The Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands, under the Maine Department of Conservation, is now offering an online, cross-country ski and trail conditions report for Aroostook State Park.

The reports soon will be expanded to include more state parks, including Sebago Lake State Park, according to Bureau of Parks and Lands officials.

“The local television station recently stopped providing a ski report for the ski areas, so this service is happening at the right time,” said Scott Thompson, Aroostook State Park manager. “This will be great for getting the trail info out to the public from away and locally.”

Thompson will keep the online ski report up to date on a regular basis. Those who want current trail conditions can go to: www.maine.gov/doc/parks/parksinfo/winterreports/aroostookwintertrailconditions.

Aroostook State Park, Maine’s first and northern most state park, offers visitors a unique opportunity to enjoy winter in the outdoors, according to Thompson.

The park is located near Presque Isle; it offers excellent maintained trails for classical cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. The groomed, 15-mile ski trail system offers a wide variety of skiing for all skill levels.

Grooved, double-set track weaves through distinctive Aroostook County forest and farmland areas, allowing visitors a chance to explore all of the park’s winter beauty.

The packed 5-mile snowshoe trail offers a vigorous trek to the top of Quaggy Jo Mountain. The trail system has two warming huts, away from the parking lot, allowing the users a chance to rest and meet new friends next to the fire.

“Aroostook is the first park to have this ski conditions reporting service, but we plan to expand the trails report to several more parks in the coming weeks” Gary Best, Bureau of Parks and Lands interpretive planner, said. “We started with Aroostook; we will soon expand to Mount Blue State Park and Sebago Lake State Park.”

Mount Blue maintains cross-country ski trails, a major snowmobile trail, and an ice rink during the winter.

Sebago Lake offers six miles of ski touring on groomed trails, plus ample parking.

Visit www.parksandlands.com for upcoming trail reports and information on Maine state parks.