Chisholm Park Riverside Walking Trail

The .02-mile loop trail turns off of Rumford Avenue, descending a short set of steps into a wooded area with a wide, grassy pathway.

Shortly down from the trailhead is an overlook of the Androscoggin River with a semicircle stone wall that is perfect for sitting and taking in the falls or having a snack.

The trail continues through the woods, with views of the falls and the river the whole way and ends when the trail ascends a staircase back up to Rumford Avenue.

Rumford Community Forest trails

Located on an unnamed 1,374-foot hill on the north side of Rumford, the Rumford Community Forest, 161 Isthmus Road, owned by Inland Woods + Trails, offers three trails that opened in 2025.

The Scotty Brook Trail is a 0.2-mile ADA-accessible loop trail starting from the parking lot. It is well built and features a gravel surface, switchbacks, and extensive bench cuts. It winds through the forest and passes near Scotty Brook.

Heading north from the parking area, the Rumford Adventure Trail is a more traditional hiking trail. It forms a lollipop loop through relatively young forest and has easy grades. It is unblazed, but is marked with directional arrows at significant turns. From the trailhead and back, it’s about 1.1 miles in total.

Branching off from the Rumford Adventure Trail, shortly before its loop section, is the Porcupine Ridge Trail. From the trailhead, the distance to the viewpoint is 1.2 miles. The path climbs easily through mostly hardwood forest to a point near the summit of the hill.

Along the way, it crosses an old logging road (now a snowmobile trail) and passes an old cellar hole. Above the logging road crossing, it does get a little bit steeper, but is still quite easy going. At the end of the trail is a picnic table and viewpoint north toward the Tumbledown-Jackson Range and beyond.

The Swift River Trail

Swift River Trail is a pleasant, flat half-mile trail running along the shallow river in the Hosmer Field Athletic Complex, 51 Lincoln Ave., Rumford.

The Swift River Walking Trail is a paved walkway that meanders through a young deciduous forest. The paved surface of about 6 feet wide is suitable for strollers, wheelchairs, and others with mobility challenges.

The trail parallels the Swift River offering many beautiful views from the river’s banks, and it provides a calm getaway from the athletic fields. Distance markers keep users informed on how far they have traveled along the path.

The Rumford Falls Trail

Rumford Falls Trail is a 1.6-mile loop featuring views of the massive dam and waterfalls, off 1 Bridge St. in Rumford.

This is an easy loop with a mix of sidewalk and gravel road that provides several spectacular views of the Falls, the Old Rumford Dam and the Androscoggin River.

The Rumford Falls Trail follows sidewalks and a gravel road for a 1.6 mile loop. Heading in a counterclockwise direction from the Rumford Information Center, the route goes moderately uphill on the sidewalk along Route 2 for 0.5 miles.

Turning left onto South Rumford Road, cross the Androscoggin River on a high bridge with great views of the dam and Rumford in the background. On the opposite side of the bridge, on the left, a gated gravel road heads northward (downstream) parallel to the river.

Along this section are lookouts that provide views of the dam and Rumford Falls. After 0.7 miles, the gravel road intersects Bridge Street (Route 108). Turn left (west) on the sidewalk and continue over two bridges and past a war memorial before returning to the visitor center parking lot.

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