Did you know Maine has over 6,500 Miles of ATV / UTV / OHV Trails to Explore?

Trails are OPEN and new Polaris ATV/UTVs are available to rent daily. 

You want direct access to those trails? We've got it! Direct ATV trail access from Northern Outdoors opens up literally thousands of miles of great riding for ATV enthusiasts. We are a complete Adventure Resort ideally suited for motorized recreation. ATV and UTV riders will find:

• On-site fuel sales, micro brewery, cabin rentals, riverside camping, swimming pool, and more!
• Plenty of on-site parking for trucks and trailers - including a large area at the main lodge set aside for ATVers
• On-site hose to wash down your ATV or UTV 
• Northern Outdoors Adventure Resort is conveniently located right on The Old Canada Road - National Scenic Byway between the Maine Coast and Quebec, Canada. 

While this may all sound ideal, listen to what folks who came riding with us last year have to say!

New For This Season: ATV / UTV Polaris Rental Fleet

We are excited to make our new Polaris ATVs and Polaris UTVs (RZR side-by-side) available for full day rentals at Northern Outdoors this season! We are partnering with Backcountry Expeditions, our local ATV/UTV rental and guide outfitter to make these available onsite at Northern Outdoors. Backcountry Expeditions offers guided and self-guided tours all season long.

Reserve your ATV early, as limited supplies WILL sell out. This is prime ATV country with amazing trails, scenery, and hospitality. 

Click here for more information and to book your adventure online today!

The age old saying is "know before you go" so for the latest ATV trail info, call us at 800-765-7238 or check out www.atvmaine.org.

Hi Elaine,

I want to thank you and the staff at Northern Outdoors for treating Wagner Forest Management so well the past few days. The accommodations, the food and the weather were great.

Please let all the folks involved that all things were very good and appreciated. I’m sure we will be returning to Northern Outdoors for our training  location  another spring.

Jerry.

Wagner Forest Management, Maine

Corporate Retreats and Meetings

Northern Outdoors recently launched an all new, mobile-friendly website showcasing our expanded Maine hunting and fishing trip offerings. The first website was - well, the very first website ever for our hunting trips. It stayed that way for a few more years than we care to admit! So, you can imagine how nice it is to have a brand spanking new, mobile-friendly website that works on any device you care to use, from smart phones to tablets to laptops, notebooks, and desktops! Ok, on to the real info - about the kinds of hunting and fishing trips Northern Outdoors offers.

Hunting is a time-honored tradition in Maine's North Woods, and Northern Outdoors has become Maine's #1 Hunting Outfitter & Lodge over the four decades of our operations. Beginning in 1976, Northern offered fall deer hunts for Maine's renowned trophy whitetail deer, and expanded into fishing soon thereafter. In fact, the inventor of the famous Banjo Minnow is none other than Wayne Hockmeyer, co-founder of Northern Outdoors.  

In fact, not many of our rafting and snowmobiling guests may actually know that Northern Outdoors is one of the top ten trophy whitetail deer hunting outfitters in all of North America. With traditions like these,we are indeed pleased to showcase an expanded commitment to hunting and fishing through our newly launched, mobile-friendly website at Mainedeerhunting.com. In addition to Trophy Buck Hunting, are also excited to introduce custom bird & small game hunts and moose hunting in 2013. The new website features information on all Maine’s hunting seasons: Whitetail Deer, Moose, Bird and Small Game, as well as information on Bass, Trout, & Landlocked Salmon fishing seasons. All-inclusive professional Guided Deer Hunting packages start at $1050 for a week, $600 for 3 day Deer Hunts. Upland Bird Hunts start at $400 for a full day for 1-2 hunters.

"Northern Outdoors has a tradition of serving serious trophy whitetail deer hunters for almost 40 years. Our Maine Master Guides, full-service hunting lodge, and tremendous location in western Maine, home to Maine’s famous trophy bucks, cause hunters to return year after year to hunt with us." - says Russell Walters, President, Northern Outdoors. 

We have also expanded our offerings for both serious and novice anglers by partnering with local guide service Kennebec River Anglers to offer first class bass fishing and fly fishing trips. These trips include Professional Registered Maine Guides, all gear, transportation, and more. They start at $179pp for half day trips and $350-$400 for full day trips. Anglers choose between fishing for Maine’s famous fighter - the smallmouth bass, or spectacular fly fishing for trout and landlocked salmon in western Maine’s rugged Kennebec and Dead Rivers. 

Read the full press release here, about our new website and expanded hunting and fishing trips. 

Also, visit our new website at MaineDeerHunting.com to see for yourself what kinds of hunting and fishing you can do in western Maine. 

The MDIWF (State of Maine Dept of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife) reports that the 2012 Maine whitetail deer season ended with a total harvest of 21,365 deer, representing an increase of 13% over the 2011 harvest of 18,839. Increases in the harvest were seen in all wildlife management districts. The highlight of the 2012 season, and testament to the recovering deer numbers, was the jump in the overall harvest of bucks between 2011 and 2012. A total of 15,271 adult bucks were harvested in Maine this past season, representing an increase of 2,473 deer over the 2011 season (i.e., 19% increase). Indeed, the overall buck harvest increased within all 29 Wildlife Management Districts (WMDs).

The health of the deer herd is good news for Maine’s hunting community, and it's good for hunting outfitters too. At Northern outdoors, we are pround of our 40 year tradition of Trophy Whitetail Deer Hunting and are pleased to showcase our expanded commitment to hunting and fishing through a newly launched, mobile-friendly website, at www.Mainedeerhunting.com. In addition to Trophy Buck Hunting, we are also excited to introduce this year custom bird & small game hunts and, moose hunting.   The new website features information on all Maine’s hunting seasons, Whitetail Deer, Moose, Bird, and Small Game, as well as information on bass, trout, & landlocked salmon fishing seasons. All inclusive professionally guided deer hunt packages start at $1050 for a week, $600 for 3 day hunts.

Jim Yearwood, Vice President noted “This past winter did not stress the deer population significantly, we believe this only supports the continued growth of Maine’s deer population in 2013. It's great news for sportsmen planning to hunt in Maine.”

About Northern Outdoors:

Established in 1976, Northern Outdoors has a 40-year tradition of Trophy Whitetail Deer Hunting from its lodge in The Forks. Northern Outdoors is a four-season adventure resort and winner of Yankee Magazine's 2011 Best New England Adventures Award. In addition to hunting and fishing, Northern Outdoors offers whitewater rafting, hiking, and ATV rentals in the summer and snowmobiling in the winter. The resort includes private cabins, riverside camping, and the Kennebec River Brewery, featured on the Maine Beer Trail. Northern Outdoors is located 2.5 hours from Portland Maine, 2.5 hours from Quebec City, Canada, and 4 hours from Boston, on Route 201, The Old Canada Road National Scenic Byway.

Plenty of snow everywhere and the riding is sublime right now! Check our Northern Outdoors Facebook page  for daily grooming reports.

• ITS 86 HEADING EAST FROM BERRY’S STORE TOWARD GREENVILLE AND ROCKWOOD   Intown section has good snow, but can get beat up quickly because of heavy traffic. Once just a mile out of town, things improve. Boise Road is great. Power Line section near Moxie Pond is flat (you know things are good when the Power Line is flat). There is a 2 mile section of plowed road around Moxie Pond, due to logging. Good snow cover over 95% of it . . . . only about 100 yards at the dam where you will be scratching some dirt. Rest of the way toward Greenville on ITS 86 and toward Rockwood on ITS 88 are in fine shape.
• ITS 87 HEADING SOUTH TOWARD BINGHAM  Divide Road section is in great shape. Short woods sections around Pleasant Pond and Moore’s Bog have plenty of snow and are good going. Check out the 3 mile groomed spur trail to the Moxie Mountain Lookout. Great views of the Kennebec River Valley, Sugarloaf/USA and the Bigelow Range.
• PLEASANT POND TRAIL  Great ride with plenty of snow all the way through.
• BALD MOUNTAIN TRAIL FROM ITS 87 TO ITS 86  Great ride and plenty of snow all the way through.
• BREAKNECK RIDGE TRAIL HEADING TOWARD BLANCHARD  Great riding.
• KENNEBEC RIVER TRAIL FROM NORTHERN OUTDOORS TO WEST FORKS  Good ride all the way through. A little rough the last 1 mile into town.

For day riders, there is a FREE PARK AND RIDE LOT  at Northern Outdoors on Route 201. The lot is very large, well plowed and will accommodate large trailers. A groomed trail from the parking lot directly accesses ITS 87 or the Kennebec River Trail.  Gas (91 oct), food and trail maps are available at NO.  Look for the large PARK AND RIDE sign on Route 201, just before Northern Outdoors main lodge

Jim Yearwood
Northern Outdoors Snowmobile Club

Over a foot of snow has fallen in The Forks area in the past week. More coming Wednesday / Thursday. Plenty of snow everywhere and the riding is great right now! Check our Northern Outdoors Facebook page for daily grooming updates.

• ITS 86 HEADING EAST FROM BERRY’S STORE TOWARD GREENVILLE AND ROCKWOOD   Because of very heavy traffic, intown section is rough and can always use more snow. Once just a mile out of town, things improve greatly. Boise Road is great. Short ½ mile Power Line section near Moxie Pond is not bad at all . . . . just a couple minor rough spots. There is a 2 mile section of plowed road around Moxie Pond, due to logging. Good snow cover over 95% of it . . . . only about 100 yards or so at the dam where you will be scratching dirt. Rest of the way toward Greenville on ITS 86 and toward Rockwood on ITS 88 are in fine shape.
• ITS 87 HEADING SOUTH TOWARD BINGHAM  Divide Road section is in great shape. Still a little thin on the very short woods sections around Pleasant Pond and Moore’s Bog. There is a 1/2 mile section around the south side of Moxie Mountain, that is severely windblown. Recent snows have really helped, but you can still scratch a rock or two through there. Check out the 3 mile groomed spur trail to the Moxie Mountain Lookout. Great views of the Kennebec River Valley, Sugarloaf and the Bigelow Range.
• PLEASANT POND TRAIL  Great ride with plenty of snow all the way through.
• BALD MOUNTAIN TRAIL FROM ITS 87 TO ITS 86  Great ride and plenty of snow all the way through.
• BREAKNECK RIDGE TRAIL HEADING TOWARD BLANCHARD  Great riding.
• KENNEBEC RIVER TRAIL FROM NORTHERN OUTDOORS TO WEST FORKS  Good ride all the way through. A little rough the last 1 mile into town.

 For day riders, there is a FREE PARK AND RIDE LOT  at Northern Outdoors on Route 201. The lot is very large, well plowed and will accommodate large trailers. A groomed trail from the parking lot directly accesses ITS 87 or the Kennebec River Trail.  Gas (91 oct), food and trail maps are available at NO.  Look for the large PARK AND RIDE sign on Route 201, just before Northern Outdoors.

Jim Yearwood
Northern Outdoors Snowmobile Club

We received around 6” of snow in The Forks area last night. More in some spots . . . a little less in town and along the Kennebec River. This will add to the good conditions we already had and make things even better! Lots of people out there enjoying the trails this week. For the rest of the week, both Tuckers are scheduled to groom Wed, Thurs, Friday and Saturday nights.
 

• ITS 86 HEADING EAST FROM BERRY’S STORE TOWARD GREENVILLE AND ROCKWOOD   Because of heavy traffic, intown section is rough and can always use more snow. Once just a mile out of town, things improve greatly. Boise Road is great. Short ½ mile Power Line section near Moxie Pond is not bad at all . . . . just a couple minor rough spots. There is a 2 mile section of plowed road around Moxie Pond, due to logging. Good snow cover over 95% of it . . . . only about 100 yards or so at the dam where you will be scratching dirt. Rest of the way toward Greenville on ITS 86 and toward Rockwood on ITS 88 are in fine shape.
• ITS 87 HEADING SOUTH TOWARD BINGHAM  Divide Road section is in great shape. Still a little thin on the very short woods sections around Pleasant Pond and Moore’s Bog. There is a 1/2 mile section around the south side of Moxie Mountain, that is severely windblown. Last nights snow helped, but it’s still a little scratchy through there. Check out the 3 mile groomed spur trail to the Moxie Mountain Lookout. Great views of the Kennebec River Valley, Sugarloaf and the Bigelow Range.
• PLEASANT POND TRAIL  Great ride with plenty of snow all the way through.
• BALD MOUNTAIN TRAIL FROM ITS 87 TO ITS 86  Great ride and plenty of snow all the way through.
• BREAKNECK RIDGE TRAIL HEADING TOWARD BLANCHARD  Great riding.
• KENNEBEC RIVER TRAIL FROM NORTHERN OUTDOORS TO WEST FORKS  A little thin in spots and snirt here and there, but not bad at all. Worst of it is the last 1 mile into town.

For day riders, there is a FREE PARK AND RIDE LOT  at Northern Outdoors on Route 201. The lot is very large, well plowed and will accommodate large trailers. A groomed trail from the parking lot directly accesses ITS 87 or the Kennebec River Trail.  Gas (91 oct), food and trail maps are available at NO.  Look for the large PARK AND RIDE sign on Route 201, just before Northern Outdoors.

Jim Yearwood
Northern Outdoors Snowmobile Club

We are on our regular grooming schedule on all 100 miles of our trail system and the trails are in very good shape, for the most part. It was windy during last weeks storm, so there are a few windblown spots here and there where the snow didn’t accumulate much. Also have to be careful for icy corners as the snow gets ridden out of the turns. All in all, the riding is really enjoyable! Looks like the potential for more snow coming on Saturday.
 

• ITS 86 HEADING EAST FROM BERRY’S STORE TOWARD GREENVILLE AND ROCKWOOD   Because of heavy traffic, intown section is rough and can always use more snow. Once just a mile out of town, things improve. Boise Road is great. Short ½ mile Power Line section near Moxie Pond is not bad at all. A little windblown in spots, so the tops of a few rocks are showing. There is a 2 mile section of plowed road around Moxie Pond, due to logging. Good snow cover over 90% of it . . . . only about 200 yards at the dam where you will be scratching dirt, and a couple sunburned patches elsewhere that are easy to avoid. Rest of the way toward Greenville on ITS 86 and toward Rockwood on ITS 88 are in fine shape.
• ITS 87 HEADING SOUTH TOWARD BINGHAM  Divide Road section is in great shape. Still a little thin on the very short woods sections around Pleasant Pond and Moore’s Bog. Also a few small sunburned patches here and there. There is a 1/2 mile section around the south side of Moxie Mountain, that is severely windblown. Pretty scratchy through there, but you can stay on snow with some “bobbing and weaving”. Check out the 3 mile groomed spur trail to the Moxie Mountain Lookout. Great views of the Kennebec River Valley, Sugarloaf/USA and the Bigelow Range.
• PLEASANT POND TRAIL  Great ride with plenty of snow all the way through.
• BALD MOUNTAIN TRAIL FROM ITS 87 TO ITS 86  Great ride and plenty of snow all the way through.
• BREAKNECK RIDGE TRAIL HEADING TOWARD BLANCHARD  Good riding.
• KENNEBEC RIVER TRAIL FROM NORTHERN OUTDOORS TO WEST FORKS  A little thin in spots and snirt here and there, but not bad at all. Worst of it is the last 1 mile into town.

For day riders, there is a FREE PARK AND RIDE LOT  at Northern Outdoors on Route 201. The lot is very large, well plowed and will accommodate large trailers. A groomed trail from the parking lot directly accesses ITS 87 or the Kennebec River Trail.  Gas (91 oct), food and trail maps are available at NO.  Look for the large PARK AND RIDE sign on Route 201, just before Northern Outdoors.

Jim Yearwood
Northern Outdoors Snowmobile Club

The 8” of snow we received on Saturday was just what the doctor ordered. Snowing hard again right now . . . . supposed to get 2” – 4” more tonight. We are on our regular grooming schedule on all 100 miles of our trail system and the trails are back in very good shape, for the most part. It was windy during the storm, so there are a few windblown spots here and there where the snow didn’t accumulate and ice is prevalent. Also have to be careful for icy corners as the snow gets ridden out of the turns.
 

• ITS 86 HEADING EAST FROM BERRY’S STORE TOWARD GREENVILLE AND ROCKWOOD   Because of heavy traffic, intown is rough and can always use more snow. Once just a mile out of town, things improve. Boise Road is great. Short ½ mile Power Line section near Moxie Pond is not bad at all. A little windblown in spots, so the tops of a few rocks are showing. There is a 2 mile section of plowed road around Moxie Pond, due to logging. Go slow through there. Rest of the way toward Greenville on ITS 86 and toward Rockwood on ITS 88 are in fine shape.
• ITS 87 HEADING SOUTH TOWARD BINGHAM  Divide Road section is in great shape. Still a little thin on the very short woods sections around Pleasant Pond and Moore’s Bog. There is a one mile section around the south side of Moxie Mountain, that is severely windblown. A lot of gravel and ice through there. You can avoid this section by using the Bald Mountain Trail and the Pleasant Pond Trail.
• PLEASANT POND TRAIL  Great ride all the way through. We recommend this route going to and from Bingham area, to avoid the windblown section mentioned in the first bullet point.
• BALD MOUNTAIN TRAIL FROM ITS 87 TO ITS 86  Great ride all the way through.
• BREAKNECK RIDGE TRAIL HEADING TOWARD BLANCHARD  Good riding.
• KENNEBEC RIVER TRAIL FROM NORTHERN OUTDOORS TO WEST FORKS  Still a little thin in spots, but not bad at all. Worst of it is the last 1 mile into town. The big hill off the Flood Road is very icy . . . . use caution.

For day riders, there is a FREE PARK AND RIDE LOT  at Northern Outdoors on Route 201. The lot is very large, well plowed and will accommodate large trailers. A groomed trail from the parking lot directly accesses ITS 87 or the Kennebec River Trail.  Gas (91 oct), food and trail maps are available at the main lodge.  Look for the large PARK AND RIDE sign on Route 201, just before Northern Outdoors.

Jim Yearwood
Northern Outdoors Snowmobile Club

So what are the advantages of having an expert, professional snowmobile guide to show you all the best places to ride in The Forks Maine?

A LOT, it turns out!  Great trails, great terrain, best scenic views (picture opps!), best lunch spots, and you will never get lost - guaranteed. In a terrain set called a "Snowmobilers' Paradise" by SuperTrax International, covering 150 miles locally with access to Maine's renowned 13,00+ miles of ITS trail system, we know that expert guides make a lot of sense.

Here's our latest winter video about guided snowmobile touring in The Forks Maine with Northern Outdoors and Backcountry Expeditions.

Have fun - and come on up! We're getting a wicked nor'easter now and the 2013 snowmobile season is on Reset and Go!

Visit Northern Outdoors Guided Tours here.
Northern Outdoors Snowmobile Resort
Kennebec River Brewery

Trails are very hard and very icy in spots. Good news is that there is still riding if you want to get out there. Not recommended to cruise along at 60 mph, but if you want to get out and ride and enjoy the scenery, you can. Just pick your spots and watch out for hazards such as water channels across trail, ice, exposed rocks.  Looks like a good storm coming through on Friday night / Saturday.  Groomers are scheduled to go out Saturday night so things should improve greatly.

•    ITS 86 HEADING EAST FROM BERRY’S STORE TOWARD GREENVILLE AND ROCKWOOD   Intown trail is very poor. Water holes that need to freeze up and lack of snow. Trail is also poor for a couple miles heading out of town. Once on the Boise Road, things improve. Short ½ mile Power Line section near Moxie Pond is very poor. There are 2 miles of plowed road around Moxie Pond due to logging. One and one half miles of this is glare ice. The other ½ mile is down to gravel (around the dam at Moxie). Rest of the way after the plowed section still has decent snow. To go to and from the Greenville area we recommend using ITS 87, the Pleasant Pond Trail and the Bald Mountain Trail. This is longer, but will generally keep you on decent snow and avoid the Power Line and plowed road.
•    ITS 87 HEADING SOUTH TOWARD BINGHAM  Divide Road section has decent snow. Thin with rocks and stumps poking through on the short woods sections near Pleasant Pond and Moore’s Bog. Bare ground for almost a mile section on the south side of Moxie Mountain. ITS 87 is not recommended south of the Pleasant Pond Trail intersection.
•    PLEASANT POND TRAIL  Decent snow all the way through. As mentioned in first bullet point, we recommend this route to travel to and from Greenville area.
•    BALD MOUNTAIN TRAIL FROM ITS 87 TO ITS 86  Decent snow most of the way.  
•    BREAKNECK RIDGE TRAIL  Not sure how this has held up on the Blanchard end. Check with Guilford club (4 Winds).
•    KENNEBEC RIVER TRAIL FROM NORTHERN OUTDOORS TO WEST FORKS  Not recommended. Lack of snow and one very steep hill with severe ice (Flood Road Hill).

Bottom line is that we got what we got, and have to make due with it. Again, the conditions are marginal until we get more snow. But, if you want to get out and ride you can. Just pick your places to ride and be careful.

For day riders, there’s a FREE PARK AND RIDE LOT at Northern Outdoors on Route 201. The lot is very large, well plowed and will accommodate large trailers. A groomed trail from the parking lot directly accesses ITS 87 or the Kennebec River Trail. Gas (91 oct), food and trail maps are available at NO.  Look for the big PARK AND RIDE sign on Route 201, just before Northern Outdoors.

Jim Yearwood
Northern Outdoors Snowmobile Club

IMPORTANT TRAIL NOTICE: To ride into or out of Northern Outdoors, use the marked and groomed detour on the Kennebec River Trail and the Divide Road. The regular access trail behind the lodge has very severe ice on the hills and is not recommended. To leave Northern Outdoors, follow the Kennebec River Trail for 1 mile. At the one mile mark you will see a sign that directs you across Route 201 and up the Divide Road to ITS 87

IMPORTANT TRAIL ACCESS NOTICE: To ride into or out of Northern Outdoors, we strongly recommend using the marked and groomed detour on the Kennebec River Trail and the Divide Road. The regular access trail behind the lodge has very severe ice on the hills and is not recommended. An experienced rider with picks could do it, but we recommend the detour. To leave Northern Outdoors, follow the Kennebec River Trail for 1 mile. At the one mile mark you will see a sign that directs you across Route 201 and up the Divide Road to ITS 87

The heavy rain put a severe hurt on our trails. Things are still draining out and freezing back up. Hazards are everywhere . . . . ice, water channels across trail, standing water, stumps/rocks poking through. Trails are very hard and very icy in spots. Good news is that there is still riding if you want to get out there. We don't recommended you cruise along at 60 mph, but if you want to get out and ride and enjoy the scenery, you can. Just pick your spots.

·        ITS 86 HEADING EAST FROM BERRY’S STORE TOWARD GREENVILLE AND ROCKWOOD   Intown trail is very poor. Water holes that need to freeze up and lack of snow. Trail is also poor for a couple miles heading out of town. Once on the Boise Road, things improve. Short ½ mile Power Line section near Moxie Pond is very poor. There are 2 miles of plowed road around Moxie Pond due to logging. One and one half miles of this is glare ice. The other ½ mile is down to gravel (around the dam at Moxie). Rest of the way after the plowed section still has decent snow. To go to and from the Greenville area we recommend using ITS 87, the Pleasant Pond Trail and the Bald Mountain Trail. This is longer, but will generally keep you on decent snow and avoid the Power Line and plowed road.

·        ITS 87 HEADING SOUTH TOWARD BINGHAM  Divide Road section has decent snow. Thin with rocks and stumps poking through on the short woods sections near Pleasant Pond and Moore’s Bog. Bare ground for almost a mile section on the south side of Moxie Mountain. ITS 87 is not recommended south of the Pleasant Pond Trail intersection.

·        PLEASANT POND TRAIL  Decent snow all the way through. As mentioned in first bullet point, we recommend this route to travel to and from the Greenville area.

·        BALD MOUNTAIN TRAIL FROM ITS 87 TO ITS 86  Decent snow most of the way.  

·        BREAKNECK RIDGE TRAIL  Not sure how this has held up on the Blanchard end. Check with Guilford club (4 Winds).

·        KENNEBEC RIVER TRAIL FROM NORTHERN OUTDOORS TO WEST FORKS  Not recommended. Lack of snow and one very steep hill with severe ice (Flood Road Hill).

 Bottom line is that we've got what we've got for now, and have to make do with marginal conditions until we see more snow. But, if you want to get out and ride you can. Just pick your places to ride and be careful.

 For day riders, there’s a FREE PARK AND RIDE LOT at Northern Outdoors on Route 201. The lot is very large, well plowed and will accommodate large trailers. A groomed trail from the parking lot directly accesses ITS 87 or the Kennebec River Trail. Gas (91 octane), food and trail maps are available at the main lodge.  Look for the big PARK AND RIDE sign on Route 201, just before Northern Outdoors.

 Jim Yearwood

Northern Outdoors Snowmobile Club

Happy snowmobilers over MLK weekend. Plenty of snow and good trail conditions prevail. All 100 miles of The Forks Trail System are open and being groomed on a regular basis.

•    ITS 86 HEADING EAST FROM BERRY’S STORE TOWARD GREENVILLE AND ROCKWOOD  Intown trail is getting pounded out and is a bit rough, however it is all very passable. Once just 1 mile out of town, things improve greatly. Boise Road is flat and fast!  Short ½ mile Power Line section near Moxie Pond is somewhat rough, with a few rocks poking through and a couple wet spots to watch for.  There are 2 miles of plowed road around Moxie Pond due to a logging operation. There is a solid hard snow/ice surface on all but about 50 yards of the road by the dam, so you’ll be grinding a little dirt on that short stretch. Great riding the rest of the way.
•    ITS 87 HEADING SOUTH TOWARD BINGHAM  Divide Road is flat and very fast. A few rocks poking through on the short woods trail sections at Pleasant Pond and Moore’s Bog. Some small thin patches on a short windblown section around the south side of Moxie Mountain. Check out the 3 mile groomed spur trail up to the Moxie Mt Lookout. Spectacular views of Sugarloaf Mt and the Bigelow Range.
•    BALD MOUNTAIN TRAIL FROM ITS 86 TO ITS 87  Good snow and great riding all the way through.
•    BREAKNECK RIDGE TRAIL  Good ride through to Blanchard.
•    PLEASANT POND TRAIL  Plenty of snow and a super ride all the way. This trail combined with the Bald Mountain Trail and ITS 87, makes a nice scenic loop ride around Moxie Mountain.
•    KENNEBEC RIVER TRAIL FROM NORTHERN OUTDOORS TO WEST FORKS  A little thin on the inside of some corners, but not bad. A little rough the last 1 mile into town.

For day riders, there’s a FREE PARK & RIDE LOT  at Northern Outdoors main lodge on Route 201. The lot is very large, well plowed and will accommodate large trailers. A groomed trail directly from the parking lot accesses ITS 87 or the Kennebec River Trail. Gas, food and trail maps are available at NO. Look for the big PARK & RIDE sign just before Northern Outdoors.

Jim Yearwood
Northern Outdoors Snowmobile Club

Last weekend we were delighted to host the Polaris Snowmobiles Terrain Domination Challenge held over two consecutive days, January 12th & 13th, at Northern Outdoors snowmobile resort in The Forks, Maine. Polaris invited two groups of handpicked riders from Canada and U.S. to come to Northern Outdoors to ride a series of 60-mile loops on some of Polaris’s latest sleds, and then sit down with reps to give them feedback. Event participants represented owners of various snowmobile brands, and included folks from HardcoreSledder.com and Sledhead 24/7 TV.  Sledhead 24/7 TV documented the event and is producing a show on it,  scheduled to air later this season.

The January thaw put a little damper on the trails, but fortunately we didn’t get any rain so things are still in pretty good shape overall here in The Forks. Both groomers were out all night on Monday just as things were finally cooling off after the thaw. The snow was still soft enough to really work out all the bumps, pull snow into the corners, and lay out a flat surface. By early Tuesday morning, temps had dropped down to the low 20’s and they have stayed well below freezing since then. The result is our trail system has set up with a flat, very hard and very fast surface. With that said the thaw created a few hazards on the trails, most notably ice bridges over some water holes that have partially deteriorated. Also, there are some bare patches where the groomer drag had scalped off the tops of high spots. Because the trails are generally flat and fast, you must use extreme caution as you can come up on these obstacles at any point.  Beyond that, the riding is very enjoyable on all 100 miles of our trail system. We are continuing with our regular grooming schedule through the MLK weekend.

•    ITS 86 HEADING EAST FROM BERRY’S STORE TOWARD GREENVILLE AND ROCKWOOD  Intown trail is getting thin with “snirt” in spots, however it is all very passable. Once just 1 mile out of town, things improve greatly. Boise Road is flat and scary fast!  Short ½ mile Power Line section near Moxie Pond is somewhat rough, with a few rocks and stumps poking through. There are 2 miles of plowed road around Moxie Pond due to a logging operation. There is a solid hard snow/ice surface on all but about 100 yards of the road by the dam, so you’ll be grinding a little dirt on that short stretch. Great riding the rest of the way.
•    ITS 87 HEADING SOUTH TOWARD BINGHAM  Divide Road is flat and very fast. A few rocks poking through on the short woods trail sections at Pleasant Pond and Moore’s Bog. Some small bare patches on a short section around the south side of Moxie Mountain. Check out the 3 mile groomed spur trail up to the Moxie Mt Lookout. Spectacular views of Sugarloaf Mt and the Bigelow Range.
•    BALD MOUNTAIN TRAIL FROM ITS 86 TO ITS 87  Good snow and great riding all the way through.
•    BREAKNECK RIDGE TRAIL  Good ride through to Blanchard.
•    PLEASANT POND TRAIL  Plenty of snow and a super ride all the way. This trail combined with the Bald Mt Trail and ITS 87, makes a nice scenic loop ride around Moxie Mountain.
•    KENNEBEC RIVER TRAIL FROM NORTHERN OUTDOORS TO WEST FORKS  A few bare spots on some inside corners, but not bad. A little rough the last 1 mile into town.

For day riders, there’s a FREE PARK & RIDE LOT  at Northern Outdoors on Route 201. The lot is very large, well plowed, and will accommodate large trailers. A groomed trail directly from the parking lot accesses ITS 87 or the Kennebec River Trail. Gas, food and trail maps are available at NO. Look for the big PARK & RIDE sign just before Northern Outdoors.

Jim Yearwood
Northern Outdoors Snowmobile Club

All 100 miles of The Forks Area Snowmobile Trail  System are open and being groomed on a regular basis.  We have a great base of snow and outstanding riding! There’s some happy riders out there!

•    ITS 86 FROM BERRY’S STORE HEADING EAST TOWARD GREENVILLE AND ROCKWOOD   Great riding all the way. Intown trails have plenty of snow, and even the Power Line section near Moxie Pond is pretty smooth.  Couple miles of plowed road on the Shirley Road section, due to logging. There is a good base of snow on the road all the way. Go slow through there and watch for trucks.
•    ITS 87 HEADING SOUTH TOWARD BINGHAM   Smooth sailing all the way. Check out the 3 mile groomed spur trail up Moxie Mountain. Awesome views of Sugarloaf and the Bigelows!
•    BALD MOUNTAIN TRAIL FROM ITS 87 TO ITS 86  Great ride all the way through.
•    BREAKNECK RIDGE TRAIL  Groomed all the way through.
•    PLEASANT POND TRAIL  Great ride all the way through. This trail, combined with ITS 87, makes a great loop ride around scenic Moxie Mountain.
•    KENNEBEC RIVER TRAIL FROM NORTHERN OUTDOORS TO WEST FORKS  Open and groomed all the way through. Scenic trail along the Kennebec River.

For day riders, there’s a FREE PARK & RIDE LOT at Northern Outdoors lodge on Route 201. The lot is very large and well plowed, and will accommodate large trailers.  Groomed trail directly from the parking lot accesses ITS 87 and the Kennebec River Trail.  Gas, food and trail maps are available at NO.  Look for the big PARK & RIDE sign just before Northern Outdoors.

Jim Yearwood
Northern Outdoors Snowmobile Club

We're pleased to launch the new online retail store where you can purchase your favorite t-shirts, hats and logowear.

For all you snowmobile fans check out the recently added official Northern Outdoors Snowmobile Club long sleeve t-shirt.

Check the store often as we'll be adding new items over the next few months. 

All 100 miles of The Forks Area Snowmobile Trail System are open and being groomed on a regular basis.  We have a great base of snow and outstanding riding!  

•    ITS 86 FROM BERRY’S STORE HEADING EAST TOWARD GREENVILLE AND ROCKWOOD   Great riding all the way. Intown trails have plenty of snow, and even the Power Line section near Moxie Pond is pretty smooth.  Couple miles of plowed road on the Shirley Road section, due to logging. There is a good base of snow on the road all the way. Go slow through there and watch for trucks.
•    ITS 87 HEADING SOUTH TOWARD BINGHAM   Smooth sailing all the way. Check out the 3 mile groomed spur trail up Moxie Mountain. Awesome views of Sugarloaf and the Bigelows!
•    BALD MOUNTAIN TRAIL FROM ITS 87 TO ITS 86  Great ride all the way through.
•    PLEASANT POND TRAIL  Great ride all the way through.
•    KENNEBEC RIVER TRAIL FROM NORTHERN OUTDOORS TO WEST FORKS  Open and groomed all the way through. Scenic trail along the Kennebec River.

For day riders, there is a FREE PARK & RIDE LOT on Route 201 at Northern Outdoors.  The lot is large, well plowed, and can accommodate large trailers.  Gas, food and trail information is available at Northern Outdoors main lodge.

Jim Yearwood

Northern Outdoors Snowmobile Club

All 100 miles of The Forks Trail System are open and groomed (except as noted below) with great riding.  Groomers packed the trail on Thursday 12/20 and groomed it flat on Monday 12/24. The result is a great base for the season. Storm coming through  on Thursday with 12+ inches of snow.  Groomers will be out Friday and Sunday nights. Will be great riding!

•    ITS 86 EAST FROM BERRY’S STORE HEADING TOWARD GREENVILLE AND ROCKWOOD.  Snow is a little thin in town, but once up out of the valley things improve greatly. Power Line near Moxie Pond is very rough, but passable. Other than that, it’s great riding. There is 2 miles of shared road near Moxie Pond, due to logging. There is a good base of snow on the road, but go slow.
•    ITS 87 SOUTH HEADING SOUTH TOWARD BINGHAM.  Good going all the way through. Spur trail up to the Moxie Mountain Lookout is open and groomed.
•    BALD MOUNTAIN TRAIL FROM ITS 87 TO ITS 86.  Great ride all the way.
•    PLEASANT POND TRAIL.  Great ride all the way through.
•    BREAKNECK RIDGE TRAIL.  Groomed on our end, but unsure if 4 Winds club has groomed their end.
•    KENNEBEC RIVER TRAIL FROM NORTHERN OUTDOORS LODGE TO WEST FORKS.  Has not been cleared of blowdowns or groomed.

Jim Yearwood
Northern Outdoors Snowmobile Club

Jim and Greg both groomed on Christmas Eve and reported the riding is pretty awesome as we get set to open for the season today!  More snow coming Thursday.

We will be grooming again on Friday & Sunday.

The Forks Area Trail Report Friday December 21st, 2012

Groomers were out on Thursday for the first time this season, packing the trail. Solid 16" snow on all sections, except right in the valley where there is a little less.

ITS 86 toward Greenville, ITS 87 toward Bingham and the Bald Mountain Trail have all been packed and are rideable. The Pleasant Pond Trail and Kennebec River Trail are not open yet.

We are expecting 4 - 7" of snow today, with a bit of rain in between. Then colder temps next week.

We will be sending out the groomers with the drags, on Monday. Should be nice riding once we get things smoothed out.

Northern Outdoors lodge will be open for the season at noon on Wednesday, December 26th - let's go riding.

Jim Yearwood,
Northern Outdoors Snowmobile Club