Maine has some pretty cool hikes with gorgeous views. From beach vistas to mountain top peaks, if you love the outdoors there’s lots to do outside. But, one of our favorite hikes comes with a different reward. Rather than a mile-long view of the Maine land, this one leads to the most interesting abandoned trains! Where did they come from and how did they get there? Read on to find out about what awaits on this eerie hiking trail in Maine.

When we say these trains are hidden, we truly mean it.

Dylan Magaster / YouTube

To find them, you’ll need to head about two hours north of Millinocket.

Dylan Magaster / YouTube

Dylan Magaster / YouTube

And the route is primarily difficult and rocky logging roads.

Dylan Magaster / YouTube

As you get closer, you’ll approach the Allagash Wilderness Waterway.

Dylan Magaster / YouTube

This is where you’ll need to check-in and pay a fee to continue.

Dylan Magaster / YouTube

Once the road ends, plan on hiking about an hour down a fairly easy to navigate path.

Dylan Magaster / YouTube

Depending on when you go, the lush forest canopy will feel eerie.

Dylan Magaster / YouTube

But, it’s incredibly beautiful!

Dylan Magaster / YouTube

You’ll know you’re on the right path when you start to see signs of locomotives - like railroad tracks in the middle of the woods.

Dylan Magaster / YouTube

Dylan Magaster / YouTube

And soon, you’ll see things like wheels begin to appear along the way.

Dylan Magaster / YouTube

Dylan Magaster / YouTube

In addition to the hidden locomotives, you’ll also see the remains of a steam engine system.

Dylan Magaster / YouTube This was used to operate the system that moved the logs from Eagle Lake to Chamberlain Lake.

This steam engine dates back to the early 1900s.

Dylan Magaster / YouTube

Continue on past this and you’ll arrive at the locomotives, sitting peacefully and serene.

Dylan Magaster / YouTube

Dylan Magaster / YouTube

During the early 1900s, this area of Maine was supplying about 20% of the country’s paper and wood products.

Dylan Magaster / YouTube

The rivers in the area were used to help transport the logs by acting as their own roadway.

Dylan Magaster / YouTube

The trains came in when lumber needed to move South into nearby towns.

Dylan Magaster / YouTube But, when the Great Depression arrived, the lumber business in Northern Maine was ruined - the trains were no longer needed, but the cost to remove them wasn’t worth paying. So, they sit in the North Woods waiting for intrepid explorers to visit and remember an important part of Maine’s history.

These photos and the incredible information came from a video created by Dylan Magaster. Check out the full version below!

Dylan Magaster / YouTube

This was used to operate the system that moved the logs from Eagle Lake to Chamberlain Lake.

But, when the Great Depression arrived, the lumber business in Northern Maine was ruined - the trains were no longer needed, but the cost to remove them wasn’t worth paying. So, they sit in the North Woods waiting for intrepid explorers to visit and remember an important part of Maine’s history.

For another fun hiking trail in Maine that leads to another abandoned structure, check out this hike in Cape Elizabeth that leads to an abandoned mansion!

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The OIYS Visitor Center

Hiking Trails in Maine February 01, 2023 Sarah M. What are some other hiking trails in Maine that lead to abandoned places or ruins? Take ghost hunting and combine it with outdoor recreation, and you have the makings of the following delightfully spooky day trips in Maine!

Mount Hope Cemetery. Wander the footpaths and grounds of this unsettling Maine cemetery. If you’re a scary movie fan and find yourself in Bangor, a stop at Mount Hope Cemetery is essential. It is one of the filming locations for Stephen King’s “Pet Sematary” - among the scariest movies ever made. Oh, and remember Al Brady from Central Street? He’s buried here, too. Could he still be roaming the grounds?

Pocomoonshine Lake. This lake in Washington County has held stories of lake monsters for as long as any Mainer in the area can remember. Some have even reported seeing the snake-like beings along with the trails they leave behind when they come to and leave the lake. While there are no photos of the creatures, locals estimate them to be anywhere from 30 - 60 feet long and could date back as far as 1873. Somehow, this is easily one of the creepiest places in Maine, and wandering the paths and wilds of this area are not for the faint of heart!

Route 2A. Not a walking trail, but a driving route, Route 2A is arguably America’s most haunted road. One of the most treacherous roads in New England, it was once the main thoroughfare for trucks hauling potatoes from The County. Over the years, the road has claimed many lives… and some of its victims have never left. Fort Williams Trails.  Fort Williams features Maine’s oldest lighthouse, Portland Head Light, which is located right on one of the park’s paths. While most people come to Fort Williams Park for the views, the fort, and the lighthouse, there’s actually a lesser-known castle hiding in the area, too, and while it’s fenced off, the stonework still shows the detail and craftsmanship that was original to the structure, now left to ruin in the Maine backwoods.

The OIYS Visitor Center

Hiking Trails in Maine

February 01, 2023

Sarah M.

What are some other hiking trails in Maine that lead to abandoned places or ruins? Take ghost hunting and combine it with outdoor recreation, and you have the makings of the following delightfully spooky day trips in Maine!

Mount Hope Cemetery. Wander the footpaths and grounds of this unsettling Maine cemetery. If you’re a scary movie fan and find yourself in Bangor, a stop at Mount Hope Cemetery is essential. It is one of the filming locations for Stephen King’s “Pet Sematary” - among the scariest movies ever made. Oh, and remember Al Brady from Central Street? He’s buried here, too. Could he still be roaming the grounds?

Pocomoonshine Lake. This lake in Washington County has held stories of lake monsters for as long as any Mainer in the area can remember. Some have even reported seeing the snake-like beings along with the trails they leave behind when they come to and leave the lake. While there are no photos of the creatures, locals estimate them to be anywhere from 30 - 60 feet long and could date back as far as 1873. Somehow, this is easily one of the creepiest places in Maine, and wandering the paths and wilds of this area are not for the faint of heart!

Route 2A. Not a walking trail, but a driving route, Route 2A is arguably America’s most haunted road. One of the most treacherous roads in New England, it was once the main thoroughfare for trucks hauling potatoes from The County. Over the years, the road has claimed many lives… and some of its victims have never left. Fort Williams Trails.  Fort Williams features Maine’s oldest lighthouse, Portland Head Light, which is located right on one of the park’s paths. While most people come to Fort Williams Park for the views, the fort, and the lighthouse, there’s actually a lesser-known castle hiding in the area, too, and while it’s fenced off, the stonework still shows the detail and craftsmanship that was original to the structure, now left to ruin in the Maine backwoods.

The OIYS Visitor Center

The OIYS Visitor Center

Take ghost hunting and combine it with outdoor recreation, and you have the makings of the following delightfully spooky day trips in Maine!

  • Mount Hope Cemetery. Wander the footpaths and grounds of this unsettling Maine cemetery. If you’re a scary movie fan and find yourself in Bangor, a stop at Mount Hope Cemetery is essential. It is one of the filming locations for Stephen King’s “Pet Sematary” - among the scariest movies ever made. Oh, and remember Al Brady from Central Street? He’s buried here, too. Could he still be roaming the grounds?
  • Pocomoonshine Lake. This lake in Washington County has held stories of lake monsters for as long as any Mainer in the area can remember. Some have even reported seeing the snake-like beings along with the trails they leave behind when they come to and leave the lake. While there are no photos of the creatures, locals estimate them to be anywhere from 30 - 60 feet long and could date back as far as 1873. Somehow, this is easily one of the creepiest places in Maine, and wandering the paths and wilds of this area are not for the faint of heart!

Pocomoonshine Lake. This lake in Washington County has held stories of lake monsters for as long as any Mainer in the area can remember. Some have even reported seeing the snake-like beings along with the trails they leave behind when they come to and leave the lake. While there are no photos of the creatures, locals estimate them to be anywhere from 30 - 60 feet long and could date back as far as 1873. Somehow, this is easily one of the creepiest places in Maine, and wandering the paths and wilds of this area are not for the faint of heart!

  • Route 2A. Not a walking trail, but a driving route, Route 2A is arguably America’s most haunted road. One of the most treacherous roads in New England, it was once the main thoroughfare for trucks hauling potatoes from The County. Over the years, the road has claimed many lives… and some of its victims have never left.
  • Fort Williams Trails.  Fort Williams features Maine’s oldest lighthouse, Portland Head Light, which is located right on one of the park’s paths. While most people come to Fort Williams Park for the views, the fort, and the lighthouse, there’s actually a lesser-known castle hiding in the area, too, and while it’s fenced off, the stonework still shows the detail and craftsmanship that was original to the structure, now left to ruin in the Maine backwoods.