The groomed trails at Portland's Riverside Golf Course were ideal on Saturday. We had never been cross country skiing here but after so many recommendations to check it out, my family decided it was high time to go.

We loved it.

There were plenty of small hills that were manageable to climb and offered a thrill to ski down.

The groomed trails meandered around the course with twists and turns that kept the trail interesting.

And skiing 3-4 people across was a great feature we haven't had other places (well, without having to worry about passing snowmobiles).

Fun on the hill

My family has plans to explore more cross country ski trails this winter so I'm starting a 'Review' feature with basic information about each trail. If there's anything you'd like to know that is not included here, post a comment and I'll get back to you about it.

TRAIL REVIEW

Trail: Riverside Golf Course, Portland

Length: 8 kilometers of groomed trails

Grooming: Yes, two Classic tracks and a 20-foot wide "freestyle" lane

Parking: Parking at both the North and South course parking lots

Fee: $2.00/per skiier, deposit in box at trailhead

Equipment Rentals: none

Bathroom: North Course Clubhouse is open from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. for use of the restaurant and restrooms.

Ski Level: Advanced Beginner; young beginners can easily walk to a flat area of the course (don't walk on groomed trail though!) to practice skills without hills

Dog-friendly: yes, on a leash

Kid-friendly factor: GREAT
With bathrooms closeby (if you park next to the clubhouse; see map below) and small hills that are manageable for the advanced beginner, it's a great trail to explore with kids. Skiers can also easily work out short cuts back to the parking lot to shorten the return trip. Bring sleds for younger children in tow for a side trip to some of the great sledding hills on the course.

Other: Tubing/sledding is open to public for $1/person

Kid Rating: Both girls gave this trail 5 stars (on a scale of 1-the worst to 5-the best).

G: The hills are fun to go down and not very hard to climb.
L.: The 2 ski track is fun to double-pole and skiing next to each other in a row is fun. Next time we need to bring a sled too!

Photos from the trail:
Riverside Golf Course

Current Trail Conditions:
Snow reports for cross country ski trails in Maine

Directions:

View Larger Map