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Bethel Recreational Trails |
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The Bethel Journals February 14, 2009
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BETHEL RECREATIONAL TRAILS ACCOMMODATE A VARIETY OF OBJECTIVES
Trails around the Bethel area started with the advent of snowmobiles in the 1960’s. The next trail project (1989—1991) was laid on the east side of Mt. Will with the primary objective of increasing public awareness of the natural resources and beauty of the Androscoggin River valley. During 1994, a walking trail from the River View Resort to the Department of Transportation picnic area on Route 2 about three and one-half miles north of Bethel village was completed. In 1995, the Town of Bethel with developers of Bethel Station conceived of a pedestrian pathway along the Androscoggin River as an enhancement for the retail complex planned at Bethel Station. In 2005, the State of Maine built a recreational bridge over the Androscoggin River that would carry snowmobiles, pedestrians and bikers over the river—also extending the Bethel Pathway . Between 2006 and 2008, a combined walking, biking and snowmobile trail was extended into the Mayville section of Bethel on the north side of the Androscoggin River.
The Mt. Will Hiking Trail was the first to be completed in the collection of Bethel trails now in use. Its genesis came from the Town of Bethel Conservation Committee.
Bethel's Conservation Commission, founded by a town ordinance adopted in June of 1988, consisted of five appointed members: Bonnie Pooley, Chair; Walter Hatch, Assistance Chair; Deborah Michaud, Secretary-Treasurer; Jonathan Goldberg; and Tom Wheeler, all of Bethel.
Trailhead and parking for hikers is located on US Route 2 opposite the Tri-Town Transfer Station. The trail’s initial layout was completed in 1991. This trail compares favorably with some of the National Forest Service trails in the White Mountain National Forest in that it now has an interpretive series of trailside signs explaining the flora through which the trail passes. More recently this trail was extended with a path leading from the highway to the Androscoggin River.
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View of the Bethel Pathway that is parallel to US Route 2 at the location where it crosses the Androscoggin River via the bridge seen here also. |
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Above is another view of the multi-use bridge completed in 2005. The bridge serves as the principal snowmobile river crossing point in the Bethel area. |
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In the fall of 2006, grading for the extension of the Bethel Pathway from the Androscoggin Bridge to the North Road was completed. The following year, this section was paved and the shoulders seeded. |
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Trail Views |
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Trail Map |
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River View Resort –Androscoggin River Walking Trail : Completed in 1994, the trail illustrated below involved a volunteer organization called Friends of the Androscoggin and the management of the River View Resort. This trail has three segments: from the River View the walk is about seven tenths of a mile of easy walking along a mowed path. The middle portion consists of about one-half mile through rough river bank woods. A well maintained path forms the last four-tenths of a mile to the Maine Dept of Transportation rest stop and picnic area. The first and last sections are kept mowed—Walter Hatch cares for the northern segment and the River View Resort maintains the first segment. |
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Bethel Pathway and Recreational Bridge: In 1993, a development plan known as Victoria Station later Bethel Station intended to convert the former mill property located between the railroad and the Androscoggin River into an upscale retail plaza. As the plan evolved, a pathway along the river was included as development enhancement. Concept for the pathway was credited to Town Manager Madeleine Henley. Don Murphy employed by the Town of Bethel became project coordinator. Enhancement pathway funding of $379,940 was provided by the Federal government. The one-half mile path would lay on 17 acres of riverside property donated by the developers which ran from Davis park (east) to the vicinity of Big Apple/Route 26 (west). Taylor Engineering Associates and Terrance Dewan Landscape Architects worked the preliminary designs, and public comments received at a public hearing, went into the final design. The Pathway, would meet American Disabilities Act standards. It was intended for seasonal recreational uses such as walking, bicycling, roller-blading, wheelchairs, and snowmobiling and snowshoeing. This path opened in 2004.
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Androscoggin River Recreational Bridge: Originally a bridge was part of the enhancement pathway package, but due to much higher estimated cost the bridge element of the plan was stripped from the pathway grant funding. In 2005 the bridge was built under authority of the Maine Department of Transportation, Reed and Reed of Woolwiche, Maine, the contractor. It was opened in October 2005. The bridge (photo above) cost came to $1.5 million. |
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Alison Aloisio of the Bethel Citizen took this photo of a snowmobile group crossing the Androscoggin River Recreational Bridge the year after it opened. |
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Pathway Extension to North Road: After the new recreational bridge over the Androscoggin River was in use, the Bethel Pathway could be extended further on the north side of the river. The Bethel Trails Committee of the Mahoosuc Land Trust undertook this project in 2006 and 2007. When completed the trail followed the existing snowmobile route between the BIG Adventure Center and the river to a point where it follows property boundaries to the North Road. (See photo.) Funding grants, donated land and services made the new trail possible. People most involved with this project were: Kirk Segal, Pattie and Jeff Parsons, Scott Cole the Bethel Town Manager, Bill Dunton of BIG Adventure Center, Savage Excavation Co. and the Town of Bethel. The path was opened to the public in the fall of 2007. |
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View of the Pathway Extension as it circles around the BIG Adventure Center and ends at North Road. |
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Mayville Extension Trail: In 2008, work began on the initial clearing of the Pathway (See photo—left) from the North Road to Twitchell Brook. A property swap agreement between the Town of Bethel and John and Dale Cheney, owners of the Norseman Inn, enabled this step to proceed. Along with the agreement, business owners located on Route 2 will have snowmobile access from their respective properties to the main snowmobile trails going north and south that border Bethel Airport property. This trail is not yet open to the public. In the future it is the long range goal of trail planners to keep extending this trail to the Artist Bridge over the Sunday River in Newry.
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Mayville trail clearing—July 2008 |
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Archaeological investigation team at work in 2008 |
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As 2008 ended, the trails program in Bethel focused on two projects in progress—one was continuation of the Mayville trail, west, and on the east side, an extension of the original pathway from Davis Park to Telstar High School. Refer to the map below. Click the map to see an enlargement. |
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CLICK MAP FOR ENLARGEMENT |