Scarborough's Stretch of the Eastern Trail Is No Longer the End of the Line

Where does the Eastern Trail start for someone in Scarborough? Until this August the answer was the marsh. You parked near Pine Point Road or at the end of Eastern Road and rode south, because north of the Nonesuch River the off-road trail simply ran out. A 1.6-mile gap separated Scarborough from South Portland, and anyone heading toward Casco Bay had to finish on roads.

That gap closed on August 6, 2026. The Portland Press Herald reported that the "Close the Gap" segment opened in front of a few hundred cyclists, walkers and runners, after more than a decade of planning, fundraising and permitting, and 15 months ahead of schedule. The Eastern Trail Alliance's project tracker now lists construction as complete and the segment as open. It connects the Greenbelt at Wainwright Sports Complex to the existing off-road trail in Scarborough.

So the Scarborough Marsh stretch now sits in the middle of the trail. It's one piece of a continuous route that runs from South Portland's Bug Light Park through the marsh and on toward Saco. The 1.6 miles that made the connection also happen to be the least like the rest of it.

Why the Town's Page Still Lists 2027

If you looked up the project recently, you may have seen two completion dates. The Town of Scarborough's project page still shows the original two-phase schedule. Phase I, from Pleasant Hill Road to Wainwright, was estimated for October 2026. Phase II, which needed new bridges over the Nonesuch River and the CSX railroad tracks, was estimated for October 2027. Further down the same page, the Town announces the August 6 grand opening and says the trail "is officially open for public use following the ribbon cutting."

The bridges went in ahead of that schedule. The Town's photo captions show the Nonesuch River bridge installed in December 2025 and the railroad bridge in April 2026. Both phases are done. Shaw Brothers built the segment, and the Town lists funding from Scarborough, South Portland, the Maine Department of Transportation, the Federal Highway Administration and Eastern Trail Alliance donors.

The New Link, Ridden North to South

The most detailed account of the new section comes from the cycling blog Exploring by Bike, published September 27. The blog's author couldn't attend the opening, so the post carries a friend's report. He and his wife rode the new segment on opening day, starting from the Wainwright end, alongside about 300 riders, walkers and rollerbladers. It's a rider's description, not an official surface spec, but it matches the route the Town and the Alliance describe.

Starting from the Wainwright side and heading into Scarborough:

1. The driving range pond. The trail passes a pond next to Pleasant Hill Driving Range, close enough to hear clubs hitting balls. A metal mesh fence and a warning sign separate the two.
2. Pleasant Hill Road. After a climb, the trail crosses Pleasant Hill Road at flashing yellow beacons that walkers and cyclists turn on with a push button.
3. Two places to eat. The Honeycomb Cafe is a few yards from the crossing. It shares a lot with the driving range and serves breakfast, lunch, coffee drinks and smoothies. Al's of Scarborough, run by the Fasulo family since 1982, sits right next to the trail just past the road. The rider recommends its lobster roll.
4. The railroad bridge. A tall bridge over the CSX tracks is steep enough that the rider shifted to an easier gear and stood on the pedals. The downhill on the far side is long, and the trail has a posted 15 mph speed limit.
5. Single-track through the pines. The surface turns to narrow dirt with uneven ground and grass. The rider notes that young riders may find it hard, and that the "ET" arrow signs matter because older woods paths can look like the trail.
6. The Nonesuch River bridge. A second, lower bridge crosses the river. About half a mile of forest follows before the new section ends at Eastern Road.

From there, Eastern Road runs a little over a mile past homes. It has a 25 mph limit and bike lanes in both directions. At Black Point Road a second set of flashing beacons leads to the trail's two-mile stretch along Scarborough Marsh.

The Hard Part Is in the Middle

Here is why the layout matters. The same report describes Bug Light Park to Pleasant Hill as a mostly flat eight miles, easy for beginners and for small children on small bikes. The marsh stretch to the south is the gravel and crushed-stone trail many Scarborough families already know. Maine Trail Finder describes its surface that way and notes that it gives access to the 2,200-acre Scarborough Marsh.

Between those two easy stretches sits the new segment, with a climb to Pleasant Hill Road, a steep railroad bridge and dirt single-track. Families planning a ride from the marsh up to Casco Bay should expect the hardest part of the day right in the middle. The Pleasant Hill crossing, with Honeycomb and Al's beside it, works well as a place to stop and turn around.

The new link also gives some commuters a safer route. The rider points out that the trail now serves people who work at the businesses along Pleasant Hill Road, including a Maine Department of Transportation branch. Before it opened, cyclists heading toward South Portland had to climb a steep hill and then turn left onto Highland Avenue from a four-way stop.

Where to Start

There is no confirmed public parking lot at the Pleasant Hill Road crossing, so the documented access points are worth knowing.

For longer rides, the trail now runs 16 miles from Bug Light Park to Saco. The Alliance and Maine Trail Finder both put the end of the continuous off-road section at Thornton Academy. Past that point, the route uses some local streets through Saco and Biddeford before it moves away from traffic again.

On the Calendar This Fall

The Eastern Trail Alliance has scheduled two kinds of events in Scarborough for the rest of the season.

Full Moon Walk through the Scarborough Marsh, October 25. The walk runs from 5:30 to 7 p.m. and starts at the Pine Point Parking Area, 138 Pine Point Road. It's free, but registration is required and it's capped at 35 people. A second walk is listed for November 25 from 4:30 to 6 p.m. at the same lot. That page says its registration link is coming soon.

Bike & Brew with Allagash Brewing, Fall Edition. This is a free, socially paced ride of 12 to 15 miles that starts and ends at the Allagash Bungalow, 10 Market St., close to The Downs. Riders meet at 10 a.m., the ride starts at 10:30, and everyone gathers at the brewery afterward until 2 p.m. Parking at Allagash is free. The event page heading lists October 17, but its description says Saturday, October 10, so confirm the date with the Alliance before you go.

The Other Northbound Connection Starting Today

The trail isn't Scarborough's only new route north this fall. Greater Portland Metro's Route 25 starts service today, October 4. It runs from Metro's downtown Portland transit hub to Scarborough, mostly along Route 1, with a crossover to the Cabela's parking lot and buses every 45 minutes. Its Route 1 stops also connect with Biddeford-Saco-Old Orchard Beach Transit. Metro Connect, Metro's on-demand van service, is already running. It covers a zone roughly bounded by Black Point Road, I-95, Highland Avenue and the South Portland line. The Town says the zone includes parts of Pine Point Road and Black Point Road, and that riders can book through Metro's app, its website or by phone. Both services are free through October 31, 2026.

If the new trail has you rethinking how your part of Scarborough connects to South Portland and the bay, Melissa McKersie would be glad to compare notes on which trailheads and routes fit how you get around. Let's Connect.