This Massive Car-Free 28-Mile Maine Trail System Was Voted The Single Best Recreational Path In America
A former railroad bed in southern Maine went up against rail-trails from across the country and won a national public vote. That earns points in my book. Trains stopped rolling here in 1945, and now bikes, sneakers, and strollers rule the corridor.
The path cuts straight across the biggest salt marsh in the state. Wading birds hunt in the shallows while cyclists roll past on a flat gravel line. Bollards guard the access points, so cars, trucks, and ATVs never get a turn.
I’ll admit, a car-free ride with salty air sounds tempting. The rail grade stays gentle enough for wheelchairs, little kids, and cross-country skiers in winter. Nobody needs to be an athlete to enjoy it.
Up at the northern end, a tiny 1875 lighthouse waits beside the harbor. How does one trail squeeze marshes, forests, highway crossings, and harbor views into a single trip? I’d love to see that for myself.
America Voted, And This Rail-Trail Took The Crown
Plenty of trails brag about their views, but only a few get a trophy from the whole country. The Eastern Trail earned a spot in the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy’s Rail-Trail Hall of Fame in August 2022.
Here’s the fun part. The honor came from a national public vote, so regular trail fans picked the winner, not a closed-door panel.
The Hall of Fame celebrates trails for scenery, usefulness, amenities, history, and value to their communities. That’s a tough checklist, and this Maine path checked every box well enough to win over voters.
Think of it as a people’s choice award for walking shoes and bike tires. It also puts the trail in elite company with some of the most famous rail-trails in the country.
For first-timers, the award makes a handy starting point. It tells you the trail isn’t a random gravel strip behind a parking lot.
It’s a route that people care about deeply, enough to vote for it online. Honestly, that kind of fan club is hard to ignore when planning a weekend.
So lace up, pump those tires, and see what the fuss is about. The votes already set the bar pretty high.
The 28 Miles Are Only Part Of The Story
Twenty-eight miles already sounds like a lot of pedaling. The full Eastern Trail actually stretches about 65 miles through southern Maine, mixing off-road paths with on-road links.
The route runs from Kittery near the New Hampshire line up to South Portland. Along the way, it ties together a string of coastal towns that would usually require a car to connect.
Bigger dreams sit behind it, too. The Eastern Trail is part of the East Coast Greenway, a roughly 3,000-mile route reaching from Maine to Florida.
That’s right, your Saturday stroll technically sits on a path pointed toward Key West. You don’t have to go that far, of course, but bragging rights are free.
Work on the trail keeps moving forward. The Close the Gap project officially opened in August 2026, completing a 1.6-mile missing link and creating 16 continuous off-road miles between Bug Light in South Portland and downtown Saco.
Crews and supporters are also pushing to extend off-road sections south from Kennebunk. More work in the Biddeford and Saco area aims to swap road stretches for dedicated path.
In other words, the trail is still growing. Come back in a few years, and you may find fresh miles waiting.
No Engines Allowed On These Peaceful Stretches
Bollards might be the least glamorous heroes on the whole route. These sturdy posts stand at access points to keep cars, trucks, and ATVs off the trail.
The rule is simple and firm. Motorized vehicles aren’t allowed, which keeps the off-road sections calm for walkers, runners, and cyclists.
There are a few smart exceptions. Class 1 and Class 2 low-speed e-bikes can use the trail, and so can mobility devices for people with disabilities.
That balance makes a lot of sense. A grandparent on an e-bike and a kid on training wheels can share the same afternoon without anyone feeling left out.
Keep in mind that the larger 65-mile system does include on-road connections. Those road links join the off-road pieces, so watch for traffic when the path meets the street.
For the quietest outing, aim for the dedicated off-road stretches. The Scarborough section across the marsh is a favorite place to start.
Without engine noise, you can actually hear the wind in the grass. Bird calls become the loudest thing around, which is a pretty great trade for honking horns.
Bring Your Skis When The Snow Shows Up
Flat ground is the secret weapon here. Since the trail follows an old rail grade, the slopes stay gentle and friendly for almost everyone.
Families with strollers can roll along without huffing up hills. Wheelchair users also benefit from the steady grade on many sections.
Surfaces change depending on where you hop on. You’ll find asphalt, concrete, crushed stone, and hard-packed gravel across different parts of the route.
Most of the path runs 10 to 12 feet wide, with some spots narrowing to 8 feet. That’s plenty of room to pass a slower walker without a clumsy shuffle.
Activities cover a wide range. Walking, running, biking, inline skating, and even fishing all have a place on this multi-use greenway.
Winter brings a whole new personality. Unplowed sections turn into routes for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing, so the fun doesn’t pack up in November.
A quick tip for gravel days is to pick wider tires if you can. Skinny road tires work on paved bits, but the crushed stone sections reward a little extra grip.
Binoculars Belong In Your Bag For The Marsh
Roughly two miles of the trail cross Scarborough Marsh, and it’s the stretch people talk about most. This is the largest salt marsh in Maine, covering about 3,100 to 3,200 acres.
Open water and tall grass spread out on both sides of the path. The view feels huge, especially after a stretch of shady woods.
Birders get a real treat here. The marsh is a haven for marine birds, and peregrine falcons and ibis are among the species worth watching for.
A camera with a zoom lens is a smart packing choice. So is a jacket, since the wide-open marsh offers little shelter from wind on cooler days.
Bug spray deserves a spot in your bag, too. Marshes are beautiful, but they also host plenty of tiny, hungry locals.
The Pine Point Road parking lot in Scarborough makes a handy launch spot. From there, the trail heads north across the marsh or continues south for many more miles.
Go slow on this part. The whole point is noticing the herons, the tide channels, and the way the light shifts across the grass.
A Tiny Lighthouse And A Highway Bridge Steal The Show
Lighthouses don’t come much cuter than Bug Light. This little 1875 tower sits in Bug Light Park in South Portland, at the northern end of the Eastern Trail.
The park serves up wide views across the water. Tankers, sailboats, and the Portland skyline all line up for your photos.
On the way there, the trail rolls through South Portland neighborhoods. It’s a fun shift from wild marsh grass to porches and city streets.
Farther south in Kennebunk, a pedestrian bridge carries the trail over the Maine Turnpike. It opened in 2011 and is the only pedestrian bridge crossing that busy highway.
Standing above speeding cars while you’re on foot feels a little funny. Down below, everyone is in a hurry, and up top, you’re just enjoying the breeze.
Dense forests fill in many of the miles between these landmarks. Those shady sections give the route a cozy, tucked-away feeling on hot summer days.
All of it fits on one connected path through southern Maine. Few trails can offer a lighthouse, a turnpike crossing, and a giant salt marsh in the same outing.
Trains Rolled Here Long Before The Bikes Did
Back in 1842, the Eastern Railroad started carrying passengers along this corridor. It became the first rail line to connect Boston to Portland, and it helped shape the region for about a century.
Train service ended in 1945. After that, part of the old right-of-way found a new job hosting a natural gas pipeline.
That pipeline still runs beneath sections of the trail today. So yes, there’s some hidden history right under your sneakers.
The idea of a trail started gaining steam in the early 1990s. The Eastern Trail Alliance held its first public meeting in March 1998.
The Alliance is a nonprofit that builds, maintains, and promotes the route. It partners with the Eastern Trail Management District on that work.
Their shared goal is big and clear. They want a continuous off-road path from South Portland all the way to the Maine and New Hampshire border.
Knowing the backstory makes the flat, straight path make sense. Trains needed gentle grades, and now cyclists get to enjoy that same easy ride generations later.
Plan Your Parking, Pack Your Water, Then Go
Good news first. The Eastern Trail has plenty of parking areas spread along its many sections, so getting on is usually easy.
Popular access points include Bug Light Park in South Portland and Eastern Road in Scarborough. There’s also parking near Kennebunk Elementary School in Kennebunk.
Saco offers options at Thornton Academy and Millbrook Business Park. The trail is listed at Saco, ME 04072, and it’s open 24 hours a day.
Now the honest part. Most of the trail and its trailheads don’t have restrooms, so plan stops before you start.
Water fountains are limited, too. The Mill Brook Road trailhead has one that operates from May through October, so fill bottles when you can.
Cyclists get a nice perk in Scarborough. The Pine Point Road parking lot has a bicycle repair station and some bike racks.
Bring snacks, extra water, and a basic tire kit for longer rides. A little prep keeps a flat tire from turning a fun day into a long walk back to the car.
Moonlit Walks And Lighthouse Rides Fill The Calendar
A full moon over a giant salt marsh sounds like a scene from a movie. The Eastern Trail Alliance hosts monthly Full Moon Walks through Scarborough Marsh, so you can see it for real.
Night changes everything about the marsh. The open sky and quiet water give the place a whole different mood than a sunny afternoon.
Runners can test their legs at the John Andrews Memorial 5K in Saco. It’s a timed race on the trail and a signature fundraiser for the Alliance.
Cyclists have the Maine Lighthouse Ride to look forward to. It offers several route options for different skill levels and helps raise money for the trail.
Group rides also roll from May to October. Joining one is a great way to learn the route with people who already know where the turns are.
Remember a few trail manners on any outing. Stay right, pass left, and give a bell or a friendly heads-up before passing.
Dogs are welcome on a leash, and owners must carry out waste. Do that, and you’ll fit right in on Maine’s favorite car-free path.