Explore the best rated trails in South Berwick, ME. Whether you're looking for an easy walking trail or a bike trail like the Eastern Promenade Trail and Warner Rail Trail and Bagley Rail Trail. With more than 65 trails covering 339 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.
I grew up in this area, and while the trail offers great views and an easy ride, two (2) huge barriers make this trail incomplete. The trail needs to cross US Route 1 and MA Route 128 to really be complete. Crossing Route 1 would link this trail to the Border-to-Boston Trail and crossing Route 128 at the Northshore Mall would allow the trail to continue into Downtown Peabody at Peabody Square and link to trails in Salem and points North. Both crossings used to have train tracks crossing the highways, but in both cases, the tracks across the highway were removed long before the trails themselves were built (the rail line was finally decommissioned in the 1980's, after an elderly driver was killed trying to beat the train as it crossed Route 1). Building the crossings would require constructing bridges to carry the highways over the trails, and require redesigning the adjacent interchanges (Lowell Street and Route 1, also Route 128 and Lowell Street) with the highways, a considerable expense that would cost tens of millions of dollars. The upside is that both interchanges are in desperate need of an overhaul, with traffic backups onto the highways at rush hour and stop signs at the tops of the ramps that merge onto the highways. That might have been acceptable in the 1940's, when these roads were built, but is intolerable now, with today's high traffic volumes.
My family goes out to Shaw park often and get right on the trail. We can’t wait for the trail to extend past our house in Steep Falls!
Amazing to see all the ratings of this trail . Amazed at bicyclists who need to complain because they are having issues with crossing the rails . It does not take a college education to know that when you need to cross a obstruction in your path anywhere , you need to do so at as close to a 90 degree angle as possible . If you read the map , the posted signs , or see a obstruction and you question your skills you should stop and walk . I know it must be so hard to unclip and re clip your feet into your ordeals
Flat, quiet, road crossings are few over the first 8 miles and well lit/marked. No portapotties, which is unreasonable. Lovely ride thru forest and wetlands.
They really need to finish this trail. Walking/riding the streets are not ideal
It’s fairly narrow in most spots, but very quiet, and serene.
Trail is great for anything but hybrid bikes, ie, walking, horseback riding, snowmobiling, snowshoeing, sledding. It is dirt, sand, loose stones, hidden boulders, and tree roots as well as metal hazards and horse manure piles. Beautiful views, when you can take your eyes off of the path in front of you, and shaded.
Just did this trail from Wakefield to Wolfeboro (and back) on Sunday. It’s a very nice and unique rail-to-trail project. I have ridden many rail-to-trail projects over the years, and have been involved with developing and maintaining trails in the past. I have been on trails built on top of old/removed railroad right-of-ways. I have been on trails built next to old railroad right-of-ways. But… I have never been on a trail actually built on an existing railroad right-of-way. I have seen several reviews complaining about this setup, however, I don’t think people understand the significance of this from an operational and historical perspective. Yes, having the trail lay between the railroad track gauge does limit space. And, this trail does cross the tracks back and forth quite a bit, which may pose a safety risk to those that are not cautious. But, with all of that being said… having the ability to operate motorized rail equipment on this trail is exciting and it gives visitors to this trail a unique perspective on seeing how the rail line worked.
The trail itself is of sand and light crushed stone construction, and it seems to be relatively well maintained. There were a few rutty places. You will definitely need a mountain or trail bike for this trip. However, I actually ran across members of the trail club doing maintenance Spent some time talking to them, and they were very friendly and informative. There is lots to see along the route, and Wolfeboro is a neat little tourist town. I drove over from Maine to try this trail out, and it was definitely worth the trip.
It was hard to enjoy this trail because you have to worry about crossing rails which are still in place. The trail crosses them constantly and each crossing is dangerous on a bike. The guy in front of us had a nasty crash and we had a few close calls. When even the slightest bit of moisture gets the on the rails tires just slide. There was no rain on the day we rode but damp spots on the trail lead to wet rails.
The people who made the trail know all this and signs say you must dismount every time a crossing happens. But they happen so often that there would hardly be any point riding.
And in most cases because the trail is between the rails or wedged on one side or the other there really isn't room to pass for bicycles. Usually one bike or the other has to stop to allow the other to pass. It's just a terrible design for bicycles.
Plenty of parking at trailhead point off Clark St. in Saco. 8 miles one way to point where the on-rode portion begins in Scarborough. A few complex road crossings in first mile or so then only a few - and calmer - crossings remainder of ride. Scarborough Marsh area was worth the ride. Very even surface, light bike traffic and lots of shade.
This is a really nice trail. Once again Newburyport has done a great job and has made a really nice trail. Though you have to walk your bikes on the boardwalk, it’s to bumpy to ride anyways. I took a detour to plum island. It’s a nice ride with very few stops.
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