Beautiful walking trails. Well maintained and marked and spacious…read more We were able to see the cows outside the barn, unfortunately they didn't come closer to the trail. Plenty of parking with restroom facilities in the parking lot. The trail map at the beginning of the trail was very helpful.

This was my first time visiting and had a wonderful time. Today was international greyhound day,…read moreand a large group us of took our leashed hounds for a group walk together for a fun social event. The trails are fantastic and used by many different types of people. Highly recommend!

Deering Oaks, a 55 acre park in Portland, was created in 1879 by then City Engineer William Goodwin…read more(DYK: the park didn't have lighting for almost a century!). His hope was that "The Oaks" would be "a public breathing space". Over the years, the park has evolved - in 1883 the bandstand was built, in 1887 the duck house and fountain were installed, in 1894 the Castle was built (as a hut for ice skaters to warm themselves), and in 1902 a playground was built. Fast forward to current age and Deering Oaks is the home to farmers' markets, the Festival of Nations, performances of all kinds, Twilight in the Park, and a whole host of other amazing events. We've truly done an excellent job at making it a unique-to-Portland area where people truly can decompress and enjoy nature (I almost touched a squirrel here once, but he realized I had no snacks and quickly lost interest; next time... next time...; it was also the home to our rare great black hawk for a spell). Yes, there parts of the park that might be "a little rough", but all in all it's BEAUTIFUL. Spring and summer brings on a million shades of green and wee ones playing in the wading pool; autumn is positively ablaze with orange and red hues; and during winter you'll see the tree with long arms covered in lights, along with hockey and ice skating on the pond! For me, it's one of the best representations of the seasons that Portland has. Here's my suggestion to you: if you see there's trash in the park, be a good citizen, and pick it up. Let's continue to make it the space that Wiliiam Goodwin had planned for us 'lo those many years ago!

Duck poop all over lol watch where walk on the pathways. Free parking by the entrance by ranger…read morestation.

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!

Well this is indeed different. It's lovely and the fact that on a hot day it is completely shaded…read morewith 50 to 100 foot tall trees covering every step of the way. I definitely recommend wearing appropriate shoes and clothing especially until you know what kind of plants and wildlife are out here. There are two trails one says it's handicap accessible the other which I took is definitely not and it is not for anyone with any kind of difficulty walking. Cool little creeks let the dogs playing not too deep this time of year maybe 6 inches to a foot in most places. Definitely a good off leash area not too many people here in fact you could go an entire walk without seeing anyone so I'm good for quiet time to think or chat on the phone well you hang out with your favorite canine companion. Maybe was to wear bug spray won't know till tomorrow if I'm covered in mosquito bites but no sound of flies just little tickles here in there.. I was a little worried about getting lost at first but to the road that you can hear the sound of cars although not so close that you have to worry about your dog running into traffic. What I like the most about it is that it's actually a good hike and good exercise and it's different than the other dog parks and it's more a hiking trail that you can bring your dog and allow it off leash then it is an actual dog park. Also make sure you bring your own bags and water if needed. And most of all have fun

This trail is part of the South Portland Land Trust's West End project. The trail head itself is…read morelocated to the right side of the Home Depot parking lot by the stone wall. You will see the kiosk. Part of the trail is paved and you will be able to go around the Home Depot building. There is a short dirt trail that is marked as handicap accessible and only goes a short distance in to the woods and there are benches to sit and look out over the water on either side. You can follow the smaller path down to the water. If you follow the paved trail to the right you will come to the dirt trail that skirts the pond. This is packed dirt and there are stairs and tree roots. The trail is becoming more and more popular. Expect to see people walking dogs here off leash. This trail connects to the Red Brook Trail as well that goes behind Sappi. We have seen many herons, ducks, an owl and what look like fox dens. There are signs of beavers, but we have not seen any. This is a great walk while being on the heart of a busy area of South Portland. Depending on the path you take, this is approximately 2 miles long. *As a side note: there are some "camps" in this area and we have come across some transients and homeless in this area. As always, take safety precautions for trail walking.

Who knew this little park existed?…read more Locals. Hyper locals. That's who. Tucked away in the corner of Knightville (where Waterman curves into/becomes Ocean), this little park under the Casco Bay Bridge might not look like much upon first glance. But park nearby, walkover, and explore something beautiful and unexpected. Just past the no-longer-used railroad tracks are benches and stationary game tables. Beyond that (and down the hill) are beautiful views of Portland's working harbor and a plethora of sailboats. And just beyond that is a wooden pier straight out of some watercolor painting of the smaller fishing villages along Downeast Maine where floating docks are available for boats. So if you're looking for a new spot to take a walk, walk your dog, or hide in plain sight (which isn't such a bad thing... sometimes we all need to escape without escaping [which is incredibly hard to do in Greater Portland], so if you see me sitting on the wooden pier reading and drinking a coffee, do you mind not interrupting? I'm seeking peace of some kind.), the delightful Thomas Knight Park might just surprise you.

After demolishing the Million Dollar Bridge and re routing the flow of traffic with the new Casco…read moreBay Bridge years ago the city has done a great job with making this little nest park on Waterman Drive. (I wish the Farmer's Market was still here!) This park doesn't look like much from the road (which has 2 hour parking and ample spaces around) however, soon after walking in to the park you discover that it is bigger on the inside than you thought, kinda like a Tardis. The cobblestone path will lead you to the access ramp to the sidewalk on the bridge as well as some of those stationary binoculars to take in the sights like the Portland waterfront. There is also a small path down to a tiny beach. The paved path will take you under the bridge where you will pass the game tables. Go down the hill and discover some more grass and access to water (over rocks) as well as a bridge that leads to public docking. There is a small outbuilding with cushioned outdoor furniture. What you get now is sweeping views on both sides of you out across the South Portland and Portland sides of the Fore River/Casco Bay. Granted... There is a sewer treatment plant nearby but down here you wouldn't know it. People bring dogs and kids here to walk and play. Don't forget to bring bags and clean up since SoPo no longer provides bags. So one day... Drive past Shaws and McDonald's and the Ford Dealership and find a little oasis under one of the busiest roadways connecting these cities. You won't be sorry. Then... Instead of driving back toward Shaws, go around the other corner and discover the little shops that are no longer on the main track since the traffic pattern change.

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!

Lots of benches and green space, a meandering path with some interesting trees and a few small…read moregardens, and some lovely Victorian houses to look at as you meander. Unfortunately the views aren't that great (unless maybe at sunset) and there isn't a lot of shade seating. A good option if you're already in the area but not a destination park in my mind.

Great place to catch a portland sunset and look at some gorgeous, old houses. Get there early.read more

Nice easy hike around the peninsula. Parking is a short walk from the trail head. I walked the…read moretrail during low tide and there were spots where you could easily access the shoreline to meander the rocky shore.

There's something alluring when a place boasts of only allowing x-amount of visitors at a time…read more Like - what's so special and magical about this place that they need to keep it so unoccupied? And why are we as people drawn to that sort of exclusivity? I don't know. But it's one of the reasons why we decided to check out the Littlejohn Island Preserve. It was a Sunday afternoon, about an hour from dusk, and we really didn't think we were going to get a spot... but apparently nobody nature walks in December in blustery weather, so we had the place to ourselves. PLEASE NOTE: there really are ONLY four parking spaces with many, MANY signs warning of being towed should you foolishly choose to park anywhere else. The four spaces are about a quarter mile from the actual preserve which is down a private lane. The 23-acre preserve is open during daylight hours only and is about a 1.3 mile loop trail; it's very, very flat and has plenty of manmade wooden plank bridges (and a layer of wood chips where there aren't any) making it pretty accessible to walkers of all ages and ability levels. The ocean views are wonderful, and there are even a few areas where you can walk right down to exposed beach during low tide. However... if you can't get here for whatever reason (like say because there's only four parking spaces), the trails on both Mackworth Island in Falmouth and Wolfe's Neck State Park in Freeport are incredibly similar in both walkability and views (the former also having restricted parking [just not quite as severe]; the latter charging for entry).