Atherton Hill

Windham, Maine

To Get There:: From Portland, take Rt. 26/100 North to Blackstrap Road in Cumberland. Turn left onto Blackstrap Road at the light. Turn Right onto Forest Lake Road after the bridge over the Maine Turnpike. Almost immediately turn left onto Forest Lane. Slowly follow this road as it turns to gravel and passes through a community of summer camps. After bearing Left, you will come to an intersection at a sandpit. Directly across from where you come into the intersection is a steep slope at the beginning of the ride.

References

Hale, Sarah and David Gibbs Mountain Bike! Maine: a guide to the classic trails, Birmingham, Alabama: Menasha Ridge Press, 1998.

Description: The Atherton Hill Loop, described in Mountain Bike! Maine, is a rocky rooty trail. As described by the authors, the trail can be done as either a 8 or 10 mile loop. When we rode it, we were going for the shorter loop but found out that it would have been easier (directions-wise) to do the longer loop.; Where the trail emerges onto the power line, riders are able to ride straight across into the trees, or turn right and follow the power line to where the extended loop swings back and then turn right back into the woods. Well, the right turn was hard to find. There are several right turns back into the woods, several coming to deadends. We spent a few minutes goofing around trying to find the trail to the fire tower - which no longer exists.; It was a good tough ride though, and if you aren't afraid of a few steep slopes over rocks and roots, this could be your trail.