Greenville Junction to Shirley Mills Rail Trail

Greenville Junction to Shirley Mills Rail Trail Description

The Greenville Junction to Shirley Mills Rail Trail, trail follows the abandoned railbed of the Bangor and Aroostook Railroad 6.5 miles (one way) to Shirley Mills and continues east for about 50 miles all the way to Derby. In the winter it becomes a heavily used snowmobile trail and is part of Maine's Interconnected Trail System (ITS), so in the spring and summer it can be rough in spots.

The wide hard-packed gravel trail is flat, ideal for family bike rides and beginner mountain bikers. It travels through some of the best boreal habitat in the region. Look out for black ducks and common Merganser whenever the trail passes a deep section of the stream on the right.

The Greenville Junction-to-Shirley Mills Rail Trail continues along the east branch of the Piscataquis River, ending at Shirley Pond where you can find benches and picnic tables overlooking the pond. It is a lovely spot to rest and enjoy a picnic lunch while enjoying widlife views before the return ride. You may even spot common loons and ducks.

Trail Highlights & Nearby Points Of Interest

Wildlife Watch

West Shirley Bog

From the picnic table at Shirley Pond you can extend your ride 3.4 miles to West Shirley Bog by taking the road to the left. (ignore the road to the South). The dirt road that skirts the right side of the Pond is the B&A Railroad Bed North to Greenville. The first mile is paved and the remaining dirt road is rough. Stay on the main trail and be alert for moose watching opportunities. Ignore any side trails and continue until you reach the bog outflow. Relax on the bank and observe the wildlife and views of Big Moose Mountain in the distance. This a haven for moose, beaver and otters as well as a variety of birds, ducks and geese.

Location: Approximate GPS Coordinates: 45.372463, -69.670627

Bikes & Beaches

After your mountain bike ride, if you feel like going for a swim, several public beaches are easily accessed from downtown Greenville. (See our Bikes & Beaches : Northern New England feature article for more detail).

Historical Notes

Construction of the Bangor & Aroostook Railroad (B&A), a railroad that never actually reached Bangor with its own tracks, began on July 1, 1893. Great numbers of immigrant laborers, armed with pickaxes, shovels and wheelbarrows, cleared the way through forests, blasted hillsides and filled swamps to create a suitable surface for laying track into northern Maine, some parts of which were served only by wagon trails. They were plagued throughout the summer by swarms of mosquitoes and black flies and lived in small, hastily built shacks or tents eating whatever they could find along the way, including snakes and crows.

Completed in 1906 it ran from South Lagrange to Packard’s Junction to carry potatoes from Aroostook county to Boston. Competition from trucks led to a decline in rail use.

Directions

From Greenville Town Center: Drive west on Rt.15/6 toward Greenville Junction. After passing under the railroad trestle, turn left and drive south. Park off the side of the road. The trail runs south.

More Information

For other long distance multi-use rail trails in this region see Maine Rail Trails

Moosehead Lake Region
Chamber of Commerce
480 Moosehead Lake Rd
PO Box 581
Greenville, ME 04441

Phone: 207-695-2702

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