Discover Auburn: Riverwalk, park and culture

Auburn can be explored in different ways: along the Androscoggin River, among historic commercial buildings and on trails through a wooded park. This makes it easier to choose the focus of your vacation. If you’d like to combine your stay with a walk and stories about the city, the Riverwalk is a great option. Mount Apatite Park offers a distinct focus for non-motorized trails through woods and countryside; those interested in the history of the commercial streets will find a different way to experience the city in the Auburn Commercial Historic District.

Exploring the Riverwalk

The Riverwalk runs alongside the Androscoggin River. Gardens, outdoor art and benches are among the sights along the way. The Riverwalk continues beyond Festival Plaza. At a fork in the trail, you can head toward Bonney Park or cross the John T. Jenkins Memorial Pedestrian Bridge to the Lewiston side. These different routes give your walk a clear choice without requiring you to commit to just one section.

The Auburn Storywalk is also part of the Riverwalk experience: 16 panels along the trail tell stories about Auburn. This combines a bit of exercise with a short discovery tour of the city. If you like to pause along the way and take in more than the river scenery, you can include the panels in your walk; the stories are about Auburn itself.

Festival Plaza and historic Main Street

Festival Plaza is a downtown square used for outdoor events and serves as a gathering place for residents and visitors alike. It hosts three major Auburn events: New Year's Auburn, the Auburn Lobster Festival and Auburn's Blues & Brews. The plaza is therefore a distinct landmark for travelers interested in events and the city’s public life.

Historic buildings surround Festival Plaza and have shaped Main Street since the mid-19th century. The Auburn Commercial Historic District offers a broader look at historic commercial architecture: Auburn has its greatest concentration and density of historic commercial buildings there. If you’d like to make urban history and architecture the focus of your choice of destination, these features offer a different emphasis from the trails along the river or through the woods.

Woodland trails and minerals at Mount Apatite Park

Mount Apatite Park is in the western part of Auburn. This wooded park covers 325 acres and has about four miles of non-motorized trails. They’re suitable for a range of activities, including hiking and mountain biking, as well as cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. The approximate total trail length and the activities listed can help you consider the park as a distinct destination for nature and outdoor recreation when planning your trip.

One special activity at Mount Apatite Park is searching for mineral specimens. Hobbyists may search the mine tailings for apatite, tourmaline and quartz, subject to special rules. If you plan to do this, be sure to follow the applicable rules. In addition to its non-motorized trails, the park offers a specific opportunity to learn about the minerals found there.

Another trail network and changing exhibits

The Sherwood Forest Conservation Area, also known as the Alexander-Harkins Preserve, is open to the public and has an interconnected trail network covering 2.1 miles. This gives you another area with designated trails to choose from, in addition to those at Mount Apatite Park. The two names refer to the same preserve, so you may recognize either one when finding your way around.

You can also encounter art and culture in the exhibit cases between the waterfalls and Bonney Park. From May through November, they feature changing monthly displays, weather permitting. The seasonal dates and weather caveat go together. This makes the exhibits another cultural highlight to consider alongside the Storywalk and the historic buildings.

Also discover Lewiston and Poland.

For the broader travel overview: Androscoggin.