Good reward at the top for a short hike. You can see pretty far with the views but nothing…read moreextraordinary, since the mountain is not very tall. The trail is very well marked, with trail markers every twenty feet or so. The walk is mostly wooded, so just take some time and enjoy the rustling of the trees. This would be a good trail to bring your dog on. Parking lot probably fits 10 to 15 cars. There were no bathrooms on site.

After a long day of hiking various trails in the area, we decided to squeeze in one more right…read morebefore dusk and we're so glad we did because it ended up being our favorite. Just the drive to find the entrance to Bauneg Beg (which we did from Fox Farm Hill Rd) was stunning - sweeping views of wide open fields and meadows. Lovely. If you're coming to the mountain this way, there's a inconspicuous brown wooden plank sign before the small off-street gravel parking lot (we blew past it initially, and probably would again if we came bag so just go slow!). This conservation area is comprised of close to 90 acres of logging trails (a two mile network) through thick woodlands and rock formations, one such called Devil's Den made up of impressive and daunting looking boulders - hiking up the relatively steep rocky "path" constructed through here, though, brings you directly to the top of Middle Peak. Apparently Banueg Beg has three distinct peaks which can actually be seen from the ocean (and in the past they were used to help navigation to ME's coast, kinda cool right?). Unfortunately, the views from the top (apparently you can see Mt Washington and the Atlantic on a clear day) where we specifically were didn't quite offer what we were expecting as much of it is obstructed by the overgrowth of trees and vegetation. A bit of a bummer, but still worth the work-out! Instead of backtracking, we went down the mountain via the more accessible, gentle, all-levels trail through a pine grove (Ginny's Way). Bauneg Beg was just such an unexpected, beautiful network of trails through such a thick, tall deciduous forest that we were impressed. The signage on the paths themselves could be improved (some trees have multiple boards with arrows pointing in literally every direction making it VERY confusing; guess that's part of the adventure, though!), but this particular spot just had that untouched-by-man, trekking-through-the-raw-beauty-of-Maine-without-a-single-person-knowing-where-I-am-and-can't-bother-me-via-text feeling really reconnects a gal to nature and makes her want to create or write something beautiful, y'know?

I feel the need to preface all of my nature reviews with this: being 90% forested and having around…read more3500 miles of coastline, Maine has a tremendous amount of spaces, walkways, paths, and trails of all kinds and of all levels. There's something for everyone. What I'm reviewing is how a spot compares to similar outdoor spots in my personal opinion. Being in nature - and remembering to carry in, carry out - is always five stars! :) *** Parking? Yes. Loop trail? Kind of. Well marked signs? Kind of. Element of surprise? Eh, kind of? "Welcome to the Hilton-Winn Preserve... this 48,000 acre area is the largest, intact (minimally fragmented by roads coastal forest from Acadia National Park to the New Jersey Pine Barrens. A unique confluence of northern and southern species of plants and animals lie here, making it the most biologically diverse region in Maine." That's what the sign says when you arrive. How cool sounding!!! All of that may be true, but I have to admit that I actually have no idea what's going on here; because whatever you see online or at the information kiosk (under "Trails & Rules") regarding the trail map is not totally the truth. Yes, there's *a lot* of signs, but there's *a lot* of signs for trails that don't exist on the map. Does that make sense? Like, I started on Boardwalk Trail (very clearly labeled both on the map and on the trail itself) through forested wetland, went to Hilton Lane (very clearly labeled both on the map and on the trail itself), went to Loop Trail (which was actually pretty cool because it crosses the Ogunquit River twice -- there's a sturdy cable connecting trees on the opposing banks of the river to help you navigate your way across; when I came, however, this was unnecessary because there was no water in the river at all [August in Maine; everything's dried up due to the drought]) and then this is where things got weird. Because Loop Trail should have "looped" back to Hilton, but it didn't. So I backtracked all the way to the original part of Hilton I deviated from and this time walked up to River Trail (clearly labeled both on the map and on the trail itself), which seemed misnamed: does it follow the Tatnic Brook? Maybe, but again - no signs of water whatsoever. This then brought me to Breen-Norris Farm Trail... and then to Grandma's Wishing Bridge (which was collapsed), Imagination Pond (which was definitely not real no matter how hard I tried to believe), Stone Wall Way (there were no stone walls), Holding Pen (a collapsed wooden "pen"), an enormous field, and Green Horse Trail (there were no green horses; I'm guessing they escaped the pen, kicked the stone walls down, drank the water from the pond, destroyed Nana's bridge, and are living their life somewhere in that giant field). I took pictures for proof, and also: none of that was on any map. Was it an adventure? Sure. Did I sweat? A whole lot. Would I come back here? Nope. Too scared about where the horses may or may not be.

Ogunquit is a charming town. It's well maintained. It has a lot of cute, touristy venues. It is the…read morehome of the marginal way, which is an amazing 1.5 mile walk along the Atlantic coast. There's a variety of restaurants. There is a large number of hotels, motels and inns to cater a variety of tastes and budgets. It's within striking distance of Kittery, Kennebunkport, Portland and Freeport. It's a very LGBTQ friendly town. The only negative is that it gets quite crowded over the summer. As long as you adjust your expectations accordingly, it's a great place to vacation.

This is our first vacation to Maine, so I asked a friend who's spent years vacationing here for…read moresome of her favorite spots. High on her list was Ogunquit and the Marginal Way and now I know why. We're staying in Portland, so Ogunquit is a short drive south, past Kennebunk. We took the more scenic route down (Hwy 1), driving through Wells, and are glad we did. We arrived in Ogunquit just at lunchtime, as we wanted to eat at Brix + Brine...unfortunately they weren't yet open for the season (Hubs, being a foodie, was crushed). We walked around a bit, enjoying the quaintness of the town. They clearly are a seasonal town, and we're here at the very beginning of the season so some shops weren't yet open. Parking is a challenge, but Google can help you find the public parking (we only found pay lots...not sure if there are free lots available). This is a VERY pedestrian oriented area, so as you drive through, take it slow and keep a sharp eye out. We've found most people will use the crosswalks but did have one experience where a couple crossed mid-block without even a glance left or right . There are some beautiful beaches here, with public access, so it makes sense that it's a big draw for visitors. One of the reasons we came to Ogunquit was to experience the Marginal Way, a walking path along the coastline that stretches a little more than a mile, from Ogunquit to Perkins Cove. We decided to drive down to Perkins Cove, park, grab a bite and walk the path. Perkins Cove sits on a finger of land, so there are docks with boats (and cruise options, I think), several shops and places to eat and a LOT of residences/rental houses. Right in the center is a medium sized parking lot where you pay by the hour ($4 per hour) - however, just as you enter the area theres a pay lot for $10. Choose your parking location based on how long you intend to stay. We ate lunch then walked the Marginal Way. The path is mostly well above the high tide mark and the rocks, but with a couple of stairways to allow you to get to the beach. Being low tide, we walked out to the water, took off our shoes and enjoyed a short walk in the cold water, while watching surfers and kayakers. The path is wide enough for two people to walk side by side and is paved. Those with mobility issues should be able to walk at least part of it, although some areas will be a little steep for anyone using a wheelchair. There are plenty of benches along the way, so you can take it at your own pace. This southern gal now wants to retire and move to Maine. I can learn to deal with snow...

So Ogunquit is known for its marvelous Marginal Way, pristine beaches, picturesque Perkins Cove,…read morefine dining, art galleries and the eponymous Ogunquit Museum of American Art. Who goes there for hiking? Well, if you ever tire of the shore line and galleries, the GWLT (Great Works Regional Land Trust) Old Boston Preserve is a fine antidote and counterpoint. Blazed just a year or so ago, this new trail and nature preserve is easy to hike, easy to follow, and easy on the eyes. It features a couple of loops and leads you to vernal pools, impressive glacial boulders, old stone walls, a historic cemetery (the OG Boston family? Of Beantown fame? Maybe...), and the Boston family's farmhouse foundations. It's a great little trail to stretch the legs and a good springboard to explore the other GWLT trails in the area (as well as seeing a bit of Ogunquit outside of the typical tourist routes!).

Interesting short walk with lots to look at. Graves, pottery shards, stone foundations and walls…read more Easy walk.

This was amazing. I'm so glad we decided to go down the coast and take this walk. We decided to go…read moreat sunrise. Although there was overcast, it was still a beautiful walk. I imagined the people who walked this jetty every single day and I was jealous. We didn't tour the lighthouse but we've seen plenty of lighthouses. We've never seen one out a mile though. Don't miss this gem! Be sure to use the bathroom before coming here as we did not see any portapods. Also, wear shoes with hood support. We saw a few wearing flip flops; so t know how they did it. I wouldn't take the risk of tripping.

The ending to a perfect day in Maine? Watching the sunset from a jetty of course!…read more After spending the day exploring coastal areas in southern Maine, we decided to walk the jetty near Wells Harbor/York Beach. We didn't know what to expect when we discovered this spot - so when you come know that there are two jetty's. One you can access from the elongated, sandy parking area on Foster Ln (which was free to use and deserted when we came in early November); and, one you can access from a bigger, concrete parking area at the end of Atlantic Ave (beyond Sage Fishing Charters - it's pay to park here, but I don't know if that's just during the height of the summer season). These jetty's are long (I read somewhere that they're over a mile) stone breakwaters that stretch out relatively far from land into the Atlantic. It's beautiful to walk down and back as you get stunning views of Wells Harbor, the beach on either side, and great for bird watching too (we were captivated by some sanderlings!). It's important to be mindful when walking on jetty's though - these big boulders have crevices between them, so "mind the gap"; if the ocean is rough, you might also get soaked from waves crashing against them! Absolutely worth seeing, especially in the shoulder season when it's got that much more serene, humble feeling to it!

This is really quite a nice little trail. You get a bit of coastline, and a bit of forest all in…read moreone. You turn onto granite point road off of route 9 near Biddeford pool. You follow the road all the way down, there is very limited parking. By limited I mean 4 maybe 5 spots, including 2 handicapped parking spots. The road and parking area are patrolled by BPD. After parking you walk along the dirt road, after the trail entrance sign and information board. You go by a few structures and viewing decks. The trail takes you all the way out to the coastline across the bay from goose rocks beach. In low tide, you can walk all the way out to timber island, but be aware of how slimy and slippery it would be. Also be sure you know the tidal chart for the day you take your walk. It's very important to know, as rescue would be costly if caught on the island. The Ewing house is the last part of this trail and it's so worth the trip. If you've never seen the house itself, check it out, it's pretty cool. They have a layout of what the old colonial style house looked like in its prime. It was a large house, and had several rooms and out buildings through the property. It's really very interesting and so worth the trip. It's not a long trip at all, maybe 1.5/2 hours if you really mosey about. An hour's if you're speed walking. Kids

Beautiful scenic trail to hike on. Very level flat pathway through woodland area and side paths…read morealong the waterfront. Smaller beach area full of rocks and shells. Amazing views and lots of birds to watch. Bring binoculars! A few benches to sit and enjoy....

Part of the adventure of the Raymond & Simone Savage Wildlife Preserve is simply finding where it…read moreis. Every website I looked it up on mentioned that it was on the Eliot/South Berwick town line - but the official address will NOT help you on Google. Go farther down Dover Rd than you think: you'll see a small wooden fence and an old wooden barely noticeable sign just behind. THIS is where you're going. The trail itself is alright - now that I've done it once I'm not sure I would necessarily come back and do it again. It's a big loop that starts and ends through woodlands, meanders through some open space, and brings you down alongside parts of the Salmon Falls River and Shoreys Brook (quite murky when we came), but because of the lack of trail markers and the paths people have (seemingly intentionally) made from trample-grooming across the fields, it can become confusing as to where you should be going. It's not particularly difficult to navigate, though the trail bit through the forested areas were narrow and root-covered so be careful where you walk. Also, apparently this particular spot is great for bird watching (I've seen others mention sightings of bald eagles! how cool!), and it's amazing the work that the Great Works Regional Land Trust has made to preserve this 26+ acre property given to the community by Simone Savage; it really is in meticulous condition. Please note there are no dogs allowed.

This place is a spectacular Nature hike taking you through some amazing trails to the Estuarine and…read moresalt marshes. Great trails and wood plank walks make this a easy and enjoyable experience for all

Came on a Tuesday afternoon. There's barns…read more Some museums which were closed. A visitor center which was closed. It's free because it's off season. Plenty of paths. One leads to the beach Ok to pass the time