Big plans are in store for one of Maine’s top mountain biking destinations. By 2022, the 74-mile bike trail system in the town of Carrabassett Valley will expand by 50-percent, according to the Carrabassett Valley Trails Committee’s (CVTC) development plan released in March. Comprising the CVTC are representatives from the town of Carrabassett Valley, the Carrabassett Regional Chapter of the New England Mountain Bike Association, Maine Huts & Trails, and Sugarloaf ski resort.
The 12-page document outlines a long-term plan to grow and improve the already-popular mountain biking locale in western Maine. The CVTC seeks to double the size of the existing trail system within 10 years. As the first step, they’ll add 37 miles of new trails by 2022.
“The mountain bike trail system developed to date by the CVTC partners has already been a significant success,” the report states. “Nonetheless, the network and riding experience need additional development to solidify our position as a regional leader.”
Trails and Signs Coming Soon
Carrabassett Valley is roughly two-and-a-half hours north of Portland. But, the town of about 500 residents is best known as the home of Sugarloaf, the Northeast’s second-largest ski resort. When the snow melts, a vast network of rideable trails emerges. In fact, on singletracks.com, Carrabassett Valley is currently Maine’s top-rated mountain biking trail system. Singletracks.com bases its rankings on average trail rating, number of members who have ridden the trail, and the number who want to ride it.
Despite the system’s popularity, the CVTC sees room for improvement, specifically in how its paths are marked.
“Significant effort has been made by relative few to address the challenge of signing our complicated system,” the report states. “Nonetheless, it remains a confusing system to navigate in many areas.”
Currently, the Carrabassett network overlaps with two nearby trail systems. In response, the development calls for planning and funding a signage system. Ideally, they’ll have the signs ready by the 2019 riding season.
The proposal also touches on funding trail development. For previous projects, the town of Carrabassett Valley and the CRNEMBA primarily paid for all trail construction. Maine Huts & Trails and Sugarloaf have also made contributions. Yet, according to the report, funding the ambitious expansion will “undoubtedly be an ongoing challenge.”
To fund the new trails and system upkeep, the CVTC will develop a plan that projects how much each of the four stakeholder groups can contribute. The CVTC may further form its own subcommittee to focus exclusively on funding.
Patrick Villanova
Patrick Villanova is an editor at The Jersey Journal in Secaucus, New Jersey. An avid hiker, not a day goes by that he doesn’t think about his next adventure in the woods. He started hiking the trails of North Jersey before graduating to the Adirondacks and White Mountains. Slowly but surely, he’s working toward joining the Catskill 3500 Club.
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