BANGOR DAILY NEWS • February 26, 2026
Building a local trailhead is the first step in expanding a southern Aroostook town’s outdoor economy and infrastructure, according to planners. As part of a multi-year outdoor economic development initiative, the Houlton Rotary is asking for community input on developing a trailhead that will add an access point to northern Maine’s thousands of interconnected snowmobile and ATV trails. The initiative is part of a broader regional focus to boost the outdoor recreation infrastructure across southern Aroostook and neighboring Penobscot and Washington counties. Island Falls and Patten are already tackling outdoor trails projects. Communities across Maine have seen that improving infrastructure around existing trail systems strengthens their ability to capture visitor spending that might otherwise pass them by.