh, a waterfront loop in Portland, a river path past old powder mill ruins and the state’s busiest mountain bike park. 4 trails.
Eastern Trail
The Eastern Trail runs 28.8 miles from Bug Light Park in South Portland south through Scarborough, Saco and Biddeford to Kennebunk, following an old railroad line near the coast.
The highlight is the crossing of Scarborough Marsh, Maine’s largest salt marsh at 3,100 acres, on a flat crushed-stone path. There are two on-road gaps, in Scarborough and in Saco and Biddeford, so check the map before you go.
Trail facts
- Asphalt, Crushed Stone
- 28.8 miles
- Rail-Trail
- Cumberland & York Counties
- Cycling
Back Cove Trail
The Back Cove Trail is a 3.6-mile loop around Back Cove in Portland, with views of the city skyline across the water and plenty of herons in the shallows.
It’s flat and easy, with just one small climb at the overpass. Near Tukey’s Bridge it links to the Eastern Promenade Trail along Casco Bay, so you can stretch the ride to about 8 miles. It gets busy with walkers and runners on nice days.
Trail facts
- Asphalt
- 3.6-mile loop
- Greenway
- Cumberland County
- Cycling
Mountain Division Trail
The Mountain Division Trail follows an old railroad line toward the White Mountains, with about 9.6 miles open in two sections: 5.6 miles between Windham and Standish and 4 miles in Fryeburg.
The Windham–Standish section passes Gambo Dam and the ruins of the Oriental Powder Mill, which supplied a quarter of the Union Army’s gunpowder, and Shaw Park, where you can swim and rent kayaks. The plan is to one day link Fryeburg and Portland.
Trail facts
- Asphalt, Gravel
- 9.6 miles in two sections
- Rail-Trail
- Cumberland & Oxford Counties
- Cycling
Bradbury Mountain State Park
Bradbury Mountain in Pownal, Maine’s first state park, has about 17.5 miles of trails, including more than 14 miles of singletrack built for mountain bikes.
Most of the singletrack is on the east side of Route 9, with easy loops like Knight Woods, moderate trails like Lanzo and Ginn and advanced ones like the O Trail and Fox. It’s busy on weekends, and trails close during spring thaw and after heavy rain.
Trail facts
- Dirt, Rock, Roots
- About 17.5 miles of trails
- Mountain Bike
- Cumberland County
- Mountain biking
Central Maine, Acadia & Downeast
Rockefeller’s famous carriage roads in Acadia National Park, a riverside rail-trail between Augusta and Gardiner and an 88-mile gravel trail through Downeast blueberry country. 3 trails.
Acadia Carriage Roads
Acadia National Park’s carriage roads are 45 miles of car-free, broken-stone roads that John D. Rockefeller Jr. built between 1913 and 1940 on Mount Desert Island.
They curve around lakes and mountains and cross beautiful stone-faced bridges, with granite coping stones, nicknamed “Rockefeller’s teeth,” lining the edges. The roads are shared with walkers and horse-drawn carriages, so ride with care on the busy loops around Eagle Lake and Jordan Pond.
Trail facts
- Crushed Stone
- 45 miles
- Greenway
- Hancock County
- Cycling
Kennebec River Rail Trail
The Kennebec River Rail Trail is a 6.8-mile paved rail-trail along the Kennebec River from Augusta, the state capital, through Hallowell to Gardiner.
It’s flat and easy, with river views and a good chance of spotting ospreys and bald eagles. Hallowell’s shops and restaurants make a nice midpoint stop, and the trail is plowed in winter.
Trail facts
- Asphalt
- 6.8 miles
- Rail-Trail
- Kennebec County
- Cycling
Down East Sunrise Trail
The Down East Sunrise Trail is an 87.8-mile gravel rail-trail from Ellsworth to Pembroke, through the blueberry barrens, bogs and small towns of Downeast Maine.
It crosses about 28 bridges, including a trestle over the Machias River, and passes Cherryfield, the self-proclaimed Wild Blueberry Capital of the World. ATVs and snowmobiles use it too, so a fat-tire or gravel bike is the best choice and you should expect to share the trail.
Trail facts
- Crushed Stone, Gravel
- 87.8 miles
- Rail-Trail
- Hancock & Washington Counties
- Cycling
Western Mountains & the County
Purpose-built singletrack below Sugarloaf, a river path through Carrabassett Valley, a gravel rail-trail in the foothills and a long ride through Aroostook County’s potato farms. 4 trails.
Carrabassett Valley Trails
Carrabassett Valley, home of Sugarloaf, has more than 80 miles of professionally built cross-country trails, built by the town and the Carrabassett Region chapter of NEMBA.
Start at the Sugarloaf Outdoor Center off Route 27, where there are no trail fees. Round the Pond is an easy warm-up, Jabba the Hut is intermediate with views of the Bigelow Range, and T.O.A.D., Buckshot and The Real Deal are for experienced riders.
Trail facts
- Dirt, Rock, Roots
- 80+ miles of trails
- Mountain Bike
- Franklin County
- Mountain biking
Narrow Gauge Pathway
The Narrow Gauge Pathway follows an old narrow-gauge railroad bed along the Carrabassett River for more than 6 miles in Carrabassett Valley.
It’s a mellow crushed-gravel path through the woods beside the river, so it’s a great family ride or recovery spin between days on the singletrack.
Trail facts
- Crushed Gravel
- 6+ miles
- Rail-Trail
- Franklin County
- Cycling
Whistle Stop Trail
The Whistle Stop Trail runs 14 miles on an old rail line between West Farmington and Jay, passing through Wilton in the foothills of western Maine.
It’s wide and flat, crossing several trestles over streams and rivers, with old granite walls and quarry history near Jay. It’s also open to ATVs, so a hybrid or mountain bike is the best fit.
Trail facts
- Gravel, Crushed Stone, Sand
- 14 miles
- Rail-Trail
- Franklin County
- Cycling
Aroostook Valley Trail
The Aroostook Valley Trail is a 28.8-mile rail-trail in far northern Maine, running from Presque Isle through Caribou to New Sweden past forests and potato farms.
It crosses the Aroostook River, passes the Woodland Bog Preserve and connects to the Bangor & Aroostook Trail in Washburn. It’s shared with ATVs and some sections are remote, so carry water and supplies.
Trail facts
- Crushed Stone, Dirt
- 28.8 miles
- Rail-Trail
- Aroostook County
- Cycling
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Gear For The Long Miles
Looking For New Trails To Conquer?
Explore our state-by-state trail guides – distances, surfaces, maps and directions for paved rail-trails and dirt singletrack alike.
