Winter in Maine is not for the weak. That said, winter is a season full of fantastic activities and offers visitors a chance to see Maine the way life should be, according to Mainers', which means you dress appropriately and take advantage of the outdoor experiences winter has to offer.
Cross country skiing and snowshoeing are popular near and around Acadia and Schoodic, but recently we wondered, what about Snowmobiling, and ATV'ing for that matter.
Can you snowmobile in and around Acadia? Yup! Well, the carriage roads are off limits, however, a 25 minute ride from Wild Rose Maine is the Tunk Lake Road entrance to the Down East Sunrise Trail.
Directions from Wild Rose Maine to Down East Sunrise Trail Parking Area
The trail offers 87 miles and is the longest off-road trail on the East Coast Greenway.
This season, these parts of Maine have seen anywhere from 6 -10 feet of total snow accumulation according to the National Weather Surface, which is plenty for snowmobiling, atv'ing, and we hear you might even spot the occasional dogsled on the trail.
The Sunrise Trail Coalition posts frequent updates all winter long about what parts of the trail are groomed and open.
Furthermore, the Ellsworth American has a web page to help you plan your winter time on the trail, including where to rent snowmobiles and other winter terrain vehicles.
Once on the trail near Tunk Lake, you can go east towards Jonesboro or head west to Ellsworth and go on a winter food tour of side of the road Maine markets like Tideway Market, which is rumored to have some of the best chicken fingers east of Ellsworth.
Recently Maine winters have been out like a lamb, in like a lion, so there is probably still a chance to get out there and sled on parts of this trail this winter. While it isn't in the cards for us to get on the trail this winter (maybe next year!),
@sierrabisson, who looks to be have been riding at the Forks already this season, should have a go at the Down East Sunrise Trail and let us know what they think.
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(@sierrabisson)
Maps
Links
Down East Sunrise Trail
Maine snowmobile trail conditions today
Where to rent snowmobiles near Acadia
Conn 107 is open as of February 28th 2025.
