Back Cove — Preble Street loop

Back Cove — Preble Street loop — detailed guide

Source review: 2026-10-12. A dated source review does not guarantee current-day conditions.

A circuit of Back Cove offers open water, views toward Portland’s skyline and a mostly gentle ride on a busy shared trail. Start from the public parking lot on Preble Street Extension and follow the main path around the basin for approximately 3.6 miles, returning to the same lot. Walking within the parking area adds a little extra distance.

This ride is for an ordinary pedal bike on improved shared paths. The surface combines firm stone dust and pavement. Most of the circuit is fairly level, with a climb and descent on the section alongside I-295. Portland Trails describes Back Cove as an Improved Access trail suitable for new cyclists. It is still a working urban trail with walkers, runners, other cyclists and vehicle access nearby; allow time for a relaxed pace.

Arrive at Preble Street Extension

Use the public Preble Street lot across from Hannaford, identified by the City’s recreation department and linked from Portland Trails’ Back Cove listing. Look for the Back Cove Trail Parking destination and follow current entrance and parking signs. The adjacent business parking areas are separate; use the designated public lot.

Once parked, walk your bicycle toward the waterside trail. Keep parking maneuvers and any access-road crossing separate from the ride. Use the posted controls, check for vehicles and give people on foot room. No particular stall or accessible parking space is guaranteed by this guide.

The City describes a vault toilet at the field end of the lot, while Portland Trails describes portable toilets at Preble Street Extension and Payson Park. Treat those as identified facilities rather than a promise they will be available on your visit. Bring drinking water; the trail’s fountains are seasonal.

Ride the main circuit

Either direction gives the same basic loop. A clockwise outing keeps the cove on your right: follow the shore toward the Baxter Boulevard side, continue around the western and northern edges, then follow the main Back Cove route past the Tukey’s Bridge area and along the I-295 side to return to Preble Street Extension.

Stay on the cove-side main trail rather than crossing Baxter Boulevard into Payson Park or taking a neighborhood road connection. Around Tukey’s Bridge, keep following Back Cove instead of adding Bayside or Eastern Promenade. Those are separate connected trails with different lengths and arrival arrangements.

Benches provide places to pause for the water and skyline views. Move off the travel line for a stop, slow down near walkers and at junctions, and use the currently posted crossing controls wherever an access road meets the route. The short highway-side rise may feel less gentle than the rest of the loop; walking the bicycle is a reasonable choice if needed. Do not ride on I-295 or its ramps.

If the main route is closed or its continuation is unclear, stop rather than following an improvised road detour. Retrace the open path to your start. This guide covers the ordinary main circuit, rather than a combined citywide route.

Plan the visit

The City’s published general park and trail hours are 6:30 a.m.–10 p.m. Plan this outing in daylight and obey any more specific signs or temporary restrictions. Lighting beside Baxter Boulevard does not establish permission for an overnight visit. Ordinary trail use is listed as free; follow the lot’s current parking terms.

Keep dogs leashed and out of athletic fields and playgrounds. The trail is shared with other visitors, and nearby field events may make the arrival area busier. Field reservations and their rental charges are separate from ordinary trail use.

Research notes

Draft checked October 12, 2026. This is a complete planning draft, not launch-approved. Current parking signs, access-road controls, the highway-side approach, tread and services still need a local check before USA publication.

The approximately 3.6-mile main-circuit figure follows Portland Trails and Maine Trail Finder’s loop listing and is consistent with the partner’s mapped closed main path. The City’s general description and the May 2026 coastal guide say three miles, while Maine Trail Finder’s narrative says 3.5. These differing descriptions are retained in the research record; this is an approximate outing, with no surveyed track or exact parking-walk distance supplied.

A City notice described temporary Tukey’s Bridge gas work in October 2025 and is marked expired. It is not a current October 2026 closure notice or a certificate of present clearance. Check the City and Portland Trails notices and respect signs on arrival.

Sources: Portland Trails, its published trail map, Maine Trail Finder, the City’s Back Cove page, City park rules, City Preble Field parking information and the expired 2025 work notice.