We made a short stop to view this garden finding it quiet, tranquil and less than impressive though…read moreobviously your mileage may and very likely will vary.

Really pretty, I love coming here. It's nice all year round and even has a Geocache in it.read more

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? Sort of. Loop trail? Yes. Well marked signs? Yes. Element of surprise? Yes. What. A. Find. Whenever I'm journeying around Maine (checking out state parks or Atlas Obscura recommended spots), I try and also find a few trails or hiking spots to check out (because the state is huge, and when I'm in an area I'm not usually in, I want to discover spots I wouldn't otherwise!). Reynolds Forest was the best part of my day! In fact, one of the most standout spots I've been to in a while! According to the Kennebec Land Trust website (https://www.tklt.org/reynolds), "This 35 acre parcel provides visitors excellent birding opportunities, interesting wildflowers and floodplain species, and views of the powerful brook (now called Goff Brook), with its foaming water roaring over exposed rocks into stone-lined pools. Part of the conservation property not visible from the trail has seen an increase in invasive Japanese knotweed and non-native bush honeysuckle, and has served as a field research site for Colby College students studying invasive plant control methods." There's some parking off the shoulder of the main road, and the walk into the woods alongside Goff Brook is lovely. It's not long before you can suddenly hear the roaring of the (small, but mighty) waterfalls (which was once used for saw and grist mills. We made sure to come after a couple days of rain and it was worth it! We gently navigated out to some exposed rocks and sat in the sun, near the falls, surrounded by tall trees for a long time. Perfect spot for a picnic (and... I think we also spotted some foragers too). There's also a small Old Farm Loop Trail that passes by fields and an old foundation a little further beyond the Streamside Trail. BEWARE OF TICKS. BEWARE OF POISON IVY. WEAR APPROPRIATE SHOES.

I live just across the river from here. I wish we had a park on the Randolph side too. Haha!…read more I love the Gardiner Waterfront in all seasons. Public art, green space, lots of events in the summer. Boating, fishing, bird and fish observation. The sturgeon jumping! The trails to walk. Plus a fairy village!

Awesome waterfront park in Gardiner, Maine on the Kennebec river. It has a boat launch to launch…read moreboats with lots of trailer parking and car parking. Huge wooden boardwalk on the Kennebec with a trail. Wooded trail that extends beyond the boardwalk along the river and railroad tracks. Great place to walk dogs and have them swim in the river. The trail goes for a mile or less. There are gnome homes and fairy houses along the trail. It is really cool. Fantasy like. It is so wooded and magical right along the Kennebec river. Awesome little adventure. Great for kids.

Great for little ones, from 2 years up to 12 or so. Slides, swings, things to climb, bridges, giant…read moreteeter totter, you name it - it's here. Huge space to run around and it's filled with mulch for softer landings. Lots of parking and a very short drive from anywhere in Boothbay.

When you need to get some time with the kids away from the water and need to run out all their…read moreenergy, this is a great place - nice scenery and plenty of swings and the like to keep the kids busy for some time.

Spectacular view of Penobscot Bay, the surrounding islands, and the Town of Camden. Well…read moremaintained and clean park, we walked a few of the trails on our visit today. $6 per person for non residents of Maine. That pretty much says it all, a short review, but this is a "must visit" if you are in the area.

I always try to visit a park when I'm traveling. Camden Hills State Park is a must see while…read morevisiting Maine. There is a small $6 fee for entry. You can camp, walk, bike or drive the park. The park guides are very helpful. We went straight to Mt Battie Rd for a beautiful scenic view of Camden Harbor. Penobscot Bay and Megunticook Lake. The views are out of the world! We spent 2 days going in and out of the park to see daytime versus sunset across the bay. We actually had a small picnic while visiting. This was a very calm relaxing experience. I highly recommend especially if you like wandering and hiking in parks. There is two sides to park, so dont forget to drive across the street.

We visited this preserve on our way back from Rockland, and it was worth the detour. What seems to…read morebe another trail in the middle of nowhere is actually filled with over a dozen large-scale wooden sculptures by Maine-born artist Bernard Langlais. The pieces are beautiful and all found around the preserve's entrance, so you don't have to walk much to see them all. There's a cute visitor center with postcards and other things for sale, exhibits, and even a short film to learn more about the artist's life. The young woman working the exhibit was so kind and welcoming--she gave us a quick history lesson about the space and the art. We learned that many of the sculptures will eventually become one with the Earth due to the elements and Langlais's wish not to repair them. The art preserve is free, but there is a $10 suggested donation.

This is a hidden gem operated by the Georges River Land Trust. We were greeted by Lucy, a land…read moretrust board member volunteer. She spent time explaining the history of this special place. Suggested donation of $10 was appropriate for what this place offered. Lots of things to look at in Mr. Langlais workshop/barn. We walked the grounds and enjoyed the many unique wood art sculptures. We ate our picnic lunch on the picnic platform on the nature trail.

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? Not really. Element of surprise? No. For Cumberland County folks, Moose Point feels like a combination of Fort Williams Park and Mackworth Island. It's got grassy knolls to picnic on with views of Penobscot Bay, evergreen groves to meander through via wide and well maintained trails (some of which have benches, some of which have little staircases leading down to the pebbled water's edge), a gazebo for events, and during low tide there are tidal pools to explore (during high tide it's much more difficult to navigate because it's mostly just uneven rocks and not much of a shore). I think this is a beautiful spot in midcoast Maine, and I'm glad there are locations like it throughout the state. Personally, I don't necessarily feel the need to come back (except to get my Maine State Parks Passport Stamp!!!), just because we have something soooooooooooo similar so close. But I can see how it's a draw for so many!

A hidden in plain sight gem of Maine! Moose Point State Park is sandwiched between route1 & the…read moreocean. We visited just before the season &, as such, parked outside the gate & walked in. There are many picnic table to enjoy lunch, a group pavilion, a playground & hiking trails to enjoy the ocean views. It would be well worth the $3/person fee in-season to enjoy this park. In particular, go in to the right ocean corner of the open area past the playground & there's a level easy walking path along the ocean out to a point with 270' water views. Give enough time to take pictures. We met the park ranger & had a lovely conversation about the local birds & the park's resident fox. Allot 1-2 hours, bring a picnic lunch & bring your camera.

Granite City Park welcomes locals and tourists from all over. There is plenty of parking in the lot…read moreand on the street. This park is the heartbeat of Hallowell. Safe, clean and fun the citizens of Hallowell take great pride in their park. The conservation commission makes sure that in the spring the brush, and winter rubble is removed. If you're look for sturgeon this is THE place to be. End of May into June is peak Sturgeon jumping time and the Kennebec River will not disappoint. You'll see sturgeon leaping from the river, ducks, eagles, cranes, hawks, and turtles abound. Hallowell is a foodie destination. There are numerous outside dining areas, live music, craft local beer, killer cocktails, fun antique shops, and funky markets to discover. Grab a coffee and stroll the quaint streets, hit up the bakery, and explore the rail trail. Granite City Park is the cornerstone of this amazing city. Steeped in history, Granite City Park is a multi-use location. July sees it hosting food trucks and vendors for Old Hallowell Day, this is THE front row seats to an incredible fireworks display. Summertime you'll find the parks immaculate gardens in full bloom. Lounge in the sun, picnic, ride bikes on the rail trail, jog, walk, and just enjoy this city oasis. The park is ADA compliant with ramps, and handicap porta-potty that is fresh and clean each time I've used it. This is a spot for artists, writers, readers, and it's also a great place for a first date! You cannot smoke here, or in any park or eating place in Maine, there are trash recepticals scattered about - please pick up after your pets and use these recepticles. I hope you enjoy one of my favorite places to while away a summer day.

My wife and I went to granite City Park Thursday June 26th. I am in a wheelchair and my wife was…read moretrying to get me in my wheelchair onto the ramp to go down to the seating area. We could not have done it without the help of two very helpful and friendly ladies. We would like to thank them again for their generous help. While we were down overlooking the river, for sturgeons jumped out of the water in front of us. I only saw one actually clear the water by 3 ft. The rest happened so fast at all was and heard was a smack of the splash as a landed back in the water it was a beautiful day to be there. And lucky enough to see the sturgeon jumping. My wife and I really enjoyed it. Again thank you ladies for your help getting me on to the ramp.

Beautiful and easy hike to go on alone or with friends/family. The scenery is nice and the trail is…read moreeasy.

As a family this was our first time at Vaughan woods and we will be back many times. It's a short…read morewalk/ hike through the woods and the waterfalls and bridges as well as the different kinds of trees make this a beautiful walk in any season. The trails are not marked well and to which trail your on but the path is easy to see. Come and check this out if your in the Augusta area.