Discover Caribou

Caribou combines long trails for outdoor activities with glimpses into the city’s history and natural history. Special options include the Aroostook Valley Trail, a network of groomed snowmobile trails, and the path at Collins Pond. Museums and Spud Speedway add culture and motorsports to the mix. This lets you choose different priorities for your stay instead of planning the trip around just one way of exploring.

Trails through Caribou and the surrounding area

The Aroostook Valley Trail runs through Caribou and stretches 28 miles from Presque Isle to New Sweden. It is intended as a year-round multi-use trail. Its overall length and route provide a clear framework for anyone considering including a trail that passes through several communities in their plans. The Collins Pond Walking/Bicycling Path offers a shorter, distinct alternative: It is 1.5 miles long and designated for walking and bicycling. The two trails therefore differ in their stated lengths and in their descriptions as a multi-use trail and a Walking/Bicycling Path.

Another option is the more than 110 miles of groomed snowmobile trails connecting Caribou with Presque Isle, the lake region, Portage, Allagash, and Canada. This is a distinct way to experience the region and something to consider when choosing a trip theme. Snowmobile trail enthusiasts will find a different kind of orientation here than travelers who want to focus on a multi-use trail or a shorter route at Collins Pond.

Collins Pond and Dragon World

The name of the path at Collins Pond refers to both walking and bicycling; at 1.5 miles, it is described as a manageable alternative to the 28-mile Aroostook Valley Trail. Collins Pond Park is also home to Dragon World, a landscape playground. This means the park offers another destination for spending time outdoors in addition to the path. The playground offers families a specific place to visit, while the path provides different ways to spend time there. A vacation rental in Caribou may suit you if experiences like these and longer trails are among the reasons you are considering the city as a travel destination.

Caribou’s history and natural history

The Caribou Historical Center & Museum houses more than 10,000 artifacts relating to the city’s early history. The collection covers family life, medicine, education, business, and agriculture. These topics range from everyday life to areas that shape social and economic life. Anyone interested in Caribou’s history can learn about different aspects of the city’s early history here rather than focusing on just one topic.

The Nylander Museum of Natural History offers a different focus. It was dedicated in 1939 by Maine Governor Lewis Barrows and built as a WPA project. A portion of the Nylander collection is permanently on display there year-round. Caribou therefore offers two distinct museum experiences: early city history across a range of areas of life, and natural history featuring a selection from the Nylander collection on permanent display.

Motorsports and winter activities

Spud Speedway is a motorsports and winter sports facility in Caribou, Maine. Its history dates back to 1964, when it emerged from the potato fields. This gives the facility a distinct focus alongside the trails and museums. If you want your trip to center mainly on winter sports, motorsports, longer trails, or cultural discoveries, you can take these differences into account when choosing a vacation rental. The question is which of these interests will be most important for your stay.

Find more local ideas in Presque Isle and Caswell.

For the broader travel overview: Aroostook.