Maine Tourism, snowmobile ITS trails and club house locations. Maine is Vacationland.
Not just for summer coastal vacations, fall hunting trips or spring river paddling outings. Maine winter tourism is all about snowmobile ITS trails, downhill and crossing country skiing, snowshoeing, pond hockey and ice fishing.
This Maine blog post concentrates on snowmobile ITS trails and clubhouse locations.
For one link to hook you up with snowmobile trails around Maine and far beyond, visit this link. It is one neat, interactive GPS to move you in and out of regions with groomed trails and active snowmobile clubhouses.
When I was a little shaver and tinkering on a 1966 Sno Jet, there were not trail system maps to study.
No groomed snowmobile trails and you made your own. The snow machines were heavy, lacking suspension systems. Narrow skis helped you get between a pair of woodlot trees and crossing rivers, you waited for many inches of frozen ice to create the natural bridge. My Uncle Carl Hagan sold Sno Jets, another Uncle Cedric was a Polaris dealer.
The Polaris Apollo snowmobile 440 power plant was a step up from the Sno-Jet’s 13 horse power motor.
The next machine as an adult was a 1989 Polaris 650 three cylinder water cooled snowmobile. Stuck with the Polaris line with a snow checked 1993 Storm 750 three cylinder power plant.
As new snow sleds were purchased for outdoor winter fun, trail system ITS maps showed up all over the place in Maine.
Try out the trail riding in the Shin Pond area. Buzzing around the North entrance of the Baxter state park.
Snowmobile up into Oxbow, Masardis and enjoy the two way trail system around the Madawaska and Fort Kent area of Aroostook County.
The people you meet and sights you see along the winter snowmobile trails in Maine are unforgettable. You may think you know Maine but what season do you spend the most time in the state? The change of season makes all the difference in the vacation experience or living here full time with re-visits to favorite haunts.
If you are thinking of snowmobiling in Maine, it is always wise to call ahead first.
You can do a lot online and checking the weather for regions of Maine is not hard with the Internet. But Maine weather changes fast and snowmobile trails rely on temperatures, snow fall amount and careful round the clock grooming. Join a snow sled club in Maine, take part in the statewide and local raffles, fund raising events.
Maine tourism in the winter.
Money raised supports keeping the trail groomers online, repairing or replacement of bridges and new and old trail maintenance.
Snowmobiling in Maine helps the local community economy during a traditionally slower time of the year.
Local sporting lodges can expand their market for vacationers by pairing up with local Maine snowmobile clubs.
Some Maine snow sled clubs even have free memberships. Offering on the house membership for next year if you put in 25 hours of public service work on the trails, bridges, signage or whatever is needed to improve the sledding experience.
The Maine winter snowfall is iffy and the state is large and expansive.
Anytime you depend on the weather for anything in Maine. the only thing to plan on is change. Watch a news report video on Maine winter snowmobiling.
If you have never snowmobiled, you have no idea of what you are missing. Parked on top of a Maine mountain top or hillside trail with one expansive view in your lap. Or listening to the sound of roaring river water on a waterfront side trail is peaceful, private and very special.
You can get to places on a snowmobile in Maine that you would never see otherwise riding a machine.
Get off the couch. Dress warm and head outdoors up in Maine. The wildlife you see while snow sledding in Maine is an unique experience too. You are in their home and stay on the trail. Ease into the corners and back off the throttle crossing wood’s roads. Active logging operations mean keep your eyes peeled for hazards ahead.
Local snowmobile clubhouses can tell your about the condition of trails because they run the groomers day and night to give the best ride.
Private land owners in Maine that share their property with snow sledders deserve thanks and respect.
Property owners are a major part of the partnership that makes for more miles of exciting snowmobile trail riding around the state of Maine. Again, join a club or two because each sledder member helps make the duties of a Maine snowmobile club lighter to carry.
Here is a list of Maine snowmobile clubs.
Most Maine snowmobile clubs have a Facebook and some a website to help you feel connected when not enjoying the Maine snowmobile trails.
The Maine Snowmobile Association has five regions and becoming a MSA member means you get club reports and more.
Every licensed Maine snowmobiler gets a copy of the Maine Snowmobilier, a publication of the Maine Snowmobile Association.
I grew up in a time of 50 flavors of snow sleds. You worked on your bogie wheel suspension snow machine long into the night.
The expression “tinker for two hours to ride for one” was so true in the early days of snowmobiling in Maine before complex grids of ITS trails came into play.
Consider renting if you don’t own a snowmobile and taking to the trails this winter up in Maine. Winters are not long and riding to a place to eat, to a club house breakfast or supper is a scenic diversion. We don’t stay cooped up inside living in Maine. We are outdoor everyday of the year and loving it!
I’m Maine REALTOR Andrew Mooers, ME Broker