Have you Considered:
?
Road and Mountain Biking Tours
Biking is the ideal way to explore each of Maine’s eight regions. Off road or on, you’ll enjoy the landscapes, historic sites, and welcoming communities that make each region unique. Here are some ideas to get you started:
- Aroostook County, the Crown of Maine, is a land of gentle, rural landscapes, magnificent lakes and rivers, and deep French Acadian heritage. Aroostook has a number of rail-trails, built on former railway lines, which take bikers off road into the remote and dramatic back country. Road bikers may want to check out the 50-mile Potato Country Tour, which winds through beautiful rolling hills into the heart of Maine largest county. For more Aroostook bike tours, visit Explore Maine.
- The Down East & Acadia region has great appeal for bicycle tourists who come for the spectacular coastal scenery, the unique carriage roads of Acadia National Park, and the region’s many other recreational opportunities. Low traffic and good pavement makes the Passamaquoddy Bay Tour, beginning in Pembroke, an excellent choice for beginning cyclists. For more tours in the Down East & Acadia region, visit Explore Maine.
- In the Greater Portland and Casco Bay region you can explore Maine’s largest city by bike, pedal to Maine’s oldest and most photographed lighthouse, or hop aboard a ferry for some island biking. Be sure to save time to experience the area’s celebrated restaurants. The Casco Bay Route, part of the East Coast Greenway, starts at Portland’s historic waterfront and travels along small town streets and back roads, offering stunning views of Casco Bay. Additional bike tours through this region are available at Explore Maine.
- The Kennebec & Moose River Valleys region is renown for its abundant outdoor recreational opportunities. The Kennebec Valley Trail offers mountain bikers eight miles of spectacular riding along the edge of the Kennebec River, including parts of the historic “Arnold Trail.” Augusta is the start of the Capitol Tour, which has road biking loops of varied distances heading toward the scenic lakes and towns west of Maine’s capitol city. For additional bike tours in this region, visit Explore Maine.
- The rolling hills and unspoiled vistas of Maine’s Lakes & Mountains region offer spectacular biking in spring, summer and especially fall, when you’ll bike along back roads in a blaze of autumn brilliance. This region is a treasure trove for mountain bikers who may want to check out the extensive trail system at Mount Blue State Parkin Weld. Among numerous road bike routes is the Lake Auburn Tour, a 35-mile loop through wooded countryside. For additional bike tours in this region, visit Explore Maine.
- Biking in Maine’s Mid-Coast region takes you through quintessential fishing villages, by roadside clam shacks, and down long peninsulas stretching into Penobscot Bay. Road bikers may want to check out the Merrymeeting Tour, which offers opportunities to explore historic Bath and Wiscasset. The popular harbor town of Camden may be bustling in the summer, but nearby Camden Hills State Park offers a challenging change of pace. Mountain biking trails range from the super technical to more leisurely gravel roads throughout the park. For additional bike tours through the Mid-Coast region, visit Explore Maine.
- The Maine Beaches region, with more than 30 miles of wide sandy beaches, picturesque arts communities and pristine nature preserves, offers many leisurely rides along the coast as well as off-road biking opportunities. The Saco River Tour is a loop that starts and ends at lively Old Orchard Beach. And not far from popular Ogunquit Beach is the start of an eight-mile mountain biking loop at Mount Agamenticus in York. A description is provided by New England Mountain Bike Association. Additional bike tours through the Maine Beaches region are available at Explore Maine.
- The Maine Highlands-Bangor-Katahdin-Moosehead Lake region is a recreational paradise, with Maine’s highest peak, largest lake and longest river, as well as the cultural center of Bangor. The Sebasticook Valley Tour provides both on- and off-road biking possibilities, with several different loops of varied lengths that meander through a mix of rolling farmland, forest and quaint villages. More tours through the Maine Highlands region are available at Explore Maine.
