Springtime at Mount Apatite

• May 18, 2020

AUBURN’S MOUNT APATITE: A “GEM” OF A CITY PARK

The City of Auburn, in partnership with the Friends of Mount Apatite (FOMA) group and Central Maine New England Mountain Bike Association (NEMBA), are pleased to announce improvements - and reminders - as springtime weather entices users to Mount Apatite Park.

Mount Apatite Park, a 325-acre wooded park located in the western portion of the City of Auburn, offers a wide variety of recreational opportunities not often found in municipal park settings, and features approximately four miles of trails for non-motorized uses such as hiking, mountain biking, cross-country skiing, and snowshoeing.

Staff and volunteers have made many recent upgrades including the installation of informational kiosks and pet waste stations at each of the entrances (Garfield Road and Small Road). Visitors are reminded that all Auburn parks including Mount Apatite are “carry in/carry out” locations, and Auburn’s ordinance requiring dogs to be leashed is always in effect. To help keep the beautiful trail system clean, trash receptacles have been placed at each entrance for the disposal of trash, pet waste bags, and other items.

New signage along the main trails has been installed to help guide new (and experienced) users toward entrances. Additional signage for the trail system, entrances, and parking areas are planned for summer/fall.

Rainy spring days bring muddy trails, so it is critical that users obey “trail closed” signs when they are posted. If you wander onto a trail that is muddy, please turn around. It requires great time and effort to build trails and to repair them. The goal is for users to avoid leaving any trace of themselves behind.

All visitors are reminded to: observe 6-foot social distancing recommendations while enjoying Mount Apatite; gather in groups of 10 people or less; and use face masks when social distancing cannot be maintained.

A variety of users enjoy spending time at Mount Apatite Park, including walkers, runners, mountain bikers, dog walkers, families, and even miners exploring the abundant minerals that can be found at Mount Apatite. All are encouraged to respect one another and the park. The City of Auburn welcomes all visitors to Mount Apatite; let’s all work together to safely use and enjoy the park and trails.

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