Hey fellow trail users! I’m back with another installment of Enock’s Adventures. This time, I revisited the West Side Trail in Yarmouth with my colleague, Kara. After the build of the trail was completed, we were invited to take another look.
First we parked at the Park and Ride and found the trail just off the edge of the pavement. I was happily surprised to see the new surface is very smooth and compact.
We soon came to a set of railroad tracks. There are actually two crossings along this stretch, and each had 3-inch gaps in the rails. The tracks had been filled in with concrete and wood, and while the crossings were usable, the gaps were wider than ABA standards. I’ve since learned those gap widths are required by the railroad company. So while not ideal, they’re necessary.
While we didn’t cover the entire section during this revisit, I can confidently say it has been greatly improved. A new surface and various upgrades—many designed for water mitigation—have also significantly enhanced accessibility.
We continued on until we hit Elm Street. This section has also been majorly improved. During my previous visit, I failed to do the entire thing. This time, we drove to the other end just to check out the crosswalk and road crossing. There’s also an entrance that passes through the backyard of a house. While that part has a more natural surface and a bit of a steep slope, it’s still in very good shape.
After checking out the crosswalk, we headed over to the trail that starts at Hillside Street and passes through an utility corridor.
The trail itself? Absolutely beautiful. The boardwalks were just as amazing as I’d heard—solid, thoughtfully constructed, and clearly the result of a lot of hard work, time, and funding. They have designed them to move with the frost so that they don't get damaged. It is a very cool design.
There are benches along the way for resting and soaking in the scenery. They don’t yet meet accessibility standards. Two in particular could use slight repositioning.
The trail is wide and close to—or possibly over—a mile in length. It winds through woods and marshes, with switchbacks that help reduce the impact of steeper grades. That said, there are still some slopes over 8%, and one short section exceeds 12%, but they’re generally short (under 100 feet).
Wayfinding and signage are under development. For now you won’t find much but you should by the end of the summer. (I stayed left the whole way and eventually looped back to the right.)
Be aware that the return trip is literally all uphill. If you follow the switchbacks, it’s manageable—but still a workout. The old crushed rock surface used to make it a very tough push. My shoulders definitely felt it afterward. But with the new surface, it’s much easier, especially if you loop back through the woods. There are few flat rest spots on the return trip but there may be some coming in the future.
This trail is an excellent example of accessibility done right. It’s long, diverse, thoughtfully designed, and clearly built with intention.
If you’re in the Yarmouth area, I highly recommend checking it out—and now with the recent upgrades, I recommend it even more than before!
We’d love to hear from you! Leave a comment below or email us to share what information you’d like to see and how we can improve. After all, we do this for you—the people who use Maine’s trails.
If you have a different type of mobility issue or disability and visit this trail (or others), please share your feedback. The more knowledge we gather and share, the more people we can help enjoy Maine’s trails!
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