Where to go cross-country skiing in Maine

Tracy Burke of Cape Elizabeth enjoys the trails at Pineland Farms. Photo by Aimsel Ponti

OK, winter, let’s do this!

Sure, we’ve got our mountains for downhill skiing, but if that’s not your bag, cross-country might be the ticket to getting out on the white stuff. Speaking of those big mountains, Lost Valley Ski Area in Auburn, Sugarloaf in Carrabassett Valley, Titcomb Mountain, Saddleback Mountain and Sunday River in Newry all offer cross-country skiing.

Here are some cross-country skiing spots to visit this winter. It’s always a good idea to call or check online for current conditions before heading out.

Bundle up and have a blast!

Pineland Farms
8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Outdoor Center, 25 Campus Drive, New Gloucester; $20, $15 after 1 p.m., $16 seniors and youth, $12 after 1 p.m., free for ages 6 and under. pinelandfarms.org
Pineland has over 5,000 acres of woodlands and fields that are open to the public for year-round outdoor activities. For your winter adventures, there are 30 kilometers of professionally designed trails for Nordic skiing and snowshoeing. Equipment rentals are also available, so don’t let a lack of it stop you from getting out there. If you’re a newbie to cross-country skiing, Pineland offers private lessons. And be sure to hit The Market after you’ve gotten your fill of the trails to get your fill of coffee, baked goods and sandwiches.

Buzzell trail at Harris Farm in Dayton. Carl D. Walsh/Staff Photographer

Harris Farm
9 a.m. to dusk daily. 280 Buzzell Road, Dayton; $15, $10 students, free for 6 and under Monday through Friday; $18, $10 for ages 7-18 on weekends, holidays and school vacation weeks. harrisfarm.com
At Harris Farm, you’ll find 40 kilometers of trails that will bring you across gorgeous open fields, thick forests (complete with babbling brooks) and a 600-acre dairy and vegetable farm. There’s also a full-service rental shop with skis and snowshoes. Fat-tire bikes are also allowed on the trails when conditions permit. Repair to the lodge afterwards, where you’ll find a wood stove to warm up by as well as several snacks, including hot dogs. Rehydrate and recover with the farm’s chocolate milk. If skiing isn’t your thing, there’s a terrific sledding hill in front of the lodge (bring your own sled).

Smiling Hill Farm
9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. 781 County Road, Westbrook; $12, $8 youth weekdays; $16, $10 youth weekends and holidays. smilinghillfarm.com
It might be best known for its animals and dairy products, but that’s not all Smiling Hill Farm has to offer, especially in the winter. It has about 25 kilometers of groomed trails, and the scenery is idyllic. Smiling Hill Farm also offers rentals. Leashed dogs are allowed on the trails Monday through Friday. If you plan your outing around lunchtime (11 a.m. to 2 p.m.), be sure to hit the Dairy Store for sandwiches and homemade soups. Cold sandwiches, mac & cheese, soup and chop suey are available from 2-6 p.m. And there’s no law against eating ice cream in the winter.

Carter’s XC Ski Center in Bethel. Andree Kehn/Sun Journal

Carter’s XC Ski Center
10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday through Sunday. 786 Intervale Road, Bethel; $22, $18 seniors, $12 youth. carterxcski.com
Carter’s XC Ski Center offers 55 kilometers of trails that will keep beginners and expert skiers happy – as well as dogs, which are welcome with a $15 Doggie Day Pass. The center also offers rentals for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. Should you want a cross-country skiing lesson, you can schedule a private or semi-private one with longtime instructor Ann Speth, who coached high school Nordic skiing for 26 years. For an even grander adventure, you can book a stay in one of the center’s rustic, off-grid cabins. Carter’s XC Ski Center, on the banks on the Androscoggin River, is on land that has been in the Carter family since the late 1700s.

Rangeley Lakes Trails Center
9 a.m. to 4 p.m. 524 Saddleback Mountain Road, Rangeley; $22 (full day), $16 (half day), $15 for seniors, military and ages 7-18, free for kids 6 and under free (lower rates for snowshoeing). xcskiresorts.com/rangeley
You’ll find the Rangeley Lakes Trails Center at the base of Saddleback Mountain’s alpine ski area in the heart of the western mountain and lakes region. With 55 kilometers of mapped trails for skiing and snowshoeing, you’ll have plenty of options for your excursion. Duck into the yurt lodge for snacks, drinks and hot soup, or to rent equipment. Another perk is that there are plenty of places to stay at different price points, should you want to make it a multi-day excursion. Lessons and guided tours are available by reservation.

A skier takes advantage of both the warm temperatures and man-made snow for an afternoon of Nordic skiing at Quarry Road Trails in Waterville. Michael G. Seamans/Morning Sentinel

Quarry Road Trails
9 a.m. to 3 p.m. weekdays, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekends, night skiing until 9 p.m. 300 Quarry Road, Waterville; $20, $15 students and seniors, $50 family. quarryroad.org
In Waterville, you’ll find 8.2 miles of expertly groomed Nordic ski trails along with 5 miles of single-track trails for mountain biking and snowshoeing. What makes this spot different is that it makes its own snow for part of the trail system, which guarantees primo conditions all winter long. Ski equipment and snowshoes are available for rent at the Quarry Road Welcome Center Yurt until 3 p.m. weekdays; 4 p.m. weekends. Equipment rental is not available after the Welcome Center closes, so if you plan on night skiing, bring your own equipment. If walking and hiking are more your thing, the 200-plus acres are open to the public free of charge (donations appreciated).

Hidden Valley Nature Center
Open dawn to dusk. 131 Egypt Road, Jefferson; free. midcoastconservancy.org
Find nearly 1,000 acres of contiguous forest with two marked, 3-mile loops. Rentals available 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, starting at $10 for juniors and $15 for adults. Snowshoers are also welcome and dogs allowed on trails with leashes.

Inland Woods & Trails
9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily. 21 Broad St., Bethel; $22, $18 seniors, $15 youth, free for ages 6 and under. woodlandstrails.org
The Inland Winter Trails System’s center uses The Bethel Inn Resort’s golf pro shop as its winter headquarters. There, you’ll find rentals for cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and fat-tire biking. Skiing lessons are also available. As for the trails, there are just under 25 miles of them for cross-country skiing, categorized as easy, intermediate and difficult, so you can plan your adventure accordingly (and safely). The names of several of them are whimsical and include Dick’s Best Guess, Percolator and Harecut.

City of Portland
Multiple locations. portlandmaine.gov
Portland is an absolute cornucopia when it comes to places to go cross-country skiing, including a small, groomed trail loop at Deering Oaks park. Groomed trails can also be enjoyed at Riverside Golf Course, which has a pair of side by side ones. Portland also boasts several great spots for cross-country skiing in ungroomed locales. Some may include rocks, logs and other obstacles, which may be better suited for skis with metal edges or snowshoes. The list includes Evergreen Woods, Presumpscot River Preserve, Baxter Woods, Canco Woods, Fore River Preserve, Virginia Woods, Oatnuts Park, Capisic Pond Park, Riverton Trolley Park and the Western Promenade.

Sebago Lake State Park
Multiple trails. Off route 302 in Casco and Naples, adult rates differ, $1 for ages 5-11, free for 65 and older and under 5, bring cash. maine.gov
Sebago Lake State Park is a sweet spot for both cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. For skiing, there are 5.5 miles groomed trails on the Casco side (Access Road). Tracks are set on 3.7 miles with an additional 1.5 miles groomed for skate skiing. Rated easy to moderate, the trails wind through the forest and by the Songo River as well as part of Sebago Lake. On the snowshoeing front, head to the Naples side (Campground Road) for 5.5 miles of groomed trails and another half dozen miles of ungroomed ones.

Black Mountain
9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday through Sunday. 39 Glover Road, Rumford. Weekend and holiday fees are $15. skiblackmountain.org
Black Mountain is home to the Chisholm Ski Club, so be sure to check the website for events that could close the trails. Nordic skiing is free on Thursday and Friday through a sponsorship from L.L. Bean. Grades K-2 and seniors 75 and over always ski free. Snowshoeing is free all winter long.

Gilsland Farm10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily. 20 Gilsland Farm Road, Falmouth. Admission is free. maineaudubon.orgMaine Audubon’s headquarters are on a 65-acre sanctuary with more than 2 miles of trails winding along a pond through a forest, meadow, orchard and salt marsh, open year-round. Hiking, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing welcome. The visitor center and nature store are open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily.

Wells Reserve at Laudholm7 a.m. to sunset daily. 342 Laudholm Farm Road, Wells. wellsreserve.orgEasy to moderate trails are open to the public from 7 a.m. to sunset all winter for hiking, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing. A trail map is available online.

Wolfe’s Neck Centerdawn to dusk daily. 184 Burnett Road, Freeport. Admission is free. wolfesneck.orgWolfe’s Neck Center is open daily from dawn to dusk. More than 3 miles of free trails are open to the public all winter for hiking, skiing and snowshoeing.