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.
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 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 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 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...
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...
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 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 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 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 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 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,...
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...
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...
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...
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 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...
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 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 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...
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...
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 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 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 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 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...
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 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...
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...
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 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 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 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...
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 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....
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 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...
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 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...
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 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 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 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 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...
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 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...
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...
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,...
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 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...
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.
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.
Rode this 15 miles from Anson area, on August 27, 2021, on my gravel bike. Really not suited for a road bike. Some bumpy sections and a few sand stretches. Plenty of pot holes. This is a very beginner friendly gravel trail.
This is a great place to walk with a wheelchair or stroller, thanks to the tar, cement and brick walkways. I took my mom in her wheelchair and she was able to see swimming ducks, the river and the falls from her chair thanks to the open fencing and observation decks on the bridge. It's a well used trail, and goes past restaurants and apartment buildings. A great place in the city to enjoy nature.
This is a great trail for strollers or wheelchairs. It's short and crosses main roads, but it's well marked and has a good base for pushing a wheelchair.
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