Bike Riding

Taking to the trails and backroads makes biking in Aroostook County a rewarding way to explore the region's vast landscape. Converted rail corridors form the backbone of local trail riding. The 28-mile Aroostook Valley Trail, set on the gravel bed of a 1910 electric line, links Presque Isle, Caribou, Washburn, Woodland, and New Sweden, passing deep woods, open fields, and the Aroostook River. Cyclists reach it from parking off ME-1 just south of the river bridge in Presque Isle, at the Washburn Clubhouse off Route 164, or from a gravel lot four miles west of Caribou. Across town, the Bangor and Aroostook Trail spans 61 miles on crushed stone purchased through the Land for Maine's Future program, traversing Mapleton, Caribou, and Van Buren, with trailheads on Aldrich Drive in Caribou, Mill Pond Park on Station Road in Washburn, and near Main Street in Van Buren.

Along the southern and northern edges of the County, longer routes offer deep regional history and varied river views. Chartered in 1891, the Southern Bangor and Aroostook Trail runs 38.8 miles of crushed rock between Houlton—starting at Riverfront Park—and Phair Junction near Presque Isle. In the St. John Valley, the 16.9-mile Saint John Valley Heritage Trail follows a former railbed between Fort Kent and St. Francis, while the 3-mile Fort Kent Riverside Trail System hugs the Saint John and Fish rivers downtown. For long-distance touring, U.S. Bike Route 501 covers 344 miles connecting Bangor to Allagash, guiding riders past Frenchville's patchwork agricultural hills, Quaggy Jo Mountain, the historic Saint John River, and cultural stops like the Musée Culturel du Mont-Carmel. Paved options include the 1.23-mile Collins Pond Pathway in Caribou and the 4-mile Presque Isle Bicycle and Pedestrian Trail following the old Canadian Pacific Railway route.

A welcoming community of organized rides and events spans the riding season. Gravel events challenge riders across the countryside, including the Crown of Maine Gravel rides from the Northern Maine Fairgrounds in Presque Isle, the Ploye Pedaler at the Four Seasons Trail Association in Madawaska, the Acadian Village Gravel Ride across St. John Valley backroads, and the Easton Escape starting at Prestile Community Park. Road and multi-sport traditions include Fort Kent's Tour de la Vallée and Fort Fairfield's Spudcycle Classic held alongside the Maine Potato Blossom Festival. Riders also gather for regular group outings, from weekly Tuesday gravel rides in downtown Presque Isle to Wednesday evening mountain bike rides and the multi-hour races of the Nordic Trail Festival at Northern Maine Community Trails.