Off-road Biking at Bradbury Mountain State Park
Intriguing Network of Trails in Southern Maine Woods
Sep 25, 2009
Not only does Bradbury Mountain State Park in southern Maine offer the usual camping and hiking opportunities, it also offers extensive single-track and double-track options for off-road biking.
Exciting Off-road Biking at Bradbury Mountain State Park
For those living in or visiting southern Maine, Bradbury Mountain State Park is conveniently located on State Route 9 in Pownal Center. It's just a few miles from the shopping mecca of L.L. Bean and the outlet stores in Freeport, Maine.
The park is open year-round, with winter sports typically limited to snowmobiling, snowshoeing, and cross-country skiing, depending on snow fall amounts. The park encompasses about 610 acres, most of it wooded. There's a small day-use fee.
Go prepared! Review the trail maps posted at the Maine state parks website. Bradbury Mountain State Park is split in half by Route 9; be aware of the difference between the east and the west trails.
- The trails on the west side are longer and more difficult than the ones on the east side; mostly double-track with a few single-track options. This side includes the day-use area and the trails to the summit of Bradbury Mountain (thus more people hiking, picnicking, etc.).
- The trails on the east side offer bikers more variety: single/double tracks, bridges, short/long loops, easy/difficult ranked trails. This side includes lots of single-track options. The small campground (about 35 sites) is located on this side.
Identifying the double-tracks and which single-tracks connect to them helps when facing an immediate decision of which turn to take. The trail maps also alert bikers that many of the trails are multi-use; be cognizant that equestrians and pedestrians may be sharing the same trails (bikers yield to both).
Also in preparation of taking to the trails, check trail conditions. This site indicates if any trail is closed (due to rain, maintenance, etc.), as well as provides announcements for upcoming events such as races.
Learn More Off-road Techniques
As with anything in life, those who wish to accomplish more have to put in time learning, discovering, making mistakes (and learning from those, too). For those new to off-road mountain biking, understand that enthusiasts need to focus on:
- obtaining and maintaining good equipment
- physical fitness training
- establishing an adventurous mind-set
- lots of practice
The thrills and challenges of biking a difficult single track require all of the above!
The "manual" is a good skill to acquire — it's the technique of getting the bike's front tire quickly up and over a hazard. Becoming more comfortable with a "skinny" helps your mental preparation for narrow, sometimes scary hazards such as bridges and boards. Bikers who consistently put in hard work and practice really can see their skills improve!
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