Activities to enjoy off the beaten snowmobile trail

Sooner or later, no matter the level of machine-powered enjoyment, even the most avid snowmobiler has to stop for a while. With more than 2,200 miles of marked trails in Aroostook County, rated No. 1 in the East by Snowgoer Magazine and stretching from Houlton to Allagash, snowmobilers don’t have to venture far from the beaten path to find something to do, eat or see.

“Here in Aroostook County, it’s pretty much all accessible from the snowmobile trails,” said Kathy Mazzuchelli, director of the Caribou Recreation Department and promoter of snowmobiling in northern Maine.

After a long day on the trails, a hot meal and refreshments poolside may be the ticket to relaxation. In Houlton, the Shiretown Motor Inn offers two restaurants, a lounge and heated indoor pool. Pools, restaurants, lounges and fitness centers also can be found at the Presque Isle Inn and Convention Center and a bit farther north at the Caribou Inn and Convention Center, both directly accessible from the International Trail System.

Those trails also lead to two branch campuses of the University of Maine System in Presque Isle and Fort Kent and to the Caribou Performing Arts Center.

“On any weekend, there is usually some type of performance or event going on at one or more of those three locations,” Mazzuchelli said. “There’s the full gamut of theater at UMPI, UMFK and CPAC.”

Snowmobilers can check out performances on the big screens at movie theaters in Presque Isle, Madawaska and Fort Kent, and do a bit of shopping at the Aroostook Centre Mall in Presque Isle.

Weekends are for comedy at the Presque Isle and Caribou inn and convention centers, with comics performing Friday nights in Caribou and Saturday evenings in Presque Isle. The Presque Isle location also features live bands Friday and Saturday evenings.

If variety is the spice of life, Aroostook County offers a banquet to visiting snowmobilers. From Al’s Diner in Mars Hill to The Sandwich Shop in Presque Isle to Dickey’s Trading Post in Allagash and Dean Motor Lodge in Portage, County cooks have been offering up house specialties for years. The ITS and side trails lead to dozens of restaurants, cafes and diners up and down Aroostook County.

And, of course, there is the scenery. Miles and miles of forest, lakes, rivers and streams populated by moose, deer, partridge and fox.

Outdoor activities in northern Maine are not limited to snowmobiling. Alpine and Nordic ski trails are kept groomed throughout the winter months in Mars Hill, Presque Isle and Fort Kent. Aroostook State Park in Presque Isle boasts miles of snowshoeing and cross-country ski trails.

Local clubs, hosts for their own events on winter weekends – including suppers, poker runs and guided outings – rely heavily on volunteer labor to keep those trails open, groomed and leading to county hot spots.

“These club members spend hundreds of hours each winter keeping our trails groomed,” Mazzuchelli said. “Snowmobiling is one of Maine’s best opportunities to use user fees for economic development.”

Annual events, such as the International Snowmobilers Festival in Madawaska, Houlton’s Moose Stompers Weekend in early February and the Can Am Sled Dog Races in Fort Kent in early March, draw thousands of sledding enthusiasts to the area for indoor and outdoor activities.

Trail conditions are always available by calling 1-888-216-2463 or any of the county’s chambers of commerce. The chambers also have complete listings of activities, eateries, lodging and club information.