Explore the best rated trails in Gardiner, ME. Whether you're looking for an easy walking trail or a bike trail like the Whistle Stop Rail-Trail and Papermill Trail. With more than 21 trails covering 134 miles you’re bound to find a perfect trail for you. Click on any trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
The Beth Condon Memorial Pathway is located in the heart of Yarmouth, Maine. The path is named in honor of a high school student who was struck by a drunk driver while walking along US-1. The paved...
Portland’s Bayside Trail packs a lot into its 1-mile length. The paved pathway provides a pleasant route between commercial and residential areas in the Bayside and East Bayside neighborhoods. Once an...
Portland’s Fore River Parkway Trail provides an important transportation link in the community while at the same time offering sweeping views of the Fore River. At the north end of the trail, you’ll...
The Rotary Centennial Trail crosses two towns—Benton and Winslow—in central Maine, about 50 miles southwest of Bangor. The scenic wooded trail follows a former rail bed along the eastern shore of the...
The Mountain Division Trail exists as two separate segments of what will eventually be a more than 50-mile-long trail from Fryeburg to Portland. The southern section rolls for about 6 miles between...
The Auburn Riverwalk passes through the heart of the old mill district of the Twin Cities of Auburn and Lewiston. The 1.6-mile paved and gravel path offers many scenic views of the Androscoggin River,...
Visitors to the 6.5-mile-long Kennebec River Rail Trail mostly stay within sight of the wide river as the paved trail links the state capital of Augusta with the river towns of Hallowell, Farmingdale,...
The Papermill Trail celebrates the heritage of mills in the development of the town of Lisbon and the surrounding area while providing an easy, pleasant trail experience for users of all abilities....
The paved Back Cove Trail rings its namesake tidal basin and offers lovely views of the Portland skyline. You also might spot great blue herons or other birds along the tree-lined waterfront. A...
The Norway Branch Rail Trail sits on the former railbed of the Norway Branch Railroad which once connected the communities of Norway and South Paris. The trail runs from Beal Street in the west to...
The trail sits on the northwestern shore of Lake Auburn. A former roadway, the wide gravel path can accommodate various kinds of uses including, running, biking, walking dogs. And in the winter, the...
Old salts should love the Eastern Promenade Trail, as it skirts the shoreline of Portland’s Casco Bay and Portland Harbor. The 2.1-mile paved trail is always within sight of the water and is one of...
Brunswick, Maine is home to the Androscoggin River Bicycle Trail, a multipurpose recreational trail nestled between the river and US Route 1. The trail stretches 2.6 miles from end-to-end. The trail...
The Old Narrow Gauge Volunteer Trail occupies a portion of the old Kennebec Central Railroad right-of-way in the town of Randolph, ME. As of 2012, the trail runs for 1.25 miles between Water Street in...
The scenic Riverton Rail Trail—also known as “Sandy Road” by residents of Portland’s Riverton neighborhood—follows the former corridor of the Portland-Lewiston Interurban Railroad, which stopped...
The 28.9-mile Eastern Trail connects the historic towns along Maine’s southern coast from the woods near Kennebunk to South Portland’s harbor lighthouse. Nearly 22 miles of the route follows off-road...
Brunswick, Maine is home to the Androscoggin River Bicycle Trail, a multipurpose recreational trail nestled between the river and US Route 1. The trail stretches 2.6 miles from end-to-end. The trail...
The trail sits on the northwestern shore of Lake Auburn. A former roadway, the wide gravel path can accommodate various kinds of uses including, running, biking, walking dogs. And in the winter, the...
Visitors to the 6.5-mile-long Kennebec River Rail Trail mostly stay within sight of the wide river as the paved trail links the state capital of Augusta with the river towns of Hallowell, Farmingdale,...
The Papermill Trail celebrates the heritage of mills in the development of the town of Lisbon and the surrounding area while providing an easy, pleasant trail experience for users of all abilities....
The Norway Branch Rail Trail sits on the former railbed of the Norway Branch Railroad which once connected the communities of Norway and South Paris. The trail runs from Beal Street in the west to...
The 28.9-mile Eastern Trail connects the historic towns along Maine’s southern coast from the woods near Kennebunk to South Portland’s harbor lighthouse. Nearly 22 miles of the route follows off-road...
The Mountain Division Trail exists as two separate segments of what will eventually be a more than 50-mile-long trail from Fryeburg to Portland. The southern section rolls for about 6 miles between...
The Beth Condon Memorial Pathway is located in the heart of Yarmouth, Maine. The path is named in honor of a high school student who was struck by a drunk driver while walking along US-1. The paved...
Visitors to the Belfast Rail Trail on the Passagassawaukeag (pronounced pas-uh-gas-uh-WAH-keg and conveniently shortened to Passy Rail Trail by locals) can see vintage trains at one end of the trail...
The Rotary Centennial Trail crosses two towns—Benton and Winslow—in central Maine, about 50 miles southwest of Bangor. The scenic wooded trail follows a former rail bed along the eastern shore of the...
Keep your ears open for the haunting call of loons along the scenic Kennebec Valley Trail. They’re just one example of the wildlife—another is the moose—that inhabits the river, woods, and fields...
The Old Narrow Gauge Volunteer Trail occupies a portion of the old Kennebec Central Railroad right-of-way in the town of Randolph, ME. As of 2012, the trail runs for 1.25 miles between Water Street in...
Old salts should love the Eastern Promenade Trail, as it skirts the shoreline of Portland’s Casco Bay and Portland Harbor. The 2.1-mile paved trail is always within sight of the water and is one of...
Portland’s Bayside Trail packs a lot into its 1-mile length. The paved pathway provides a pleasant route between commercial and residential areas in the Bayside and East Bayside neighborhoods. Once an...
Owned and actively maintained by the Wiscasset, Waterville, and Farmington Railway museum, this trail meanders along the currently disused railroad right of way through the Town of Alna in the village...
The scenic Riverton Rail Trail—also known as “Sandy Road” by residents of Portland’s Riverton neighborhood—follows the former corridor of the Portland-Lewiston Interurban Railroad, which stopped...
The Four Seasons Adventure Trail skirts several scenic lakes as it passes through forests and farmland, linking Newport, Corinna, Dexter, and Dover-Foxcroft in central Maine. The trail experiences...
Portland’s Fore River Parkway Trail provides an important transportation link in the community while at the same time offering sweeping views of the Fore River. At the north end of the trail, you’ll...
A former Maine Central Railroad line provides a year-round playground for motorized and nonmotorized trail users to explore the western hills of Maine. The long, flat, mostly straight stretches of the...
The paved Back Cove Trail rings its namesake tidal basin and offers lovely views of the Portland skyline. You also might spot great blue herons or other birds along the tree-lined waterfront. A...
Portland’s Bayside Trail packs a lot into its 1-mile length. The paved pathway provides a pleasant route between commercial and residential areas in the Bayside and East Bayside neighborhoods. Once an...
The Mountain Division Trail exists as two separate segments of what will eventually be a more than 50-mile-long trail from Fryeburg to Portland. The southern section rolls for about 6 miles between...
The trail sits on the northwestern shore of Lake Auburn. A former roadway, the wide gravel path can accommodate various kinds of uses including, running, biking, walking dogs. And in the winter, the...
The paved Back Cove Trail rings its namesake tidal basin and offers lovely views of the Portland skyline. You also might spot great blue herons or other birds along the tree-lined waterfront. A...
The Norway Branch Rail Trail sits on the former railbed of the Norway Branch Railroad which once connected the communities of Norway and South Paris. The trail runs from Beal Street in the west to...
Portland’s Fore River Parkway Trail provides an important transportation link in the community while at the same time offering sweeping views of the Fore River. At the north end of the trail, you’ll...
The Rotary Centennial Trail crosses two towns—Benton and Winslow—in central Maine, about 50 miles southwest of Bangor. The scenic wooded trail follows a former rail bed along the eastern shore of the...
Visitors to the 6.5-mile-long Kennebec River Rail Trail mostly stay within sight of the wide river as the paved trail links the state capital of Augusta with the river towns of Hallowell, Farmingdale,...
Visitors to the Belfast Rail Trail on the Passagassawaukeag (pronounced pas-uh-gas-uh-WAH-keg and conveniently shortened to Passy Rail Trail by locals) can see vintage trains at one end of the trail...
The 28.9-mile Eastern Trail connects the historic towns along Maine’s southern coast from the woods near Kennebunk to South Portland’s harbor lighthouse. Nearly 22 miles of the route follows off-road...
Owned and actively maintained by the Wiscasset, Waterville, and Farmington Railway museum, this trail meanders along the currently disused railroad right of way through the Town of Alna in the village...
A former Maine Central Railroad line provides a year-round playground for motorized and nonmotorized trail users to explore the western hills of Maine. The long, flat, mostly straight stretches of the...
Old salts should love the Eastern Promenade Trail, as it skirts the shoreline of Portland’s Casco Bay and Portland Harbor. The 2.1-mile paved trail is always within sight of the water and is one of...
The Four Seasons Adventure Trail skirts several scenic lakes as it passes through forests and farmland, linking Newport, Corinna, Dexter, and Dover-Foxcroft in central Maine. The trail experiences...
The Old Narrow Gauge Volunteer Trail occupies a portion of the old Kennebec Central Railroad right-of-way in the town of Randolph, ME. As of 2012, the trail runs for 1.25 miles between Water Street in...
The Beth Condon Memorial Pathway is located in the heart of Yarmouth, Maine. The path is named in honor of a high school student who was struck by a drunk driver while walking along US-1. The paved...
The Auburn Riverwalk passes through the heart of the old mill district of the Twin Cities of Auburn and Lewiston. The 1.6-mile paved and gravel path offers many scenic views of the Androscoggin River,...
Brunswick, Maine is home to the Androscoggin River Bicycle Trail, a multipurpose recreational trail nestled between the river and US Route 1. The trail stretches 2.6 miles from end-to-end. The trail...
Keep your ears open for the haunting call of loons along the scenic Kennebec Valley Trail. They’re just one example of the wildlife—another is the moose—that inhabits the river, woods, and fields...
The Papermill Trail celebrates the heritage of mills in the development of the town of Lisbon and the surrounding area while providing an easy, pleasant trail experience for users of all abilities....
Twas a lovely way to start the day, walking above & beside the river with the dogs. Very accessible hard packed stone dust path & fairly smooth bridges. Highly recommend for those visiting Belfast.
Initial trail has a lot of barberry blocking it, then the entire trail became deep mud, and finally it was reasonably clear for the rest of the path. The path had about 5 bridges, 2 were completely rotted through, but I just passed under them since the stream was only a trickle. One area was marked with a Poison Ivy sign, but I did not see any, I think it’s just starting to come out so I may have been lucky and gone early enough to miss it. Evidence that a beaver was munching on some rather large trees. Beautiful view of the river near the end.
This is a difficult trail to assign a star rating to as parts of it are great and parts are not. It’s listed as a 29 mile trail but in reality it is split into 5 sections with 2 sections being on busy roads. I’ll break it down by section starting at the southern end in Kennebunk. I. 6-mile off-road section from Kennebunk to Biddeford - 5 stars. This is a great section featuring a well-maintained hard packed dirt trail through the woods. II. 5 mile on-road section through Biddeford and Saco - 2 stars. The first couple of miles are okay as you can ride on a sidewalk and residential streets. If you just do the first couple of miles combined with the first 6 mile off road section, it’s a nice 16 mile round trip. The issue is the next 2.5 miles is on busy roads through the congested areas of Biddeford and Saco. III. 7 mile off-road section from Saco to Scarborough - 5 stars. I’ve been on dozens of trails throughout the Northeast and this is one of my favorites. The trail is hard packed and is in great condition and features a stretch through the scenic Scarborough marsh. IV. 4 mile on-road section from Scarborough to South Portland - 1 star. The first half mile is fine as it’s on a lightly traveled road. But after that, it’s 3+ miles on busy roads that are narrow in spots. I’ve only been on the stretch once and several times a car came with a couple of feet of me - no interest in doing this section again. V. 6 mile off-road section in South Portland - 3 stars. It’s certainly better than riding the streets of Portland or South Portland. But there’s just nothing special about - nothing too scenic until you hit the very end, the trail is in decent, not great, shape, and it’s not well marked. But the biggest negative is the number of times the path crosses busy streets - I’ve never been on another trail with so many busy street crossings over a short stretch. So, the star rating of the trail depends on what you are looking for. If you’re looking to do a round trip of around 15 miles or less, there are two sections that are great - Kennebunk to Biddeford and Saco to Scarborough. If you’re looking to do more than that, you’ll have to deal with at least a few miles of busy streets.
Even with a mountain bike, the trail was simply unridable in parts due to the sand. I started about a mile or two north of the southern end and rode north. The first three or four miles were doable but after that, it wasn’t rideable and I had to turn around. Perhaps the trail is rideable based on the time of the year, and maybe the northern section is better. But the southern end wasn’t worth the trip.
There’s a lot to like about this trail: •easy ride and it has some hills and curves to make it interesting •scenic •easy parking •well marked •well maintained with a few bumps But there are a few negatives with the major one being the gap in Hallowell. For roughly 1/2 - 3/4 of a mile, the gap in the trail requires one to ride on busy Water St through the downtown area. It’s certainly not the worst road to ride on, but traffic can be heavy and you need to watch for car doors opening. The trail is also very narrow in spots making it difficult to pass through. But overall a nice trail that is worth a visit.
My wife and rode 10 miles through Biddeford to the Scarborough Marsh and back. We felt the town part was pretty well marked but you need to pay attention as you transition from sidewalks, to streets, to crosswalks, etc. Once you navigate that part of the trail it lines out straight north to the marsh. This section is a very pleasant and wide part with several road crossings. The roads aren't especially busy and gives access to businesses and a change in route if desired. Even if the town section isn't the most desirable it is nice to be able to jump on a trail right in town. Well worth the effort to ride this section of trail.
Beautiful trail! Met a fellow bicycle rider from New Jersey who helped encourage me through the rain!
We began the trail at Miller's Park also known as the Papermill Trail. Nice and easy, great asphalt path
I’ve ridden Kennebunk to Biddeford a couple of times in the past week (late Sept), the trail is well maintained and marked. The few vehicle crossings have cross walks and signage for drivers. This is a beautiful trail that I would highly recommend, looking forward to riding all the way to South Portland!
We parked at the Windham PO and rode along the tracks until we got to Rt-35, did a bit of exploring at the Otter Ponds, then came back. It was a sweet ride: no bugs, great Sharon weather—we were a little disappointed that we couldn’t go directly to the Lake, but I see now we could have gone left and gotten to the water…. Next time. We stopped at the Orchard Ridge Farm and had a delicious cider donut at the intersection with Sebago Lakes Rd. ~10
Rode this on September 1, 2021, from Newport, ME area. Rode 12 miles out on my gravel bike. This is a beginner friendly trail. Not road bike friendly. There are a few sections of loose gravel that can be challenging. Also some sandy spots, but you can power through them. Lots of pot holes and riding on the edges can be helpful.
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