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    Back Cove Trail

    4.4 (33 reviews)

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    Amy Lauren S.

    My husband and I had a blast walking this trail when we visited Portland. There's plenty of parking nearby, and if you have an electric car, it's near a charging station. The trail is packed dirt/gravel and was very clean. While we like hiking trails, this is NOT one and is a very easy, flat run/walk, although one section is over a bridge. Leashed dogs are welcome. Folks were conscientious about picking up after their pups and not littering, as I expected for Maine. Trees provide shade from the sun, and you can stop to rest or reflect on a bench. Even if you don't have a GPS watch, the mile markers are visible and you can see how far you've run or walked. Since the trail is about 3.5 miles, it's great for a daily run/walk or you could run/walk multiple loops if you're training for a full or half marathon. A few folks looked like they were training for events. If you're not a runner, a bikeshare is beside the parking lot. Triathletes could even do a brick (bike/run) workout here! The only downside of the trail is it could use more water fountains and maybe an emergency call box. I know most people carry phones when they run, but this would make me more comfortable doing longer runs or walks here. After our walk, we ate at the Miss Portland Diner, which is just a few blocks away. I also noticed nearby grocery stores and other restaurants that you could visit if you're hungry or thirsty after a workout. If we lived here, we'd be frequent visitors and run, walk, and bike this trail often.

    Beautiful spot for an evening walk
    Jocelyn A.

    Here it is, the dead of winter in Maine and all I can think about is springtime runs along the Back Cove Trail. With all of its hills, cobblestones, and tourists as obstacles, Portland can be a hard city to find a good long stretch of running trail. Thankfully, the Back Cove Trail serves as the perfect in-town spot for a run. The trail is about 3.5 miles, which can easily be extended by continuing on to the Eastern Promenade trail or simply by doing the loop twice (or as many times as you like I guess...). Personally, I like to skip the part that goes along the 295 altogether and turn around at that point - I think that ends up being about 5 miles out-and-back. If you aren't a runner, the trail is also perfect for a meditative walk by yourself, or a romantic stroll with your loved one. If you are going for romance, I recommend going right before sunset and ending up on the 295 bridge. The views from that point at sunset are fantastic. Why only 4-stars? I hate that there is traffic zooming by the trail almost the entire way. It makes it hard to enjoy nature to it's fullest or to hear my favorite podcast over all the noise. It's a city though, so I understand the need for things like streets ;). The Back Cove Trail is definitely an asset to the city and part of what makes Portland special. I am truly grateful for this little stretch of nature.

    Susie A.

    Best urban lake trail and views I have experienced. (And I am from the land of 10,000 lakes.) Super clean, well kept gravel path. Markers every quarter mile, which if you are doing speed work training for a race are perfect. If you are just trying to make it around, you might not want to see it's only been a quarter mile... lol! Was happy to find a drinking fountain half way around. There are nice benches by the water so you can rest in peace. There were trees shading the path for a good portion. The photos can't capture the whole experience of this trail. I went all the way around with a perma grin on my face. I'm sure the locals thought I was nuts. If you get to Portland, put this on your list.

    History of "The Boulevard"
    Lisa H.

    Yet another beautiful Portland outdoor exercise, dog walking, bird and nature watching spot. So far i find it the best iin the summer. Its a 3.5 mile or 5k trail around a part of the bay that is resedential rather than commercial. Nicked named "The Boulevard" its def the best place to walk ride or run when temps soar into the 80s or above cuz at least here is always a breeze. As Steph was saying there's tons of sexy men and women jogging and glistening as they do laps. Great motivation to keep up the good work. There are two water fountains, one with a dog bowl but no bathrooms. I subtracted a star cuz there should be more dog fountains and trash cans for poop bags. One trash can on a 5k walk is rediculous.

    Sign
    Marc B.

    Back Cove Trail is one of my favorite places to go for a walk or run. With scenic views on the outskirts of Portland, Back Cove provides a three and a half mile trail for people to walk, run, or bike. The trail also provides an adult obstacle course, which is solely why I gave Back Cove four stars rather than five. The obstacle course has potential being in a large field, however, it ends of being lackluster. There is a rope climb with some walls to climb over, but that is the basic premise. I wish they would add in more! Many reviews have commented on the 1/4 mile markers as you are walking. These are surely there, however, some people find them useful. I happen to be ambivalent about them. Overall, Back Cove is a great place for an enjoyable, scenic trail. Definitely worth checking out!

    Road Biking along the Back Cove Trail!
    Amanda R.

    Gym memberships are not tempting in the summer time when you can run, walk or jog on a beautiful day at the Back Cove Trail! I have always been trying to cut spending on a gym membership somehow and the Back Cove Trail was my solution. When the sun is shining and the temperature feels right for you (hot for me thanks), that's when I'll drive down, park the car for free and go for a brisk walk or jog. It's a breath of fresh air for me versus being cooped up in a gym breathing body odor. The highway bridge is the best part for me! Last Friday I went for a walk and it was so hot, but once I made it to the bridge, the cool breeze made it all better. The strong winds just took my mind off the hot day and the view from the bridge is just stellar! The trail is spacious with a gravel pathway so wear sneakers. Flip fops would do you no justice! The Back Cove Trail wraps around the Back Cove at a length of 3.5 miles. There are mile markers which I really think is cool. I see it as determination because I know I'll want to complete the entire 3.5 miles no matter if I am running or walking. If you forget your water bottle like I do sometimes, there are two water fountains along the trail so no worries! There are portable toilets if you drank too much water located at Preble Street and Payson Park. Bring your family, your dog and even have a picnic too! Everyone will have a grand time :)

    Patrick W.

    The trail is a 3.5 mile loop around the Back Cove. It is a pretty trail that has great views of downtown from the backside. The homes in the surrounding neighborhoods are also a part of the pleasant backdrops provided by the trail. In my opinion, the Back Cove is a better spot for sunset than the Eastern Promenade. Since the sun sets in the west, you will see the sun set under the Back Cove rather than not seeing the sun and just the afterglow at the Promenade. The Back Cove Trail is also a great spot for a run or walk and connects to the north end of the Eastern Promenade. If you are visiting and planning a trip to Portland and looking for recommendations, feel free to message me for my itinerary. You can also find the electronic copy through the link my profile.

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    9 years ago

    This is a great walk if you are looking to get our for a bit. The entire loop is about 3.5 miles.

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    10 years ago

    This trail hugs a circular cove for 3.6 beautiful miles.

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    Review Highlights - Back Cove Trail

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    Jewell Falls

    Jewell Falls

    4.2(13 reviews)
    2.7 miNasons Corner

    This hike is a nice place to take a short stroll for the locals but not a place I would recommend…read moretourist to come. First off, it is only about half mile from parking to the waterfall. So total hike was only 1 mile. it is a WALK, not hike. Good for families with young ones. Be very aware that the mosquitoes here are super HUNGRY! I have never gotten so many bites within such a short time inside a hike! I got 6-7 bites all over my legs just from hiking here for 30 mins. My husband got 8+ bites all over his body! Luckily my little one only got 1 bite. We were all over Maine in the last 2 weeks including kayaking and out at Acadia national park. All outdoor activities and barely got any bites until now! There are other trails here too but after getting so many bites, we wanted to run away as fast as we could! I wish I didn't come here. View and waterfall are not worth it for trade off of these hungry hungry mosquitoes!! *sooo itchy* :-/ Bring bug spray if you wanna come!

    Jewell falls is a waterfall of water flowing from the Fore River and is named for Tom Jewell who…read morewas one of the founders Portland Trails and very much alive today. Did you know that Portland Trails started in 1991? He donated the land around the falls and the rest of the land the trail walls through is a mix of public and private land. You see evidence of this with many marked signs that designate private property -- good to respect these so we can continue to walk these trails. Somehow I got lost off my usual path I take and ended up going on the greater fore river sanctuary trail loop around and across the railroad tracks, but the boardwalks were great! Back to the falls, if you start at the trailhead near Brighton ave, it's less than 0.25 miles of a walk. The falls are made of horsetails of rushing water over large slabs of rock. The trails are really well maintained and there's not too many people. You can definitely still hear traffic from some parts but there are a few quiet enclaves.

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    Jewell Falls
    Jewell Falls
    Jewell Falls - My friend on the tracks at the entrance!

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    My friend on the tracks at the entrance!

    Portland Head Light - Portland Head Light

    Portland Head Light

    4.8(365 reviews)
    3.9 mi

    Definitely visit this if you are in Portland, especially on a sunny day. As much as the Lighthouse…read moreis iconic, the scenery around it is mind blowing. You can also take a walk along the cliff to enjoy the view from multiple directions. It is a good spot for picnic as well, and there are a couple of locations which are close to the water as well. Plenty of parking available, there are multiple parking lots along the property. Definitely recommend it.

    While in Portland for lunch, we stopped in some small shops in the area and the lovely lady at the…read moreshop recommended that we check out the lighthouse. She said it was only about 15 minutes from the shop and we decided we would go check it out. The Portland Head Light is one of their most famous light houses according to the locals. It was very cold there but what a sight! We walked round the light house, checked out the cliff sides and walked on the trail. It was a gorgeous day (freezing but beautiful) with the perfect skies for photos of the light house. We were able to read the historic plaques, see the cliffs and the water crashing below us. After visiting the Head Light, we went over to the other portion in Fort WIlliams Park and checked out the old house, military storage areas and I even went down and touched the ice cold Atlantic ocean water that was crashing on the beach. If you are in the area I would highly suggest visiting the Portland Head Light. We were there in the late evening about an hour prior to closing so the coffee truck wasn't open but they do have a coffee & gelato stand right near the Light House. It was an amazing experience and much different than light houses I have seen on the West Coast.

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    Portland Head Light - Portland Head Light

    Portland Head Light

    Portland Head Light - Lighthouse view

    Lighthouse view

    Portland Head Light - Portland Head Light

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    Portland Head Light

    Mackworth Island Trail

    Mackworth Island Trail

    4.7(48 reviews)
    2.4 mi

    This was such a cool park to explore. Gorgeous trail along the water and we saw a pair of bald…read moreeagles! The pet cemetery was really sweet and such a fun surprise towards the end.

    I can practically see Mackworth Island from my livingroom window, and it's a quick drive--and also…read moreone of my favorite walks in Portland. It's no secret, of course, and as other reviewers have noted there isn't much parking. For some reason I've always been lucky that way and have always found a spot (to be sure, sometimes the only open one). What I recommend--giving away secrets here!--is to aim for just before or after prime times like first thing in the morning or lunchtime. Once you're there, this wonderful little island right smack in a city makes you feel like you're miles away. The trail is less than a mile and a half but you can easily linger in the many path detours to lookout points, several of which have benches with the most marvelous views out into the Casco Bay that you can find anywhere. I have a favorite spot to take a breather with a book and a good coffee, but I'm not letting on exactly where that is : ) I also highly recommend the side paths to the pet cemetery (not Pet Sematary!) where the original owner of the island, Governor Baxter, buried his many Irish Setters and one very special horse. Check out the tombstones; it's quite moving. Also be on the lookout for the famous fairy houses (hint: there's one main area and you'll likely find random little setups hidden throughout). I don't want to ruin the sense of discovery on Mackworth--that's part of the fun!

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    Mackworth Island Trail
    Mackworth Island Trail
    Mackworth Island Trail

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    Peaks Island - Peaks Island

    Peaks Island

    4.2(48 reviews)
    3.4 mi

    Peaks Island is a fun place for a day trip or hike while visiting Portland. The island features…read morepublic restrooms and plenty of hiking trails at Trott-Little John Park. If you take the main trail loop, you'll pass by the abandoned Battery Steele fort, which has been decorated with street art. Super cool! On top of a bit of history, you'll also get great views of the ocean, cute local homes, and a fun ferry ride along the way! The ferry requires a ticket for your dog or bike in addition to your own ticket. There are no food sales on the ferry, but there is a vending machine on one of the lower decks. You can even ferry your car over. Once boarded, you are free to roam throughout the ferry.

    Two Peaks Notice So,…read moreevidently there's a whole archipelago here in Casco Bay off of Portland Harbor. About six of them, from what I've gathered, and they all have different unique things on them from actually living there to beaches and golfing to hiking trails. Peaks Island is the largest--and most populus--of which, and features a beach, museums, shopping, hiking and even a small lighthouse. Unfortunately, we didn't plan our travel here very well as we basically just got here, did a short hike, and then bounced. Next time I wouldn't mind getting an Airbnb on the island and having a few days to reconnoiter it and the surrounding islands more. Next time, Gadget! Next tiiiiimmmeeeee...!

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    Peaks Island - Peaks Island

    Peaks Island

    Peaks Island - Peaks Island

    Peaks Island

    Peaks Island - Peaks Island

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    Peaks Island

    Baxter Woods - fall color

    Baxter Woods

    4.7(13 reviews)
    1.5 miDeering Center

    One of the many wonderful things about Portland is how much of the lovely outdoors we have right in…read morethe city! If you want to go for a walk in the woods but don't have time to trek to points north or west, Baxter Woods is a wonderful little escape. The woods are located in the Deering neighborhood, between Forest and Stevens Avenues. The main trail is less than a mile walk around, but you're surrounded by trees--right now, at peak leaf season, gloriously ablaze in red and orange and yellow--and it'll feel like you're miles away. Practicalities: the main entrance is on Stevens, and there's plenty of street parking; it can get busy on weekends, but I've never had trouble nabbing a spot. (That's a bit trickier on the Forest Ave. side.) I've also parked on Hartley (the residential street on the south side of the woods), and there's an entrance to the trail around the middle of that block. The trail is flat but be on the lookout for roots and rocks; there are also plenty of benches and tables and logs and other places to sit and rest or just chill out and get your forest bathing on. And since you're in the neighborhood already, I highly recommend stopping by Norimoto Bakery or Rwanda Bean coffee on the way there or back!

    I feel similar to Baxter Woods Park as I do Thorncrag in Lewiston (see here:…read morehttps://www.yelp.com/biz/thorncrag-bird-sanctuary-lewiston). What an absolutely lovely spot right in the middle of the city! It's like an unexpected, secluded oasis ("a pleasant or peaceful area") of nature. I've lived nearby for years and I only recently discovered it! I can walk from my house, across Forest Ave (definitely the scariest part), through Baxter Woods, across Stevens Ave (much less scary), and then into Evergreen Cemetery! I don't know why it took me sooooooooo long to come here; I think it's because it presents as a little sketchy. There's graffiti on the trashcan/information board and a lot of loiterers smoking at the entrance of the park/trailhead. But once you get past that, it's charming really! Baxter Woods is a 30ish acre nature preserve with loads of big, beautiful pine trees that offer shaded mostly easily accessible/walkable well maintained trails, a little pond, some streams, a meadow with wildflowers, an area that looks like it could be an outdoor stage/presentation area (there's a line-up of log benches), and lots of bird watching/bird listening opportunities! This is not a destination for tourists; this is really cool spot for locals to stretch their legs, let their dogs and kiddos play, and immerse themselves in nature. I'm excited to walk through here again to see what it looks like in autumn AND winter! Stay tuned!

    Photos
    Baxter Woods - This is such a great walk in the midst of the city!

    This is such a great walk in the midst of the city!

    Baxter Woods
    Baxter Woods - Wisdom on rocks at Baxter Woods

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    Wisdom on rocks at Baxter Woods

    Pine River Pond

    Pine River Pond

    5.0(1 review)
    36.8 mi

    I have missed this lake. My grandparents bought a cottage up here many years ago, and the whole…read morefamily would come during the summer. We would all be crammed into this cottage, spending time together and going on adventures like hiking Mt Chocorua, going out on the canoe on the lake, or just swimming here. I remember countless hours fishing with my dad, I think I can count on one hand how many times I actually caught anything. Or we would just lounge on the porch, or be inside reading. Maybe we would watch the news in the morning, or watch a VHS tape of a kids movie at night (no cable here, this is roughing it!) with everyone in the living room and kitchen. I remember times spent with my grandparents here. Grandma passed away several years ago, and June of this year (2020) Grandpa passed away. There was a flood of memories coming back, it was a couple of years since my last visit. I am glad I was finally able to bring my wife here to see both the cottage and the lake. We went out on the canoe but had to come back because of thunder rolling in. It was her first time in a canoe, 30 seconds in she capsized and fell in the water. I'm glad I wasn't already in the damn thing . With Pine River Pond being 5 miles long, there is so much to explore; the islands, sand bars, tributaries, coves, there is no shortage of things to explore. The weekend was my birthday, and it was nice staying with my family there. This is a beautiful lake. I can't speak for the fishing but if you have a boat there is plenty to explore.

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    Pine River Pond - Sunrise in December

    Sunrise in December

    Pine River Pond
    Pine River Pond

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    Back Cove Trail - hiking - Updated May 2026

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