The snowmobile trails in Maine are unlike those anywhere else. There are over 14,000 miles of trail. Some twist through the woods, others take you to scenic vistas, while the rest are flat and fast to let you cruise right along.
Maine even boasts a statewide interconnected trail system. It’s like a highway for your snowmobile. When it comes to snowmobiling in Maine, you can get there from here.
Maine’s Interconnected Trail System (ITS)
The Maine ITS trail system is numbered and signed similar to a major roadway, so you can easily keep track of your route. The system of trails connects snowmobilers across the state and interspersed throughout is another 10,000 miles of local and club trails.
With this many miles of trail, you could spend days heading off in different directions from the base lodge without ever having the same destination twice. Options for rides include heading toward Baxter State Park for views of Katahdin, heading north to Shin Pond, or south to Millinocket.
No matter which direction you choose the ride and trails are fantastic.
For fun, we asked a Registered Maine Guide to tell us how they prepare for rides. Click this image to read more on how to optimize your next snowmobile ride:
{{cta(‘7de9d21e-7de1-4fc2-9752-578c55ebcb9d’)}}
Snowmobile Trails in Maine
What makes the trails in Maine so special? The trails are maintained by a group of dedicated volunteers. Snowmobile clubs across the state work year-round to be sure you have a great trail system to ride.
In the summer, club representatives work with land owners, including foresters or their representatives to plan routes for the trails. In the Fall, before the snow starts to fall club members throw work parties to trim back brush, rebuild broken bridges, replace signs, and cut new trail for the winter.
Once the snow starts falling groomers head out late in the evening, often working slow and steady throughout the night to smooth and pack the trails surface.
Turning a once rocky, rooted goat path into a snow covered freeway, taking you anywhere in the state you want to go. It’s a long, slow process, one that is done almost exclusively by unpaid volunteers.
Come springtime volunteers take signs down and perform maintenance on grooming equipment before storing it for the summer, and starting the planning process all over again. It’s a labor of love with little recognition. However, these volunteers love the sport and Maine.
Denney Lodge at Camp Katahdin Adventures is a snowmobile lodge and Located on Maine’s Connector 112 and ITS 85 and 83.
Maine Landowner Appreciation
“Over 95% of Maine’s snowmobile trails are on private property.” Maine Snowmobile Association. Access to these trails is a privilege, not a right. Riders needs to act responsibly, understanding that negative actions like off-trail riding without permission and leaving behind trash can shut down trails.
If not for private land owners, Maine’s ITS trail system, including the large network of club trails, would not be possible. These land owners are comprised of individuals ranging from companies who own millions of acres for timber harvesting, to families and individuals owning a couple acres.
Each and every individual land owner is important because without access to their property there would be large gaps in the trails, making it impossible to reach some destinations.
Endless Options to Snowmobile in Maine
Unlike other areas in the country, Maine has some of the most varied terrain and scenery, all of which is accessible without ever loading onto a trailer. Starting in the open fields, and tight pine forests of southern Maine in the Fryeburg area to the mountains of Western Maine; stretching from Kingfield to Rangeley and on to Jackman and The Forks.
To the vast expanse, and breath taking views of Moosehead Lake in the Greenville area, all the way to rolling hills and potato fields of “The County”, Aroostook County, for those of you who aren’t familiar, Maine has it all. And, let’s not forget the famous Katahdin area right here in Patten, Maine.
Maine snowmobile trails also feature easy access to fuel, food and lodging. All of this is provided by warm, friendly people, most of whom also know the trails. Chances are when they’re not working, they’re out riding on them. So come on up for a day, a week, or the whole season and enjoy snowmobiling in Maine with us. We can’t wait to see you.
As you can tell, we are serious about snowmobiling. We asked a Registered Maine Guide for some tips on how to optimize our next ride. Click here to read more:
{{cta(‘f4ef9ca5-00e8-4fbf-9b6a-e1061ccd2e06’)}}
