Snowmobile Adventures in New England
snowmobiletripscounty
If coming from caribou take 89 off the railroad bed. Stay on 89 you will come to a intersection you will see a big yellow sign says Bunker Inn on the top of the sign (can’t miss it, ha ha). Take that left, there that’s it your on the base
Club trail 100A and 81A will get you to Loring
100 A will take you around the outside of the base
100B will take you down the runway loop around the arch hanger and what not
A little bit of history from wiki can be found here
Don’t try to drive your sled right in front of the monument on the brick pathway because carbines will ruin it. The way the guy has his sleds in the picture is perfect! They try to keep it plowed out.
Abandoned Eagle Lake Trains
The Eagle Lake and West Branch Railroad operated the two large engines from 1927-1933. On an average week, the engines and their 12 cars hauled more than 6,500 cords of pulpwood along the tracks to the West Branch watershed. The railroad was the brainchild of Edouard “King” LaCroix and brought wood for the paper-making industry from the region surrounding Eagle and Churchill Lakes over to Umbazooksus Lake, owned by Great Northern Paper. The steam locomotives and their tenders (name of the car that carried the fuel) were originally built in 1897 and 1901. LaCroix purchased them used (thrifty, thrifty!) before moving them to Maine. Once in Maine’s deep woods, they were converted from coal to oil to avoid forest fires caused by coal’s cinders.
History of the Eagle Lake Trains
Great Northern Paper Co trains operated from 1927-1933.
When the operations ended in 1933, both trains were pretty obsolete and it wasn’t worth the money to move them. They were retired to a shed at Eagle Lake. When the shed burned down in 1966, the trains were exposed to the elements and visitors. A few vandals, too, unfortunately. To prevent them from completely rusting away, the Maine Parks and Recreation Commission painted the trains in 1969. As you make your way through the woods to the two engines, keep your eyes peeled for remnants of the 1,500-foot trestle, which carried both the train and its heavy cargo across the north end of Chamberlain Lake where Allagash Stream enters the lake.
Snowmobile Touring Directions to the Trains
FROM ROCKWOOD-KINEO, MAINE:
Take the Moosehead Loop/Rt 66 Re-route to the Ragged Lake Trail. Head East 4.3 miles. Head north on the Maxfield Brook Trail. Cross over the Golden Road and head north on the Pine Stream Trail 14 miles to Chesuncook Village and the Chesuncook Lake House. Stop at the Lake House to fuel up and get the very latest trail instructions to avoid cutting operations in the area. The trains are 21 miles from the Lake House.
FROM GREENVILLE, MAINE:
Run up Moosehead Lake to Kineo or take the trail to Kokadjo. At Kokadjo take the Moosehead Loop/Rt66 Re-route to the Ragged Lake Trail. Head East 4.3 miles. Head north on the Maxfield Brook Trail. Cross over the Golden Road and head north on the Pine Stream Trail 14 miles to Chesuncook Village and the Chesuncook Lake House. Stop at the Lake House to fuel up and get the very latest trail instructions to avoid cutting operations in the area – but confirm they’re open first. The trains are 21 miles from the Lake House
https://amsnow.com/reviews/snowmobile-trails-travel/2010/12/maines-forgotten-railroad
https://www.maine.gov/dacf/parks/discover_history_explore_nature/history/allagash/index.shtml
THANKS TO AMERICAN SNOWMOBILER, BANGOR NEWS & KEVIN BROWN & MAINE.GOV FOR THESE GREAT IMAGES. See their links above
A few nice trails up here are 120/92 Deboullie/St Francis,
92 Glazier Lake Loop,
73B Fort kent to Sinclair,
81A Grande Isle,
81 Van Buren to Limestone border trail,
90/89/102/100A Caribou to Limestone and onto the old Loring AFB.
All good trails!!
Park at the Irvin just off the Medway exit of 95, Go north out of the Parking lot.
Lincoln, 81N, to Lee, to Spring Field, 105 south to Grand Lake Stream. Follow the GLS signs.
East Grand Lake Snowmobile Club in 2020 purchased a new (to them) groomer and have expended there trails.
The following trail distances are approximate: Linneus to Danforth 45 miles on trail 105; Danforth to Wytopitlock 20 miles on trail 105 and 110; Wytopitlock to Linneus 50 miles on trail 110, 1 and 105; Danforth to Sherman 50 miles on trail 105, 110 and 3; and Danforth to Springfield 30 miles on trail 105 and 110.
Trails in Linneus to Haynesville are maintained by Linneus Sno Sports, Wytopitlock to Haynesville trails by the Eastern Maine Snow Riders Club, and those from Springfield to East Grand Snowmobile Club are maintained by Quad County Snowmobile Club of Springfield
The Mill Yard is a great stopping place for lunch and gas.
These trains are waiting for snowmobilers to visit them! Photo courtesy of Kevin Brown from Bangor Daily News.
Some things never change–when I was a kid, I loved trains. Standing by the tracks and watching them go by, putting a penny on the tracks, and building model landscapes through which my H gauge could maneuver. Of course, I got older, but that fascination remained. And there’s a place I can get up close and personal to two impressive engines on the shore of Eagle Lake in northern Piscataquis County. It’s a quite a sight and well worth the 250-mile roundtrip snowmobile tour from The Forks to “the trains”.
The Eagle Lake and West Branch Railroad operated the two large engines from 1927-1933. On an average week, the engines and their 12 cars hauled more than 6,500 cords of pulpwood along the tracks to the West Branch watershed. The railroad was the brainchild of Edouard “King” LaCroix and brought wood for the paper-making industry from the region surrounding Eagle and Churchill Lakes over to Umbazooksus Lake, owned by Great Northern Paper. The steam locomotives and their tenders (name of the car that carried the fuel) were originally built in 1897 and 1901. LaCroix purchased them used (thrifty, thrifty!) before moving them to Maine. Once in Maine’s deep woods, they were converted from coal to oil to avoid forest fires caused by coal’s cinders.
Great Northern Paper Co trains operated from 1927-1933.
When the operations ended in 1933, both trains were pretty obsolete and it wasn’t worth the money to move them. They were retired to a shed at Eagle Lake. When the shed burned down in 1966, the trains were exposed to the elements and visitors. A few vandals, too, unfortunately. To prevent them from completely rusting away, the Maine Parks and Recreation Commission painted the trains in 1969. As you make your way through the woods to the two engines, keep your eyes peeled for remnants of the 1,500-foot trestle, which carried both the train and its heavy cargo across the north end of Chamberlain Lake where Allagash Stream enters the lake.
Snowmobilers enjoy history at Eagle Lake Trains
Run up Moosehead Lake to Kineo or take the trail to Kokadjo. At Kokadjo take the Moosehead Loop/Rt66 Re-route to the Ragged Lake Trail. Head East 4.3 miles. Head north on the Maxfield Brook Trail. Cross over the Golden Road and head north on the Pine Stream Trail 14 miles to Chesuncook Village and the Chesuncook Lake House. Stop at the Lake House to fuel up and get the very latest trail instructions to avoid cutting operations in the area – but confirm they’re open first. The trains are 21 miles from the Lake House
The ride to the trains is roughly 65 miles each way from Shin Pond, ITS 85. Located at about the midway point to the trains, Libby’s makes an ideal lunch and gas stop. From Libby’s, you across Lake Millinocket, through more woods, and down the length of 13-mile Chamberlain Lake to its northwest corner. Not far from where the trail re-enters the woods, you’ll find the remains of the steam-powered Eagle Lake tramway.
Here are several links we found in researching this blog article that you might enjoy!
THANKS TO AMERICAN SNOWMOBILER, BANGOR NEWS & KEVIN BROWN & MAINE.GOV FOR THESE GREAT IMAGES. See their links above.
Katahdin Region, ME: Snowmobiling to the “Ghost Trains” & Libby Camps (full episode)
Trip was Jan 2019, Bowlin camps are closed in 2020.
Rain the day before, Dropped at Stearns Junior-Senior High School in Millinocket, located in Penobscot County approximately 70 miles north of Bangor off I-95 on Route 157. Road north 83 and north 85 to Bowlin Camps, Had a great lunch. Clean great place. Stopped at the Sawmill for wings. On to the entrance to Baxter State Park, and back to the NEOC. 115 miles for the day.
