Mountain Biking in Skowhegan Maine!
By: Mitch Buehler, Skowhegan Outdoors ORF
At first glance Skowhegan Maine seems like a quaint little river town located in central Maine, beautiful forests and a flowing river makes this small community a great location for outdoor adventure and fun in the sun while playing on the river. Then just a short drive away there’s amazing skiing, MORE RIVER SPORTS, and enough hiking and exploring to keep even the most dedicated outdoorsman busy for a lifetime. However, one thing that doesn’t seem to jump out at you in the mountain biking community.
Though we are located in a gorgeous part of the nation and have access to thousands and thousands or acres of untamed forest andwilderness, initial impressions suggest there doesn’t seem to be many people exploring this wonderful wild wonderland on two wheels. However if you were to look beyond the surface you’ll find a small but bolstering community of New England bikers who have found their homes and peace among the flowing trials that you will find throughout the state, which in recent years have grown to include some of our most loved and memorable lines and trails of your local ski mountains.
Mountain biking in Skowhegan has been on the rise in the past few years as mountains have been opening their trails to bikers, as well as a massive increase in trail production and development. Though the community is still on the rise and there is still a lot of room to grow, the biking community within Skowhegan seems to be, what I would call, a hidden gem. With a multitude of local trail systems, a nearby regional park, and the generosity of land owners in our very own community, there are more trails and adventures to be had than anyone could have expected. Whether it’s cross country biking through the beautiful Lake George Regional Park, or even hitting some downhills at the Philbrick Trail systems there’s riding to suit every mountain bikers needs and skill levels, or if you find yourself wanting to get a little more adrenaline out of the experience you can make the short drive head to Freeman Ridge Bike Park and see how you fair on the jump lines or their flow trails that are designed to help a rider build and carry as much speed as possible.
So whether you're a seasoned rider who finds their groove while blasting down black diamonds, or just someone looking to get outside and enjoy the beautiful Maine forests while getting in a bit of a sweat, there is something for everyone in this area, all you need to do is look just beyond the surface. And with the development of further trail systems, the opening of Skowhegan Outdoors new gear hub location, and new groups and clubs coming to the area every day, you will always have somewhere, and someone to ride with. So at this point the only question left is, where do you want to ride today? Because with new trails around every corner and something to keep everyone on their toes, no two days are ever the same on the trails around here, (that is unless you want to master that line from the other day!)