8151-R5_MSA_SnowmobileMaine

Snowmobile the Eastern Region

The Eastern Region of the Maine Snowmobile Association covers four counties and a great deal of area in the state. With over 70 snowmo bile clubs located in Penobscot, Piscataquis, Hancock and Washington county there are many, many areas snowmobilers can ride and be on groomed trails that have beautiful scenic areas. There are numerous destinations that snowmobilers all ready know about and some that

Millinocket and Shin Pond are very popular spots and can be reached from different locations. If you want to have a meal with the bears, a moose or other small mammals from Maine go to Matagamon Wilder ness store. You can dine with the animals (taxidermies of course) as you watch the East Branch of the Penobscot River flow by. Go in the opposite direction and head over to Lincoln, Lee and Spring field areas. Check out Quad County SC breakfast schedule and plan to be there for that. Then head north on Connector 105 to Danforth and beyond or south on it to Grand Lake Stream area. Again, watch for the deer as they like to use the trails here as well. Hancock and Washington Counties depend greatly on snow condi tions so you should check with local clubs before you plan to ride here. The main trail in this area is the Sunrise Trail that starts in Washington Junction and goes to Pembroke. You will ride across the causeway in East Machias and depending on the tide you may have water close to you. Watch for the Eagles here as they are usually sitting in the trees as you go by. You can get off this trail in Cherryfield and take ITS 81 to Beddington and then on to ITS 84 to Grand Lake Stream. You can cross the dam at Grand Lake Stream and head to the store for gas and food. It’s a long, long ride from Ellsworth so you might want to start at the Narraguagus club house. If you choose to stay on the Sunrise Trail, you can take Connector Trail 101 outside of East Machias that will take you to Alexander and connects to ITS 84 where you can go east to Calais or west to Grand Lake Stream. As you can see the possibilities to ride in the vast Eastern Region are endless. These are just a small portion of the rides you can enjoy if you come to this region. All of the 70 plus clubs work very hard to get trails open, groomed and signed so everyone has a great ride. Remember, it is volunteers who do this work and they welcome help. Consider join ing a club or two or three or more and show them you support what they do. Some areas are very dependent on snow conditions and you may have to do a “spur of the moment” type trip when they get snow. Other areas receive snow more frequently and give you a chance to get in some great rides. Planning for these rides should include checking for gas availability and knowing cell phone service is not always reliable. They can be long distance rides if that is what you like or shorter ones depending on your style. In all cases, whether going to the more popular destination spots or choosing more club trails and a little “off the beaten path” route, PLEASE make sure you check with the local clubs and know what to expect BEFORE you go. Safety should ALWAYS be Number One as we want you to have a great experience and go home to tell others what an incredible day or days you had. See you on the trails!!

are hidden gems. Let’s start with Piscataquis County. The most recognizable area in the county is the Greenville/Moosehead Lake. This area is well known to snowmobilers far and wide. Did you also know there are some wonderful club trails in this area that will get you out in the county and away from the high traffic areas if you choose to do so. Anyone every heard of or seen the Onawa Rail trestle that looks toward Borestone Mountain? No, then you should you plan to ride out of Dover to the Narrow Gauge Riders trail and hit the club trails that lead to this spectacular site. You will ride through Monson and around Sebec Lake. Stop under the trestle and take in the view. Then take Connector Trail 110 through Katahdin Ironworks and hit ITS 82 back to Dover. Watch for deer as you travel this route because they like to walk the groomed trail. Other areas to check out in this County are Brownville, Ebeemee and Jo-Mary areas. You can start in Brownville or continue on and start on the KI Road. Use Connector Trail 110 to get to the B Pond Trail. Follow it to the connection with ITS85/86 near Kodadjo. Stop at this intersection and sit for a bit as you may get visited by the Canada Jays that like to wait for someone to share their snack with them. These are just two of the trails in the county off the main area and away from the high traffic if that it what you want. You can find more interesting and scenic trails by contacting the local clubs. How about different areas in Penobscot County? We all know the Millinocket area but have you tried riding out of Newport or Dexter and around that area? There is a park and ride in Newport that connects to ITS 85 and then you can take other trails to get to Atkinson, Corinna, Charleston, and or Corinth. Watch for signs and take some of those club trails as well. Want more northern areas of Penobscot County? Medway,

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