PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — The trails at the Nordic Heritage Center undergo a fairly quick transition in the spring.
The volunteer-run venue was grooming cross country trails for the last time this season on April 5, and skiers were still able to find some trails to ski into the fourth week of the month.
Mountain bikers, hikers and runners, meanwhile, should have all of the 15-mile trail system ready for their use by the second week of May.
Most of the trails are also cleared of brush, drying out well and almost ready for foot traffic, according to Tom Chasse, who helps oversee the trail network in winter and other seasons.
All but the Tom’s Return and Bootleg trails still were significantly wet as a crew of volunteers helped crew brush and debris over the last weekend in April.
Chasse said the Nordic Heritage Center is on track to open Thursday, May 6 for the public for biking, hiking and running.
While skiing, snowshoeing and snow biking spans winter and spring at the Nordic Heritage Center, the spring, summer and fall host legions of mountain bikers, hikers, runners and walkers in its large, interconnected forest trail system.
When the trail system opens for the spring, there will be regular group mountain bike rides Mondays and Wednesdays at 6 p.m, and women’s trail night hikes on Wednesdays at 6 p.m. starting May 24.
In mid-summer, the Nordic Heritage Center will also host the Nordic Trail Fest July 21-22, a weekend celebration of trail sports and the outdoor community.
