Revolution Rail's New Belfast, Maine, Station Opens For Rail Bike Tours

Whether it's camping in Baxter, sightseeing on MDI, or catching some waves at Old Orchard Beach, folks love to share photos of what they do on vacation in Maine.

Amid the usual treasure trove of sand, surf, and mountains this year, one new thing caught my attention, and it looks like I'm not the only one who noticed it!

Opening at the end of July, there's a new summer destination in Vacationland, and it's offering folks the best of both worlds: scenic views and adventure!

Revolution Rail Company opened a new station in Belfast at the end of last month, and it's quickly becoming a popular activity for folks from far and near.

The national company already has 9 rail bike locations nationwide, with one already in Dedham along Jenkins Beach. According to the company, this new Belfast station offers adventure-seekers a chance to ride through and around the Belfast area, kicking off at the grounds of Belfast's historic City Point Station on Oak Hill Road.

"The new tour takes guests along the historic Belfast & Moosehead Lake Railroad corridor aboard custom-built rail bikes...The 8-mile round-trip ride winds through forests, crosses several bridges, and travels over streams and brooks, giving guests the opportunity to experience a part of the region that is rarely seen. Unlike traditional cycling, rail biking allows guests to pedal specially designed rail bikes on historic railroad tracks."

Kate Rogers lives in Penobscot County. She and her family got to experience the adventure firsthand this summer. Her family hit the Dedham rail.

"I learned about the Revolution Rail through their social media advertising and also through communication via Jenkins Beach. I thought it was a unique experience with the added benefit of close proximity that made it appealing for a day trip.

The reservation process was quite simple, and the bikes come as a double or a quad. For my family, we were looking for five seats, so we needed to reserve two different bikes; however, we were placed together as a group."

"Our family enjoys biking in general, but this particular 'station' offers e-assisted railbikes, so truthfully, not everyone would even need to pedal if they didn't want to. Not all of their 'stations' offer the pedal assist, so be sure to check on that when choosing your site."

She says for her kids, who are middle school and high school aged, it was a great family activity.

"The seats adjust to fit your height. Our children range in age from 10 to 16, and everyone enjoyed it. The route is an out-and-back along Green Lake with a break at the halfway point. It took our group about 1.5 hours. The employees were knowledgeable about the area, the company, and the equipment, even taking group pictures along the way. It was interesting to learn about the company's growth as well as the history of the railway on Green Lake. All in all, it made for a fun afternoon and a different experience for everyone."

You can check out the details of the Green Lake run by clicking here.

And for details on the Belfast tour, you can check here.

Both Dedham and Belfast's fleets have electric-assist rail bikes available for families or couples.

Guides share stories of the history and landscape along the way.

Typically, tours depart from their respective stations about every 90 minutes.

Belfast Station is open Fridays through Sundays.

"Tours can be booked on two-seat and four-seat rail bikes, with tandem rail bikes starting at $110 and quad rail bikes starting at $200."

Find out more information on their website, revrail.com.