Bait Hole Recreation Trails...

Biking in Maine

The Bait Hole Recreation Trails near Millinocket, in the Maine Highlands, are a trail network with two loops: Bait Hole Loop (3 miles), and North Twin Dam Loop (1.5 mile). In the summer, hiking and biking are popular; in the winter, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. Disclosure: We hiked the North Twin Dam Loop, but it's bikeable for fat-wheel bikes. Hiking was our main reason for coming to this area, it's close to Baxter State Park and Mt. Katahdin at the northern end of the Appalachian Trail - whenever we're traveling and cross the Trail, we need to hike at least a portion of it. We found Millinocket to be a pleasant town, and Baxter State Park more than lives up to its description as a "Magnificent Obsession" (more below). (Detailed map and photos below.)

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Biking Map...
Bait Hole Recreation Trails

View Larger Map external

Location: Millinocket, ME (See map)
Distance: 4.5 miles
Surface: Gravel, dirt, grass
Nearby Points of Interest: Baxter State Park, Mt. Katahdin

Bike Shops/Rentals:
N/A

Support and Advocacy:
Katahdin Area Trails external
Friends of Baxter State Park

Bait Hole Recreation Trails

Trailhead to Elbow Lake

From the parking area, cross the railroad track and onto the trail, both loops run along this section, passing the Bait Hole (a pond once used to keep bait for fishing at Elbow Lake) to scenic Elbow Lake where they diverge. The Bait Hole Loop trail turns north, while the North Twin Dam Loop trail proceeds south to the dam.

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Trailhead parking to railroad

Cross the track

Onto the Loop

Bait Hole

Loops diverge

Elbow Lake

Elbow Lake Return to Trailhead

From Elbow Lake, the trail proceeds to the Dam and then along the West Branch Penobscot River and through the woods before coming back to the railroad track. Follow the path to return to trailhead, re-crossing the tracks.

Continue to North Twin Dam

North Twin Dam

Past the dam

Along East Branch Penobscot River

Through the woods

Back to railroad

Along the track

Return to trailhead

Wiley's Crossing

Maine's longest suspension snowmobile/ATV bridge, paralleling Route 11 and crossing over the West Branch Penobscot River. This abuts the Bait Hole Recreation Areas and we include it because we were there and liked the view.

Wiley's Crossing

Nearby Points of Interest

Mt. Katahdin and Baxter State Park

bike Maine, Baxter State Park, biking, BikeTripper.net Baxter State Park is a special place. Percival Baxter (Governor 1921-24) loved the area and started buying land including Mount Katahdin (highest in Maine) in 1930. Now totaling 210,000 acres, it's perpetually free to Maine residents funded by a trust left by Baxter. It's his "Magnificent Obsession" - a well deserved name. The stunning park has 215 miles of trails including the portion of the Appalachian Trail to its end at Baxter Peak on Mount Katahdin - considered the most difficult part of the Trail (the "hundred mile wilderness" or "horrible hundred") we only hiked a small portion at the park - about 3-4 miles total. From the Sandy Stream Trail is a good viewpoint of Mt. Katahdin.