Find the top rated cross country skiing trails in Bridgton, whether you're looking for an easy short cross country skiing trail or a long cross country skiing trail, you'll find what you're looking for. Click on a cross country skiing trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
Plenty of parking at the Pondicherry Wildlife trail head. We ride fat tire ebikes. The trail presented little issue with some rougher, more narrow sections close to the refuge. There is a lovely viewing platform near the start of the trail. We rode in late September. The foliage was not peak but stunning none the less. The trail had only a few leaves and few puddles. Not the best for a standard bike but perfect for bikes with wider tires. We rode up to Randolf and turned around, 34 miles. not busy but we saw other riders, dog walkers, hikers and a couple of horse riders. Great views of the mountains when you break into a meadow or wetland. really fun. I took off a star because standard bikes might struggle.
Lovely easy trail. Brand new with lots of benches and area information.
So, the positives first. It's a well paved trail with views to a picturesque river.
However, forget the "ring your bell" or "on your left" helps. The proximity to Rt 1 (sometimes within 15 ft. or so) - and the associated traffic noise - all but end any communication, signals, or thoughts of a nice scenic contemplative ride. Also, parking at either end was sparse. And, yes, somewhat thankfully, it is short. A one and done.
I started this ride at the northernmost end (Skookumchuck) and rode all the way to The Flume. Unfortunately, my time there was limited, and I would have loved to stop at the many available sites along the way. Many places to stop for a bite, see nature, read about history, and use bathrooms. But be aware that this is a very hilly ride. You will have hills to climb, and you will descend very quickly. There are also a few sharp turns. Be on the lookout for walkers, other bikers, and pet walkers. The trail, while asphalt, is also bumpy due to tree roots growing underneath.
My husband and I were so looking forward to this trail. We started at the west end (as it was closest to our vacation rental) with the intention of riding as much as we could, hopefully to the end. We got about 5 miles in, subjecting our bikes and our bodies to the ongoing bumps along the way. Once we got to the very narrow (about 12 inches wide) section with grass grown into the path, we gave it a try and finally decided to turn around not knowing if it was going to get any better. We decided to drive over to the east end thinking that would be a better place to ride (based on reviews). We got 3 miles in from that end. We simply weren't enjoying the very rough ride that this trail provides. Again, we were very disappointed. What we did see along the west route was beautiful and exactly the type of scenery we were hoping for. But the uncomfortable nature of the ride made it very undesirable.
We are on week 2 of a 2-week Northeast rail trail tour and we’re experienced cyclists. I should have believed the Trailguide when it warned that this one wasn’t well-suited for hybrid bikes. We only made it 6 miles out of Livermore Falls before turning around. There were only a few stretches of packed sand. The rest was loose sand or chunky rock. For reference, we were riding an Allied Alpha and a Cannondale Supersix Evo SE. Would have been a blast on a fatty.
Started at the very north end just before the interstate starts and went to the parking lot of The Flume. It was 10.1 miles. Had some very steep hills, some picnic tables scattered along the trail and some nice scenic spots. Not my favorite trail due to the hills as I ride on a trike with a passenger seat for my daughter and struggled getting up the hills but it is very scenic.
So this trail has a hidden risk. Going from trail on the side of the rails to inside the rails can be tricky. My wife fell twice and skinned her knee pretty good. Also trail is narrow and has lots of walkers with dogs. Views are good near wolfboro but after that it’s a tree tunnel. Don’t need to do it again.
We cycled 20 miles, starting at bug Light in South Portland to Scarborough. Mostly flat, asphalt surface. Some riding on bike path along street traffic but most riding is on the separate bike path along water and in green areas. Highly recommend for an easy ride.
We only had an hour before sunset but went from the flume visitor center to the basin. We loved it!
I rode the full trail starting in Wakefield at the Turntable park ( which had a good sized parking lot) to Wolfeboro and back. Smooth surface with packed gravel and stone dust. Watch yourself on the crossing when going over the rails so you don’t catch a wheel and go for a header. Good day of biking.
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