The West Side Trail is a multi-use singletrack trail that connects neighborhoods, office parks, preserves, and public beaches. Much of the trail is under the cover of the tree canopy adjacent to the CMP power line corridor that the route follows. The route includes ravines, rocky bluffs, and vistas to Casco Bay and the Royal River estuary. There are a few steep, rocky sections, but for the most part it is a well-groomed, meandering trail that feels isolated even though it is cutting through neighborhoods.
FKT route is a simple out-and-back. It begins at the trailhead billboard at Tyler Technologies. Simply follow the main trail, marked with blue blazes. No cutting the switchbacks. After the bridge to Cousins Island, the trail continues from the parking lot on the left. At the end of the trail on Cousins Island there is a small loop, return along the same trail.
https://rrct.org/preserves-trails/west-side-trail/
https://www.trailrunproject.com/trail/7050964/west-side-trail
Submitter: Nico Cornell
