Our Trails
Once known primarily for training elite nordic biathlon athletes, the FKOC trails have also been used for numerous local, national and international competitions. They have since been embraced by the Fort Kent community for recreational use, and local skiing events.
In recent years the trails have been the site for national and regional Biathlon and Nordic competitions while continuing to be perfect trails for training biathletes with early and late snow cover.
Trail Fees
Non-members must pay a Daily Trail Fee for trail use. These Daily Passes are available from the Rental Shop on the lower level of the lodge from 12:00PM to 3:00PM on weekends and school holidays. Daily Passes may also be purchased online, or the Daily Pass Fee can be placed in the donation box located on the Welcome Kiosk in the main parking lot. If you think you’ll be using our trails a lot, we encourage you to become a yearly member instead.
Fort Kent Outdoor Center Webcam
Keep up to date on our current Weather / Snow Conditions by viewing this facility Web Cam which is updated with a new image every five minutes.
Biathlon Maps
We host a number of Biathlon races and other nordic ski events. These are the course maps for such events.
Winter Maps
Snowshoe Trails
We currently have seven miles of snowshoe trails surrounding the venue. They range from easy and rolling, to those that are steeper and more difficult. Many of the trails interconnect, allowing for outings of varying lengths.
The trails can be accessed at three of our trailheads: FKOC, Red Barn and Lonesome Pine Trails. Grab a map or access it on your smartphone and follow the yellow snowshoe signs. The trail intersections are numbered and have directional signs to make the trails easy to navigate.
Please do not tread on our groomed ski trails!
Nordic Ski Trails
Trails for Nordic/Cross-Country Skiing are available for all abilities from the beginner to the best skiers in the world. All trails are professionally groomed, weather permitting. The trails range from 1 km to over 6.5km. The loops are inter-joined and it is possible to ski the entire circuit continuously.
Most of the core trails have been skied by the Fort Kent High School (now Community High School) for many years. Ben Paradis was the major planner, trailblazer, groomer, and benefactor whose determination and love for skiing has benefited more youth and adults in the area than can be imagined. With the help of volunteers the trails were expanded over the years. The biathlon trails (most of those close to the 10th Mountain Lodge) were designed by Olympic Biathlete John Morton in 1999. The work was largely done with the generosity of Libra Foundation through the Maine Winter Sports Center and with the help of many volunteers.
Novice Trails
Waska Loop, named after one of our World Cup mascots, is the best place to start. It begins at the 10th Mountain Lodge from the stadium and is 3.0 km in length. It can be lit for night skiing.
Mickey’s Way, Piste Acadienne & Red Barn Trail are among the easiest trails at the facility. Skiers can choose from various loop lengths ranging from 1 km to over 5 km depending upon their ability.
The 5.6 km Red Barn Trail follows the gradual western side of the hill and then sweeps out through a lowland evergreen forest, past beaver ponds, and near open meadows. It is the most scenic and peaceful trail at the facility.
Intermediate Trails
The Can-Am Trail originates from the biathlon stadium and has been used for all major competitions including the 2011 Biathlon World Cup.
With the exception of one sharp curve the trail is not very technically demanding and is a great trail for those new to the facility or for those with limited experience.
Several other more challenging trails intersect with the Can-Am Trail. The Can-Am Trail is lit for night skiing.
Advanced Trails
Piste du Voyageur also known as the 5km Loop is also used for major competitions and is 5.6km in length. It follows the Can-am Loop for a portion of its distance. It includes Mikes Mountain which consists of a short, but very steep climb followed by a very steep downhill with a series of sharp curves.
It is here where Sven Fischer took his infamous ski off the trail and into the woods during the world cup at what is now known as Sven’s Curve. Mikes Mountain is also lit for night skiing.
The trail then leads to the top of Lonesome Pine Ski Area (alpine), which is located on the north side of the mountain. From there skiers can view the St. John River, Canada and the town of Fort Kent. After reaching the top of Lonesome Pine, the trail then descends down a series of sharp, steep S-curves. A portion of this trail is also lit for night skiing including Mikes Mountain.
If you like to climb, then Saengers Challenge, Grand Outlook and Green Bean Trails are for you. Each trail consists of a series of long steep climbs and challenging descents with sharp curves. Grand Outlook is relatively short (1km) however and offers stunning views up the Fish River Valley. The trail is accessible from Volunteer Way.
The Green Bean Trail (5.5km) was described by one of the top competitors at the recent World Cup as one of the toughest he has ever skied. The Green Bean Trail is named after the local high school ski team and is used for both practice and high school competition.
This trail is accessible from Lonesome Pine Ski Area parking lot or from Saengers Challenge. Saengers Challenge is 1.5km in length and consists of a technical downhill section at the start and a long climb.
Trailheads
Summer Maps
Foot Trails
Our walking, hiking and running trails are marked with yellow, red, white, blue, or orange plastic diamonds on trees along the trails. The trails are accessible from the Parking Lot at the FKOC. The yellow, red, blue, and white trails START at the trails next to the Wax Building to the left of the kiosk in the Parking Lot. A more difficult trail, the Orange Diamond Trail (known as the snowshoe trail The Ridgerunner) STARTS across the Parking Lot to the right of the entrance to the Lodge. They all end in the Parking Lot of FKOC.
We have mapped the trails using the smartphone app, “Ride with GPS”. The individual trails can be found there with these links:
Yellow Diamond Walking Trail (Easy Paved Loop)
Red Diamond Trail (A little more challenging with grass trails and views)
Blue Diamond Trail (Single track snowshoe trail with views)
Orange Diamond Trail (The Ridgerunner – more challenging terrain on a biking trail in summer, snowshoe trail in winter)
White Diamond Trail (Most challenging hilly terrain on wide trails)
Walking Trail Maps for Summer Use Only. Please do not walk on groomed ski trails!
Disc GOlf Course
Located along FKOC’s skiing, hiking and snowshoe trails the Disc Golf Course has some challenging hill terrain and a mix of short & long holes to accommodate the beginner or intermediate player. At Hole 11, enjoy the beautiful view of downtown Fort Kent and the Canadian border along the St. John River.
