3 Houlton Road, Presque Isle
207-764-6561

BIKING

There are great opportunities for both bike racing and tour biking in Aroostook County!

Trail Finder  

Trail finder is a great place to look to find trails for the area you want to ride in.

Tour biking

State roads are well maintained in Aroostook County and offer a wide berth for comfortable tour biking. One popular tour is The Maine Solar System Model which begins in Houlton and terminates at the University of Maine at Presque Isle, a 40 mile (64.4 Km) trip unlike any other. Both educational and interesting, hundreds bike this tour every year.

That is just one option. Leisurely rides can be made all over this scenic county–a county that is bigger than several states! The Rte. 11 and Rte. 161 highways are particularly scenic and worth your consideration.

BikeMaine.org has also put together some nice tour options. You can see them here and here.

Racing

There are two major tour races in our area:

  • Ride Aroostook – This is a two-day tour race or event that supports Camp Adventure. The rides are long and satisfying for the true enthusiast and is usually scheduled around the second weekend in July.
  • Spudcycle Classic – This event is associated with Fort Fairfield’s Potato Blossom Festival and is usually two weeks after the Ride Aroostook event. There is a 25-mile race/tour for enthusiasts and a 12-mile tour for children ages 13-15. For more information, contact the Fort Fairfield Chamber of Commerce at (207) 472-3802.

For more resources and information, Bikemaine.org has a very good event calendar here.

Whether you are looking for a leisurely ride on set-aside paved paths or off-the-beaten-path adventures, the Central Aroostook area offers a ride you will enjoy and remember!

Paved Paths

(Information culled from the Maine Department of Transportation website found on Maine.gov):

Presque Isle Bicycle and Pedestrian Trail

Trail Location: Presque Isle

Trail Length: 4 miles

County: Aroostook

Activities: Walking, Jogging, Cycling

Trail Surface(s): Paved

Trail Description: Created in 1981, the Presque Isle Bicycle and Pedestrian Trail, which follows the old C.P. Railroad track bed, is a 4 mile paved path that runs from North Main Street to Riverside Drive in Presque Isle. The path is used year round by young and old for cycling, walking and jogging. Presque Isle is becoming a very popular area for road and mountain biking. Amenities along the Presque Isle Bicycle and Pedestrian Walkway include a picnic area, a playground, playfields, schools, as well as tennis courts. The trail passes through the University of Maine Presque Isle grounds as well, making it a commuting as well as a recreational trail.

Parking & Trail Access: The parking area for the trail is located on Riverside Drive. In downtown Presque Isle at the intersection of US Route 1 North and Blake Street, turn left onto Riverside Drive at the intersection. The parking lot is located 0.2 mile south of the intersection of US Route 1 and Blake Street.

Caribou Pond Pathway

Trail Location: Caribou

Trail Length: 1.23 miles

County: Aroostook

Activities: Walking, Jogging, Cycling

Trail Surface(s): Asphalt

Trail Description: Located on peaceful Collins Pond on the south side of Caribou, this park has a play area, group and family picnic sites and a 1.23 mile walking path. Collins Pond is a manmade pond bordering the south edge of Caribou’s downtown. The pond is home to a variety of birds and waterfowl as well as small mammals and an occasional deer and moose. There are picnic facilities on the south side of the pond and on the north side of the pond as well. The Collins Pond Pathway is in close proximity to the Nylander Museum and the Soucie Memorial Sports Complex. Maps are available at the Caribou Parks and Recreation Office or online at caribourec.org

Parking & Trail Access: Follow US Route 1 into Caribou. At the first traffic light turn left onto Fort St. and proceed straight to the intersection of Main St. At the stop sign go right and proceed north on Main St. for approximately 1/2 mile. Turn left onto Roberts St. at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church. Proceed straight on Roberts St. to the Caribou St. intersection and Collins Pond Park. Parking is available on the north side of Caribou St. Walk into the park and pickup the walkway.

Seasonal Restrictions: Year round

Shared Use Paths

Bangor/Aroostook Trail

Location: Van Buren to Houlton

Length: 50 miles

County: Aroostook

Activities: Walking, Hiking, Cycling, Cross County Skiing, Snowshoeing, ATVs, Snowmobiles

Surface(s): Gravel

Trail description: The 50-mile Bangor/Aroostook Trail (a.k.a. BAT) is part of northern Maine’s amazing, complex interconnected trail system. You can easily coordinate a multiday tour on this and other area rail trails, taking advantage of lodging and food options in towns along the way. However, sections of the BAT lead through back country wilderness areas, so plan accordingly. Threading a wider corridor than the connecting Aroostook Valley Trail, the BAT crosses acres of farmland, as well as woods and wetland bogs, and it is an excellent platform for spotting a range of wildlife. The area north of Stockholm is largely wilderness and is a great place to spot moose.

Trail Access: Van Buren: The trail starts where the rail bed intersects US Route 1 just south of Franklin Street. Park in a safe place in the vicinity of Main Street to access the trail which heads south on the old rail bed. Caribou: The parking area is located on Aldrich Drive. At the intersection of US Route 1 and ME Route 89 in Caribou, take ME Route 89 east for approximately 0.1 mile. Turn left onto Aldrich Drive after passing Vickers Drive on your right. Parking is available on Aldrich Drive on the east side of the train tracks. The trailhead is located in the parking lot. Washburn: Parking is available at Mill Pond Park on Station Road north of Washburn. Drive through Washburn on ME Route 164 North. Turn left onto Station Road just after Churchill Road and before Clark Street. You may park in the dirt parking lot to access the trail.

Southern Bangor and Aroostook Trail

Trail Location: Houlton to Phair Junction

Trail Length: 40 miles

County: Aroostook

Activities: Snowmobiling, ATV, Hiking, Mountain Biking, Cross Country Skiing, Horseback Riding

Trail Surface: Gravel, Ballast

Trail Description: The Southern Bangor and Aroostook Trail is a 40 mile long trail that extends from Houlton through the towns of Monticello, Bridgewater, Mars Hill, and loops through the southern edge of Presque Isle. The trail weaves through numerous communities, crosses the Meduxnekeag River, and runs adjacent to Prestile Stream. Riders will find a hard gravel surface and should be aware of ATVs and snowmobiles on the trail. The Houlton trail winds through forestland, small northern Maine communities and is open year round for multiple use.

Parking and Trail Access: Houlton: The parking area is located at Ivey’s Motor Lodge at 241 North Street in Houlton. At the intersection of US Route 1 and US Route 2, stay on US Route 1 for 1.6 miles where you will see Ivey’s Motor Lodge on your right.

The Aroostook Valley Trail

For a complete description of this trail system, click here.

The Bicycle Coalition of Maine announced the route for Bike Maine 2018 with host cities/towns in Presque Isle, Caribou, Madawaska, Fort Kent and St. Agatha, Maine from September 8-15, 2018. 450 bikers and about 75 “crew” will be coming to Aroostook County this fall.Aroostook County Bike Path

Stop by

Bike, Board & Ski

Enjoy riding in northern Maine!

Office Hours

Tue - Fri :
09:00 am - 04:00 pm

Sat - Mon :
CLOSED

Address & Contact Info

3 Houlton Road
Presque Isle, Me 04769
(207) 764-6561
[email protected]