Maine North Woods

john ennis · 04-07-2007, 05:25 PM

I seems all of NMW is closed to motorcycles. Anyone have an adventure route in the area they would be willing to share?

elmoreman · 04-08-2007, 06:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by john ennis

I seems all of NMW is closed to motorcycles. Anyone have an adventure route in the area they would be willing to share?

Northern Maine is difficult. There are, however, many miles of converted railway bed that are used for ATV and snowmobike useage. I did the 70 mile Aroostook Valley Trail last year. If you google it you'll find a good description. Be warned, though, it is a monotonous ride but cool nonetheless.

MaineEAK · 04-08-2007, 08:23 PM

Elmoreman is correct, it is difficult. The whole of the Maine North Woods is off limits to motorcycles. The logging companies dont want a lawsuit. Logging truck tear down the roads at 60mph+ which = they always have the right of way. I have done some miles up there and always pull way off the road when I see the dust plume in the distace. If you are up there during the week you run a very good chance of being escorted off the land. They dont haul on the weekends so that is your best bet. Also, north/south roads are checkpointed and used more heavily than east/west roads. ATV trails and old railroad beds are pretty much safe but can be very technical and tight, sometimes not passable. I say go for it, just be prepared for all the possibilites. Good luck.

sailah · 04-10-2007, 11:00 AM

I've ridden up there quite a bit. Some legal, some not so much. Forget getting all the way up to Telos. The Golden Road is also a no no, but I did go up to The Penobscot Dam on a Sunday when they ren't hauling.

You can't get up to the Katahdin area so forget about that one as well.

There is plenty of offroad riding on the snowmobile trails, and Eastern Maine is also a memorable riding trip combined witht the proximity to the coast. Having spent some serious time is both places, I would gravitate towards the eastern part of the state near Grand Lake Stream. Less fussy about the roads, better road riding, more scenic, better fishing.

I did a ride report called a few of my favorite things with MaineEAK, you should get some good ideas there. PM me if you want some other ideas.

sailah · 04-10-2007, 02:25 PM

So I guess the wardens I have run into up north of Flathead Lake on a snowmobile trail (ITS we're talking about) don't know what they are talking about.

Geode, not all snowmobile trails are off limits, private ones sure. The main ITS trails I have ridden and spoken to with wardens are certainly open. Ask MaineEAK, he was there when we were stopped. License and registration was all he wanted.

MaineEAK · 04-10-2007, 03:59 PM

...of course it has caused problems. If I were a land owner and a bunch of yahoos were tearing up my land I would not be pleased to say the least. Its certainly another thing to be a responsible motorcycle rider who is not doing and harm and wanting to explore. It goes without saying that posted areas are off limits, however there are many snowmobile trails that are open to motorcycle use and more are in the works. I would gladly offer my time and effort to a movement involving the opening of paper company roads. There is a big difference between the private land owner and the paper companys, namely paper companys own a quarter of the State. Myself and those I ride with have the utmost respect for landowner rights. I will keep my opinion of the paper companys and their policies to myself to avoid stoking the fire. Thank you Geode for the free review of Maine Land Use policy and law, but I am a Registered Maine Guide and know them well

.

sailah · 04-12-2007, 07:52 AM

Yeah yeah, I'm a maine Guide too, have been for 11 years now.

Geode, we all know the difference between private paper land and prvate private land.

The paper companies have ZERO interest in you ever using their land. They do it because the state tells them thet need to. I know this as my father is on the board of the Nautral Resources Defense Council. Which is why all the rivers allow rafting, because the state requires them to. Plum Creek just wants the cash, which is why they are trying to develop the NMW.

Getting back to the original question, yes you can ride on the snowmobile trails provided they are not maked no bikes. I have been riding them for years, and run into many wardens who all say the same thing. You bike needs to be tagged, and don't be an idiot. Goes a long way.

04-07-2007, 05:25 PM	#1
john ennis ^OP Adventurer Joined: Aug 2006 Location: West Chester, PA Oddometer: 24	Maine North Woods I seems all of NMW is closed to motorcycles. Anyone have an adventure route in the area they would be willing to share?

04-08-2007, 08:23 PM	#3
MaineEAK Ayyahh Joined: Jan 2006 Location: Portland, Maine Oddometer: 232	Elmoreman is correct, it is difficult. The whole of the Maine North Woods is off limits to motorcycles. The logging companies dont want a lawsuit. Logging truck tear down the roads at 60mph+ which = they always have the right of way. I have done some miles up there and always pull way off the road when I see the dust plume in the distace. If you are up there during the week you run a very good chance of being escorted off the land. They dont haul on the weekends so that is your best bet. Also, north/south roads are checkpointed and used more heavily than east/west roads. ATV trails and old railroad beds are pretty much safe but can be very technical and tight, sometimes not passable. I say go for it, just be prepared for all the possibilites. Good luck. __________________ 2003 BMW F650 Dakar GS

04-10-2007, 03:59 PM	#6
MaineEAK Ayyahh Joined: Jan 2006 Location: Portland, Maine Oddometer: 232	...of course it has caused problems. If I were a land owner and a bunch of yahoos were tearing up my land I would not be pleased to say the least. Its certainly another thing to be a responsible motorcycle rider who is not doing and harm and wanting to explore. It goes without saying that posted areas are off limits, however there are many snowmobile trails that are open to motorcycle use and more are in the works. I would gladly offer my time and effort to a movement involving the opening of paper company roads. There is a big difference between the private land owner and the paper companys, namely paper companys own a quarter of the State. Myself and those I ride with have the utmost respect for landowner rights. I will keep my opinion of the paper companys and their policies to myself to avoid stoking the fire. Thank you Geode for the free review of Maine Land Use policy and law, but I am a Registered Maine Guide and know them well. __________________ 2003 BMW F650 Dakar GS

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04-10-2007, 11:00 AM	#4
sailah Lampin' it Joined: Aug 2005 Location: Turning expensive metal into scrap Oddometer: 4,231	I've ridden up there quite a bit. Some legal, some not so much. Forget getting all the way up to Telos. The Golden Road is also a no no, but I did go up to The Penobscot Dam on a Sunday when they ren't hauling. You can't get up to the Katahdin area so forget about that one as well. There is plenty of offroad riding on the snowmobile trails, and Eastern Maine is also a memorable riding trip combined witht the proximity to the coast. Having spent some serious time is both places, I would gravitate towards the eastern part of the state near Grand Lake Stream. Less fussy about the roads, better road riding, more scenic, better fishing. I did a ride report called a few of my favorite things with MaineEAK, you should get some good ideas there. PM me if you want some other ideas.

04-10-2007, 02:25 PM	#5
sailah Lampin' it Joined: Aug 2005 Location: Turning expensive metal into scrap Oddometer: 4,231	So I guess the wardens I have run into up north of Flathead Lake on a snowmobile trail (ITS we're talking about) don't know what they are talking about. Geode, not all snowmobile trails are off limits, private ones sure. The main ITS trails I have ridden and spoken to with wardens are certainly open. Ask MaineEAK, he was there when we were stopped. License and registration was all he wanted.

04-12-2007, 07:52 AM	#7
sailah Lampin' it Joined: Aug 2005 Location: Turning expensive metal into scrap Oddometer: 4,231	Yeah yeah, I'm a maine Guide too, have been for 11 years now. Geode, we all know the difference between private paper land and prvate private land. The paper companies have ZERO interest in you ever using their land. They do it because the state tells them thet need to. I know this as my father is on the board of the Nautral Resources Defense Council. Which is why all the rivers allow rafting, because the state requires them to. Plum Creek just wants the cash, which is why they are trying to develop the NMW. Getting back to the original question, yes you can ride on the snowmobile trails provided they are not maked no bikes. I have been riding them for years, and run into many wardens who all say the same thing. You bike needs to be tagged, and don't be an idiot. Goes a long way.