Maine Officials Indefinitely Close Portion of Popular ATV Trails

In Maine, there are plenty of ways to get outside and enjoy the beautiful natural wonders surrounding us.

For locals and tourists alike, there is always a way to get outside and enjoy the beauty of the Pine Tree State. From kayaking along Maine's incredible waterways to hiking some of the most gorgeous peaks this side of the Mississippi, there are 1,001 ways to take it all in.

For many, getting outside on a gas-powered vehicle is the go-to choice.

Whether it's ripping an Arctic Cat down ITS 87 in the middle of winter to putting the bass boat in your favorite body of water for a day of fishing, engines make everything way more fun. At least we think so!

Certainly one of the absolute most popular ways to get into the Maine wilderness is by ATV and side-by-side. Maine has thousands of miles of maintained trail systems that go from the rocky coast to the tall mountains of Vacationland.

According to Northern Outdoors, there are "over 6,000 miles of active legal trails in the state of Maine."

However, due to circumstances beyond their current control, the State of Maine is shutting down part of its popular trail system.

According to the Sun Journal, Maine officials are shutting down a 20-mile loop up near the wooded town of Weld, Maine. Weld, which is home to the beautifully scenic Mt. Blue State Park, has miles of ATV trails popular in the summertime.

The newspaper said the 20-mile-loop that rides through the towns of Weld, Phillips and Carthage has been closed for the season and possibly indefinitely due to a lack of funding to widen the trails.

Maine's ATV trails typically operate at a standard of 65 inches wide, according to the Sun Journal, however, this particular loop of trails is only 50 inches wide.

It's a problem that state officials say they currently don't have the funds to fix, according to the newspaper.

The Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry says that the cost to bring the trails up to "spec" would cost about $100,000, according to the Sun Journal.