Snowmobiling in northern Maine.
Aroostook County has about 2,300 miles of groomed trails, and ITS 85 runs right past Eagle Lake. Here are the trails near our cabins, the official maps, where to check conditions and snow, and what visiting riders need to know.
ITS 85, and the trails around the lake.
ITS 85 is one of the red-marked trails of Maine's Interconnected Trail System. The local club, the Eagle Lake Winter Riders, grooms more than 75 miles around the lake: ITS 85 north toward Carter Brook, ITS 85 south to Portage Lake, and Trail 120, formerly 85D, west to Pushineer Pond.
- Eagle LakeEagle Lake Winter Riders: ITS 85 north and south, Trail 120
- Soldier PondSly Brook Sno-Riders
- Fort KentFort Kent SnoRiders
- PortagePortage Lakers
- St. AgathaRed Arrow Snowmobile Club
- MadawaskaMadawaska Snowmobile Club
Every mile is cut, signed, bridged and groomed by club volunteers, often overnight. Joining or donating to the club whose trails you ride keeps them open. Club list from the Maine Snowmobile Association.
The official maps.
Plan with these, and carry the printed map; phone coverage is patchy in the woods.
Check before you ride.
The forecast below is live from the National Weather Service for Eagle Lake, with the snowfall expected each day. Trail openings come from the clubs.
Eagle Lake: 7-day forecast and snowfall
NWS forecast issued Oct 13, 4:02 PM0.2″of snow forecast over the next 7 days at Eagle Lake
What visiting riders need.
Summarized from Maine Inland Fisheries & Wildlife. Laws change; check the current rules before your trip.
| Nonresident registration | $75 for 3 days · $100 for 10 days · $120 for the season |
| Resident registration | $56, plus sales tax and agent fee |
| Registration year | Starts July 1 |
| Where to buy | Online from Maine IF&W, or at town offices and registration agents |
| Renting a sled? | Rentals are already registered, so you don't need your own |
| Helmets | Required for riders and passengers under 18 on state-funded trails |
| Young riders | Under 10 may not drive without an adult; under 14 may not cross public roads |
| Lights | Headlight and taillight on from half an hour after sunset to half an hour before sunrise |
| Speed | Reasonable and prudent for the conditions; that's the law |
| Open water | Never ride on open water |
Riding into New Brunswick.
New Brunswick requires a trail permit from Snowmobile New Brunswick. Crossing the border on a sled has its own customs rules, so check with the local club and with U.S. and Canadian customs before you plan it, and carry border ID. New Brunswick is on Atlantic Time, an hour ahead.
- Jan 30–31Long Lake Ice Fishing Derby · Long Lake
- Feb 5–7Moosestompers Weekend · Houlton
- Feb 15Oxbow-Masardis Snowmobile Club Winter Carnival · Oxbow
- TBACan-Am Crown International Sled Dog Races · Late February or early March
- TBAMaine Free Snowmobile Weekend · Usually a weekend in early March
Ride out from the cabin door.
- TrailsSnowmobile trail access from the property, on the local system the Eagle Lake Winter Riders groom
- ParkingRoom for trucks and big trailers, plowed all winter
- CabinsFive heated lakefront cabins, three bedrooms and two baths each, sleeping ten, so a whole crew shares one
- After darkA fire pit and firewood at every cabin
- NearbyGroceries three minutes away in the village; Fort Kent 25 minutes north
Snowmobiling questions.
When does snowmobile season start in Aroostook County?
Usually in late December, once there's enough snow and the clubs have groomed, and it typically runs to mid-March. Openings depend on snow, so watch the Thursday trail report on Visit Aroostook.
How many miles of snowmobile trails are in Aroostook County?
About 2,300 miles of marked, groomed, interconnected trails, kept up by 38 volunteer clubs with 38 groomers, and 23 clubhouses that double as warming stations (Visit Aroostook).
Which snowmobile trail goes by Eagle Lake, Maine?
ITS 85 runs past Eagle Lake, north toward Carter Brook and south to Portage Lake, and Trail 120 (formerly 85D) heads west to Pushineer Pond. The Eagle Lake Winter Riders groom more than 75 miles of trail around the lake.
Do I need to register my snowmobile in Maine?
Yes, unless it's a rental. Nonresident registration is $75 for three days, $100 for ten days or $120 for the season, sold online by Maine Inland Fisheries & Wildlife and by town offices and agents. Maine also has a Free Snowmobile Weekend each winter, usually in early March.
Where can I check snowmobile trail conditions in northern Maine?
Visit Aroostook publishes a Thursday trail report after 2 p.m. each Thursday, pulled from the clubs' own weekly updates. The Maine Snowmobile Association also keeps a trail conditions page, and most clubs post on Facebook.
How much snow does Aroostook County get?
About 120 inches in an average year, according to Visit Aroostook. The National Weather Service office in Caribou publishes monthly and seasonal snow maps.
Can I ride a snowmobile into Canada from Maine?
New Brunswick requires a trail permit from Snowmobile New Brunswick, and crossing the border has its own customs rules, so check with the local club and with U.S. and Canadian customs before you plan a ride across.
Where should I stay for a snowmobile trip in northern Maine?
On the trail. Eagles Landing Lakeside Cottages on Eagle Lake has snowmobile trail access from the property, parking for trucks and trailers that's plowed all winter, and heated three-bedroom cabins that sleep ten.
Sources: Visit Aroostook, Maine Snowmobile Association, Eagle Lake Winter Riders, Maine IF&W.
Book the cabin, bring the sleds.
Ask about midweek winter stays and whole-property bookings for riding groups.