Rail trails in Maine

Rail trails in Maine
Name	Rail trails in Maine
Location	Maine, United States
Use	Hiking, Bicycling, Snowmobiling, Cross-country skiing
Surface	Gravel, Packed dirt, Paved

Rail trails in Maine provide a network of converted railway corridors across Maine that serve recreational, transportation, and conservation purposes. These corridors repurpose former lines of carriers such as the Maine Central Railroad, Boston and Maine Railroad, and Grand Trunk Railway to connect communities from Kittery to Fort Kent. The trails intersect federal, state, and local programs administered by bodies including the Maine Department of Transportation, National Park Service, and regional land trusts such as the Maine Coast Heritage Trust.

Overview

Maine’s rail-trail network includes routes built on rights-of-way originally owned by companies like the Bangor and Aroostook Railroad, New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad, and the St. Lawrence and Atlantic Railroad. Major transport hubs such as Bangor and Portland anchor corridors that link towns including Lewiston, Augusta, Presque Isle, and Calais. Trails cross landscapes managed by agencies and organizations including the National Park Service, Maine Department of Environmental Protection, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and private stewards like the Kennebunkport Conservation Trust. Funding and promotion often involve partners such as the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, Maine Trails Coalition, and regional planning organizations like the Kennebec Valley Council of Governments.

History and Development

The conversion of rail corridors in Maine follows precedents set by national initiatives like the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy movement and legislative frameworks such as the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991. Early railroads—Maine Central Railroad, Bangor and Aroostook Railroad, and Grand Trunk Railway—established lines during the 19th century linking ports like Portland and Rockland with inland markets such as Waterville and Skowhegan. Decline of freight on shortlines including the Wiscasset, Waterville and Farmington Railway and branch lines of the Boston and Maine Railroad prompted corridor abandonment and acquisition by entities such as the Maine Department of Transportation and nonprofits like the Sail, Power & Steam Museum. Programs like railbanking administered under the National Trails System Act enabled interim trail use while preserving rights-of-way. Local municipalities—Kennebunk, Bridgton, Houlton—and land trusts worked with national bodies including the Federal Highway Administration to secure funding from sources such as the Transportation Alternatives Program.

Notable Rail Trails and Routes

Prominent routes include the Down East Sunrise Trail connecting Ellsworth and Calais, the Allagash Wilderness Waterway-adjacent corridors near Caribou, and the Penobscot River valley alignments through Orono and Old Town. The Eastern Trail links South Portland with Kittery and crosses communities like Saco and Biddeford. The Caribou and Fort Fairfield Railroad corridor, the St. Croix Trail near Calais, and the Rockland Branch conversions serve cyclists, snowmobilers, and cross-country skiers. Other conversions include the Mountain Division Trail near Gorham, the Westbrook to Portland Greenway in Cumberland County, and the Presumpscot River corridor through Falmouth. Trails interface with tourism sites such as Acadia National Park, historic districts in Bath and Rockland, and heritage rail museums like the Maine Narrow Gauge Railroad Co. & Museum.

Management, Maintenance, and Funding

Trail stewardship blends municipal management by towns like Portland and Bangor with nonprofit oversight from organizations such as the Friends of the Eastern Trail, Down East Sunrise Trail Coalition, and the Maine Chapter of the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy. Maintenance partners include volunteer groups, county agencies like the York County parks departments, and state entities including the Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands. Capital funding frequently derives from federal programs such as the Recreational Trails Program and state bonds approved by the Maine Legislature, alongside grants from foundations like the Lilly Endowment and corporate contributions from regional employers including shipping firms in Portland Harbor. Public-private partnerships involve utilities like Central Maine Power for easement coordination and rail operators such as the Pan Am Railways for corridor negotiations.

Recreational Use and Amenities

Users include bicyclists traveling routes tied to U.S. Bicycle Route System corridors, hikers accessing trailheads in towns like Bethel, winter sports enthusiasts skiing near Rangeley, and snowmobilers on linkages with the International Snowmobile Congress networks. Amenities along corridors comprise parking areas maintained by municipal governments, trailhead kiosks developed by volunteers from groups such as the Maine Trail Finder project, and interpretive signage highlighting history by museums including the Colby College Museum of Art outreach programs. Connections to transit systems like the Greater Portland Metro enable multimodal trips between trails and urban centers including Portland and Lewiston-Auburn.

Environmental and Cultural Impact

Rail-trail conversions in Maine support wildlife corridors managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and habitat protection priorities advanced by the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. Projects cross landscapes protected by organizations like the Nature Conservancy and the Maine Audubon Society, affecting species inventories compiled by the Maine Natural Areas Program. Cultural preservation links trails to historic sites administered by the Maine Historic Preservation Commission, maritime heritage in Bath, and Indigenous places associated with tribal governments including the Passamaquoddy and Penobscot Nation. Environmental assessments often reference standards from the Environmental Protection Agency and state agencies addressing wetland crossings near rivers such as the Kennebec River and coastal estuaries by the Gulf of Maine Research Institute.

Future Projects and Preservation Efforts

Planned expansions involve corridor proposals connecting to interstate networks like Interstate 95 and cross-state initiatives coordinated by the Maine Trails Coalition and regional planning commissions including the Penobscot Valley Council of Governments. Preservation advocates work with federal programs under the National Park Service and state enactments from the Maine Legislature to protect railbanked corridors. Conservation finance mechanisms include state bond measures and federal grants administered through the Federal Highway Administration and foundations such as the L.L. Bean philanthropic arm. Ongoing collaboration includes tribal governments (Passamaquoddy, Penobscot Nation), municipalities (e.g., Kittery, Bangor), and nonprofits (e.g., Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, Maine Coast Heritage Trust) to expand access while safeguarding historic fabric and ecological values.

Category:Transportation in Maine Category:Trails in Maine