Heard about this trail from a friend. Wanted to surprise my husband who loves anything to do with trains/railroads. Was very hard to find the Hancock parking lot at first & we passed it & drove further down the road. Across from the Hancock City Hall is a small lot that holds 5 -6 cars. The sign marking the lot is parallel to the road so hard to see. Saw several locals walking down the street to enter, some with their dogs. Trust the locals - they know where all the good places are. Young family was having a photo shoot with a pro photographer on part of the trail in soft afternoon light with fall foliage as backdrop. One can see tracks & concrete that was once a platform. Trail has lots of rail ties, so watch your step. Unlike another reviewer, I am glad they were left there & bikes not allowed as it keeps the trail quiet. Since we started our hike after 3pm after being at Schoodic earlier in the day, we only got as far as the trestle bridge. After another family left so we had the place to ourselves & enjoyed the peace & natural beauty. Plan to hike the whole trail from end to end next time. Hike this trail - beautiful nature & peaceful. One con: No restrooms.

The Belfast Rail Trail is well maintained, clean and provides nice views of the water.

We rode this trail from the Water St. parking lot in Augusta. This is virtually the beginning of the trail except for a very short segment that goes down to a park at the river level. The trail takes a break in Hallowell's Granite City Park. There is some historical information here and Adirondack chairs set up to view the river. At the Park, the trail goes onto the street for less than a mile (stay on the main street). There are some really cool old buildings in the town. The trail then goes up to the right. This is a relatively flat and easy ride. It is all paved with few bumps.

This is a great trail if you’re looking to take out your atv or utv. At 87 miles from start to finish I was able to complete the trail in about 7 hours with frequent stops/breaks and average 40PMH. The trail is pretty smooth with little rough terrain/hills. We did not explore any trails off the main trail but would’ve liked to find a good place to eat lunch. Some parts are good for legit mountain bikes, short walks or equestrian use. Definitely a good trail if you just wanna get out and ride.

While the Randolph trail starts at the IGA parking lot and is a nice wide walking trail at that point when it crosses the next road parking is very limited (1-2 spaces, roadside) and the trail changes to a narrow walking path that is poorly maintained and eventually changes to a narrow poorly maintained track. Hikers should use their judgement regarding how far they want to continue. This section of trail should be avoided during spring break up and during periods of heavy rain. Hikers should use their judgement as to how far they want to continue especially with small children.

This really was a very pretty rail trail, with lots of fun stopping places on either end (and in the middle). In Augusta on one end, and Gardiner on the other, and Hallowell in the middle, you have lots of options for food and drink. The trail is super easy and flat. 13 miles round trip.

Great ATV riding trail lots of scenery, nice small streams fish and mountains admire.
Saw two horses on the way to Ellsworth people riding were very nice we let them pass as we did not want to upset the horses. Great experence all in all. No complaints here! Life is too short get out and enjoy and avoid the miserable people! Thank you Maine for providing this great trail !!!!

I rode the trail Newport to Dover-Foxcroft and back on my Trek 29er. Trail conditions were rough in a few spots but all in all an enjoyable ride. Luckily there was light rain the night before or it would have been dusty especially when the few ATVs I met passed me. Everyone was friendly and considerate. The 29er was a good choice since the wider tires and relaxed frame worked well on the Sandy and bumpy sections. With a few short stops along the way and a light snack at the turn around point, it took me a little over 5 hours.

It said trail head was on Beals Ave, but it is actually on HIgh Street behind the Comfort Inn. Nice trail - pretty rocky in places other places very smooth. Encountered a bear on the trail - fortunately we saw him about 50 yds ahead and waited until he moved off. Pretty remote for the first 12 miles out of Ellsworth - very beautiful countryside.