The park is gated and accessible only for foot traffic between the end of snowmobile season and May 15. Visitors enjoy the Androscoggin Riverlands year-round, with skiers and snowmobilers using the trails in winters and a mix of hiking, boating and ATVs in warmer seasons (ATV use is allowed only between May 15 and December 15, unless otherwise posted). Hunting is popular on these lands so be sure to wear highly visible clothing in the fall.

The Park

Lying near Maine's second largest urban area (Lewiston/Auburn), Androscoggin Riverlands State Park is a 2,675-acre expanse with 12 miles of river frontage. More than half of Maine's population lives within an hour drive of this park, which is the fifth largest in the State. An extensive trail network and undeveloped lands offer abundant recreational opportunities and habitat for wildlife. The park is part of the larger Androscoggin Greenway and the Androscoggin River Water Trail.

The Androscoggin, Maine's third largest river, begins in the mountains of New Hampshire and descends 164 miles and 1,500 vertical feet to Merrymeeting Bay. Native Americans camped and fished along its shores for at least 9,000 years and gave the river its name (meaning "plenty of fish" or "fish coming in spring").

The river's steep grade (an average of 8 feet per mile) made for challenging boat travel but helped power textile and paper mills. In 1925, Gulf Island Dam was built for hydropower production in Auburn - creating an impoundment that stretched 14 miles and forced the abandonment of riverside settlements.

Riverfront industries generated high volumes of pollution and by the 1960s, the Androscoggin was considered one of the ten most polluted rivers in the country. Pollutants built up behind the dams, diminishing water quality. The Clean Water Act in 1972 and subsequent reductions in industrial and municipal waste discharges helped water quality improve markedly.

State Parks Tagged With: Turner