Maranacook Community School Trails

Maranacook Community School trails in orange. Readfield Fairground trails in blue.

This trail system, which is great for hiking, biking, running, and cross-country skiing, connects to the beautiful trail around the Readfield fairgrounds. The school’s cross-country paths also link up to local snowmobile trails, which go on for miles but most importantly, swing by the lovely pond to the north of the school. You can head up this way if you don’t mind pushing through tall grass in the summer! The area around the pond doesn’t seem well trampled.

Another highlight, besides the pond, is the stream that runs close to the school. The best access is just north of the high school; I’ve marked it with a red icon on my map, as well as a somewhat hairy stream crossing close by that allows you to make a nice loop in the woods.

The cross-country trails tend to be wide, level and easy. (There’s just one significant hill just north of the fields in the southwest part of the system.) They make several loops close to the school and connect to the beautiful grasslands that are managed for bird habitat. Several mown trails cross these fields.

If you don’t mind venturing off the school trails, you can follow a faint, narrow, short trail that heads northwest and connects to the snowmobile trail that makes a wide loop around the school and swings by the pond. When you reach the snowmobile trail, turn right to follow it to the pond. The track might be overgrown and muddy, but the pond is nice to visit. The snowmobile trails around the pond are quite grassy.

I’ve also indicated, in a finer line on my map, an older school trail that heads east and connects to the schools farthest ball field. This trail doesn’t seem actively maintained.

Directions: After going up the school complex on Millard Harrison Drive, you can pick up the trail at several points around the school grounds. I walked into the wooded trail system from behind the baseball field closest to the school. Or you can connect to it from the Readfield Fairgrounds, where it might be easier to park when school is in session.