Overview

Lying near Maine’s second largest urban area, Androscoggin Riverlands State Park is a 2,675-acre expanse with 12 miles of river frontage. More than half of Maine’s population lives

within an hour’s drive of this park, which is the fifth largest in the State. An extensive trail network and undeveloped lands offer abundant recreational opportunities and habitat for wildlife. The Park is part of the larger Androscoggin Greenway and the Androscoggin River Water Trail.

Turner Lands (2,345 acres)The larger of the Park’s two sections spans 6 miles of gently rolling land along the Androscoggin’s western shore in Turner. Visitors on foot, bicycle, ATV or horses can enjoy 12 miles of multi-use trails, and an additional 10 miles of foot trails (6.6 miles are shared with single-track biking) that offer great opportunities for spotting wildlife.

Leeds Lands (330 acres) The relatively flat and forested Park lands along the east shore of the Androscoggin River are accessible by boat (primarily canoes and kayaks as the water is shallow) and—in winter—by snowmobile.

Androscoggin Riverlands

State Parkguide & map

A wealth of riverfront recreational opportunities just north of Lewiston-Auburn

Property History

The Androscoggin, Maine’s third largest river, begins in the mountains of New Hampshire and descends 164 miles and 1,500 vertical feet to Merrymeeting Bay.

Native Americans camped and fished along its shores for over 10,000 years.

The river’s steep grade (an average of 8 feet per mile) made for challenging boat travel but helped power textile and paper mills. In 1925, Gulf Island Dam was built to provide renewable hy-droelectric power to meet the state’s electrical needs. Its 14-mile impoundment forced the abandonment of riverside settlements.

Riverfront industries and communities generated high volumes of pollution and by the 1960s, the Androscoggin was considered one of the ten most polluted rivers in the country. Pollutants built up behind the dams, diminishing water quality.

The federal Clean Water Act, passed in 1972 and co-authored by Maine native Senator Edmund Muskie (who grew up near the Androscoggin River), markedly reduced waste discharges— improving water quality and opening up the river’s recreational potential. Today the river is home to an abundance of wildlife and has become a popular destination for outdoor enthusiasts.

Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry

Bureau of Parks and Lands

www.parksandlands.com

Nearby Destinations The Androscoggin Riverlands lie in the Maine Lakes and Mountains Region and is just a few miles north of Lewiston/Auburn. Nearby destinations include:

• Range Pond State Park in Poland www.maine.gov/rangepond

• Bradbury Mountain State Park in Pownal www.maine.gov/bradburymountain

Maine Lakes & Mountains Region

Directions By Car: Take Route 117 east from Turner about 2 miles, turning right at a fork onto Center Bridge Road just before a 4-way intersection. Continue straight onto Center Bridge Road and proceed another 2 miles to the State Park’s main entrance on right.

By Boat: Turner Boat Launch (a public boat launch owned and operated by Brookfield Renewable) is located 1/3 mile beyond the Park’s main entrance on Center Bridge Road.

On Foot: Conant Road access (for non-motorized users) at the south end of Park or main entrance.

Lat 44.261181 / Lon -70.187399 (Center Bridge Rd. Turner) www.maine.gov/androscogginriverlands

Contactsc/o Range Pond State Park P.O. Box 475 Poland, ME 04274 207-998-4104www.parksandlands.com Androscoggin County Chamber of Commerce 415 Lisbon Street Lewiston, ME 04243 207-783-2249 www.androscoggincounty.com/public

Services & Facilities• 12 miles of multiple use/shared use trails

• 10 miles of hiking trails

• 6.6 miles of single-track mountain bike trails

• Picnic meadow including several picnic tables

• Vault toilet at north entrance on Center Bridge Road, second facility located at Picnic Meadow

When to VisitVisitors enjoy the Androscoggin Riverlands year-round, with skiers and snowmobilers using the trails in winter and a mix of hikers, boaters and ATV riders in warmer seasons (ATV use is allowed between May 15 and December 15 unless otherwise posted). Hunting is popular on these lands, be sure to wear highly visible clothing (blaze orange is recommended) in fall and spring.

The Park is open year-round 9 a.m. to sunset, but is gated and accessible only for foot traffic between the end of snowmobile season and May 15, unless otherwise posted.

Special Considerations • When boating or hiking, be prepared with extra clothing (and

appropriate footwear), map and compass, and adequate water and food. Wear blaze orange during hunting seasons. Inform someone where you are going and when you expect to return.

• Thoroughly clean boats and motors to avoid importing invasive plant and animal species. FMI: www.maine.gov/dep/water/invasives

• The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Warden Service enforces state fish and game laws, boating laws (on inland waters), and ATV and snowmobile laws. To learn more about applicable laws and to purchase appropriate licenses, visit www.maine.gov/ifw. For ATV and snowmobile trail maps visit www.parksandlands.com or call (207) 287-4957.

• Fish caught from the Androscoggin River should not be eaten regularly. Limit consumption to 6-12 fish meals per year. For current guidelines and information about the industrial contaminants, see the State’s fishing regulations at www.maine.gov/ifw.

• Hunting is popular and encouraged on these lands so expect to encounter hunters during all legal hunting seasons. Wear blaze orange during spring and fall for your safety.

Partners and Supporters This riverfront park was preserved as a natural area for public recreational use and conservation through the hard work and commitment of local residents and organizations. A broad coalition of conservation and community groups plans for the future of the river and Androscoggin Greenway. Members include local municipalities, the Androscoggin Land Trust, Androscoggin River Watershed Council, Androscoggin River Alliance, Androscoggin Valley Council of Governments, and the Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands. Local ATV and snow-mobile clubs provide trail maintenance and grooming support.

Land acquisition was negotiated with the help of the Androscoggin Land Trust, Trust for Public Land, and The Nature Conservancy. Land purchases were supported by the Land for Maine’s Future Program and the National Park Service’s Land and Water Conservation Fund. Recreational Trails Program money helped fund trails and this guide.

TwitchelsAirport

Nor

th R

iver

Roa

d

Chu

rch

Hill

R

oad

Conant Road

Meadow

Hill Road

Upp

er S

treet

Allen P

ond Road

Center Bridge Road

Maine Turnpike

a u b u r n

L e w i s t o n

t u r n e r

G r e e n e

s a b b a t u s

L e e d s

w a l e s

W a y n e

OX

FO

RD

CO

UN

TY

aN

DR

OS

CO

GG

IN C

OU

NT

Y

aN

DR

OS

CO

GG

IN C

OU

NT

Y

KE

NN

EB

EC

CO

UN

TY

An

dr

os

co

gg

i n

Ri v

er

L a k eA u b u r n

GulfIsland Pond

AndroscogginLake

SabbatusPond

4

4

4

4

9

9

11

11

117

106

100

100192

136

117

121

126

126

132

108219 219

202

202

95

95

Androscoggin Land Trust P.O. Box 3145 Auburn, ME 04212 207-782-2302 www.androscogginlandtrust.org

©danmarquisphotography.com

cover image ©danmarquisphotography.com

View of the Riverlands looking across the Androscoggin River prior to the installation of the Gulf Island Dam.

Turn

er H

isto

rical

Mus

eum

Visitor Rules• Kindle no fires, cut no live vegetation.

• Carry out all trash.

• ATVs must use the north entrance parking area for off-loading.

• Not all trails are open to all uses. Please see map to help deter-mine which trails are most appropriate for your chosen activity.

• Brookfield Renewable manages and maintains the Turner and Greene boat launches and island picnic sites depicted on the park map (see reverse side of this guide) as part of a hydropower project licensed by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

• Trailerable and hand-carry boat launches are highly variable. Us the Online Sortable Boat Launch Table: www.maine.gov/dacf/boatlaunches

Tra

il D

escr

ipti

on

s

Whi

le th

ere

are

man

y op

port

unit

ies

for

trai

l-ba

sed

recr

eati

on, n

ot a

ll tr

ails

are

ope

n to

all

uses

. Ple

ase

read

the

map

an

d tr

ail d

escr

ipti

ons

to d

eter

min

e w

hich

trai

ls a

re a

ppro

pria

te fo

r yo

ur c

hose

n a

ctiv

ity.

H

unti

ng is

pop

ular

on

thes

e la

nds

, be

sure

to w

ear

high

ly v

isib

le c

loth

ing

(bla

ze o

rang

e is

rec

omm

ende

d) in

fall

and

spri

ng.

Old

Riv

er R

oad

Trai

l thi

s 9.

5-m

ile tr

ail f

orm

s a

cen

tral

cor

rido

r th

roug

h th

e T

urn

er p

arce

l. I

ts e

nti

re le

ngth

is o

pen

to A

TV

s, h

ikin

g,

mou

ntai

n bi

king

, and

equ

estr

ian

use

. Sec

tion

s (s

ee m

ap)

are

open

to

snow

mob

ilin

g, s

now

shoe

ing,

an

d cr

oss-

coun

try

skii

ng. T

he s

outh

ern

m

ost s

ecti

on, t

he O

ld R

iver

Roa

d Pr

imit

ive

Tra

il, is

a te

chni

cal t

rail

for

expe

rien

ced

AT

V r

ider

s. A

TV

’s m

ust u

se th

e n

orth

en

tran

ce p

arki

ng a

rea

for

off-l

oadi

ng.

n

ot a

ll se

ctio

ns o

f tra

il, s

ee m

ap

Hom

este

ad T

rail

pro

vide

s ri

vers

ide

hiki

ng fe

atur

ing

hist

oric

al h

ome

foun

dati

ons.

Tra

vel 1

.1-m

iles

from

the

nort

hern

par

king

lot t

o th

e

Picn

ic M

eado

w, a

nd e

xten

d yo

ur h

ike

1.0

-mile

by

cont

inui

ng s

outh

on

the

Hom

este

ad T

rail

to th

e ju

nctu

re w

ith

the

Old

Riv

er R

oad

Tra

il

whi

ch c

an b

e us

ed a

s a

retu

rn r

oute

1.8

-mile

s to

the

mai

n en

tran

ce.

s

outh

ern

sect

ion

only

Porc

upin

e Pa

th is

a 1

.5-m

ile s

ingl

e tr

ack

Mt.

bik

e tr

ail t

hat l

eads

to a

pi

cnic

mea

dow.

Thi

s ea

sy to

mod

erat

e tr

ail i

ncl

udes

sw

itch

back

s an

d a

brid

ge.

Rid

ge T

rail

pro

vide

s sc

enic

vie

ws

on a

ledg

e ou

tcro

p ov

erlo

okin

g th

e ri

ver

into

the

hills

of t

he to

wn

of G

reen

e. T

his

1.4-

mile

trai

l is

loca

ted

wit

hin

the

inte

rior

of t

he p

ark.

The

re a

re v

ario

us a

cces

s po

ints

; ple

ase

give

am

ple

tim

e to

hik

e th

is s

ecti

on.

An

dro

sco

gg

in R

iver

lan

ds

Stat

e Pa

rk

Dee

r Pa

th T

rail

is h

ome

to m

any

wild

life

spec

ies

and

begi

ns b

y cr

ossi

ng o

ver

a st

ream

in th

e in

teri

or w

oods

of

the

park

. Thi

s 1.

5 m

ile tr

ail c

an b

e re

ache

d va

riou

s w

ays;

pl

ease

allo

w a

mpl

e ti

me

for

this

hik

e.

Bra

dfor

d L

oop

Trai

l can

be

acce

ssed

from

the

nort

h en

d of

the

park

by

follo

win

g th

e O

ld R

iver

Roa

d T

rail.

T

his

2.4-

mile

loop

is in

the

inte

rior

of t

he p

ark;

ple

ase

allo

w a

mpl

e ti

me

and

carr

y ap

prop

riat

e eq

uipm

ent/

mat

eria

ls. T

his

is a

tech

nica

l AT

V tr

ail;

hik

ing

is n

ot

reco

mm

ende

d du

e to

saf

ety

conc

erns

.

Bra

dfor

d H

ill T

rail

pro

vide

s a c

halle

ngin

g 0

.9-m

ile

hike

in th

e in

teri

or w

oods

of t

he p

ark

endi

ng n

ear

a sc

e-ni

c ou

tcro

p. T

his l

oop

can

be a

cces

sed

from

the

sout

hern

en

tran

ce; p

leas

e al

low

am

ple

tim

e fo

r th

is h

ike.

Pine

Loo

p Tr

ail p

rovi

des a

chal

leng

ing

2.5-

mile

hik

e, p

ar-

tially

runn

ing

alon

g th

e riv

er. T

his l

oop

can

be ac

cess

ed fr

om

the s

outh

ern

entr

ance

of t

he p

ark.

eas

t sid

e of

loop

onl

y, s

ee m

ap

Led

ges

Trai

l pro

vide

s a

chal

leng

ing

hike

asc

endi

ng

upw

ards

to a

vie

wpo

int o

verl

ooki

ng th

e ri

ver

(jun

ctio

n of

Rid

ge T

rail)

. T

his

0.5

-mile

trai

l is

loca

ted

in th

e in

teri

or o

f the

par

k an

d in

clud

es tw

o st

one

stai

rcas

es;

plea

se a

llow

am

ple

tim

e to

hik

e th

is s

ecti

on.

Fox

Run

Tra

il p

rovi

des

scen

ic v

iew

s of

a s

trea

m, e

nd-

ing

at a

bog

whe

re w

ildlif

e ca

n of

ten

be s

pott

ed. T

his

1.0

-mile

long

trai

l is

in th

e in

teri

or o

f the

Par

k an

d ca

n be

rea

ched

by

vari

ous

rout

es; p

leas

e al

low

am

ple

tim

e to

hi

ke o

r bi

ke th

is s

ecti

on.

Har

ring

ton

Path

bik

e tr

ail r

uns

1.5-

mile

s in

to th

e pa

rk, s

tart

ing

near

the

nort

h en

tran

ce a

nd e

ndin

g at

th

e Pi

cnic

Mea

dow.

It c

an a

lso

be u

sed

as a

sho

rtcu

t for

hi

kers

, sno

wsh

oers

, and

ski

ers

that

are

ret

urni

ng to

the

mai

n pa

rkin

g lo

t fro

m th

e Pi

cnic

Mea

dow.

2015