Skowhegan is doubling down on investment in outdoor recreation. Run of River ties in with a number of other recreation initiatives underway in the region. 

Skowhegan Outdoors, an initiative of nonprofit Main Street Skowhegan and in collaboration with the Outdoor Sport Institute and several other community stakeholders, provides free, guided outdoor activities and trainings for the community. Main Street is also building a gear library that will enable residents to borrow outdoor rec equipment free of charge. Whitewater trainings and free gear will prepare our local community members to reap the benefits of Run of River when the whitewater park and recreation area are complete. 

Skowhegan’s Lake George Regional Park is planning and fundraising for upgraded facilities and new programming that will provide opportunity for progressional improvement of healthy recreation and skill acquisition across all age groups. This effort is in collaboration with the Skowhegan Outdoors initiative mentioned above. 

In collaboration with the New England Mountain Bike Association, Somerset Woods Trustees created mountain bike trails in Skowhegan’s Coburn Woods that are also suitable for winter fat biking.

The Somerset Trails Collaborative—a group of local outdoor recreation stakeholders—is committed to improving and expanding the region’s trails network. The collaborative plans to build new trails and implement trail programming with the help of the Skowhegan Outdoors program.

The Maine Appalachian Trail Club will break ground in 2022 on the brand new Maine Trails Center, which will be located in the heart of Skowhegan just a short walk from downtown. A multi-use facility dedicated to the maintenance and protection of the Appalachian Trail in Maine, the Center will host trail building and environmental education and train the youth, the next generation of trail maintainers.

Renewed interest and investment in Eaton Mountain Ski Area is expected to reopen the alpine ski hill that is located on the outskirts of town as early as Winter 2021. 

Skowhegan is home to Maine’s first and the Northeast’s only equestrian skijoring competition. Skijor Skowhegan is takes place annually in February at the Skowhegan State Fairgrounds. 

In 2018 the Wesserunsett Arts Council (WesArts), in collaboration with Main Street Skowhegan, finalized the Somerset County Rural Cultural Plan. The plan is a road map for creating cultural opportunities  and leveraging and promoting the county’s many assets including recreation, the arts, farm-to-table offerings, historic sites, and more. Through these activities, the plan will make Somerset County a cultural destination and drive tourism.