QUICK TRAIL FACTS
- Preserve Size: Not sure
- Trail Mileage: ~ 7 miles in network
- Pets: yes
- Difficulty: easy
- Sights: Elbow Lake, views
Bait Hole trails have roughly seven miles of x-c ski and snowshoe trails (or walking/biking trails, depending on the season). The ski trails, which are groomed after major snowstorms, are fairly flat and easy, with a few smallish hills. Some of them pass along the shores of Elbow Lake, with views of distant mountains, including Katahdin (although when I visited in March 2017, it was too overcast to see). There’s no charge to use them, and they’re completely cared for by volunteers from Northern Timber Cruisers Snowmobile and Cross Country Ski Club, notably the dedicated Don Nodine.
In the map I included below, it shows some trails to the east, like the Old Boston Loop Trail. But these weren’t groomed when I visited and I think they might be discontinued. It appears from the map that you can link up with additional trails to the north that are also maintained by the club via a snowmobile trail, but I didn’t check this out. Dogs aren’t allowed on the ski trails.
This trail system, along with other groomed trails in Millinocket and East Millinocket — Northern Timber Cruisers northern trails, the Sno Rovers trails in East Millinocket, and the New England Outdoor Center system — make this area a fantastic place for x-c skiers!
Directions: From I-95, take Exit 244 (Medway/Millinocket) and follow signs to Millinocket and East Millinocket on Route 157/Route 11. Drive through downtown Millinocket and turn left after the light onto Katahdin Avenue. Drive .3 miles and turn right onto Route 11. Cross the railroad tracks, and from there, drive 2.9 miles southwest on Route 11 to the parking area, which will be on your right and marked with a sign.
