Awesome little hidden gem of a wildlife refuge!! There are two hiking trails here - I did the…read morelonger of the two - the William Furber Ferry Way Trail. It has a very unique starting point - next to an abandoned weapons storage facility for an old military base!! But once you get past this, you find yourself wandering through lovely, peaceful New Hampshire woodland with a huge meadow along the way to the Great Bay viewing area! The trail is very well maintained but can definitely get muddy. We had storms the night before my hike and there were some very muddy spots that got a tad slippery - even with my excellent hiking shoes - but there were enough fallen leaves on the ground to provide plenty of pathways to avoid the super muddy and wet areas. And while this trail is wide and well maintained, it's not paved and I wouldn't consider it handicap accessible- although it might be doable if you have some pretty serious trail tires on a wheelchair! Because the trail is mostly flat and not rocky at all. One thing I really enjoyed on this trail were all the adorable American Red Squirrels, the Black Capped Chickadees, and all the fall colors - even in November! The forest was also just full of these absolutely beautiful, ghostly white and pink trees too that were very dramatic! I have no idea what they are, but they are just gorgeous!! I actually came here in search of Wild Turkeys but had no luck this day. It's a very peaceful trail - it was a weekday and I pretty much had it to myself - I only saw two other hikers pass by. The trail maps say it's 2 miles but I ended up with 2.5 miles on my AllTrails tracker for this trail. There's very minimal elevation gain. The halfway point on this loop takes you to a viewing platform of Great Bay with those binoculars on a stand that let you see across the water! There's benches there to rest, as well as benches spaced out along the trail too - just lovely! Another thing that makes this trail fun is that is has "numbered stops" along the way - and the FWS has an info pdf you can view on their website that gives you history and cool info about each stop. The guide to these numbered stops can be found here: https://www.fws.gov/uploadedFiles/Furber_Trail_Guide_FINAL_Aug2014(1).pdf The smaller trail is called the Peverly Pond Trail and is about 1/2 mile long with the trailhead right off the parking lot- but I didn't do this one so can't speak to it. There's plenty of parking in a paved lot and there are decent bathrooms at the parking lot as well - very clean and well stocked! No pets are allowed on these trails - but they do provide an extensive list of pet friendly trails nearby at the information kiosk in the parking lot.

I enjoyed my walk around the lake. There are 2 hiking trails. One is very short but well maintained…read moreand picturesque. The other one is about 2 miles. We saw wild turkey and muskrat. It was mostly in the shade.

A nice outing. The structures are still in good shape, lots of history here…read more Especially loved the map that shows where things are in front of you. Views of Constitution Light (NH) and Whaleback Light, which is actually just a short 10 minute drive away and we went to visit that after! Sign said they officially open Memorial day but the picnic area across the street was open.

Working through my Maine State Parks pass, we revisited Fort McClary around Memorial Day weekend…read more There were a couple of families using the picnic tables, some folks walking their dogs, but we were able to once again explore the grounds at our own pace (probably helped that it was kind of a cool and misty day)!  As I mentioned in my first review: they really did a wonderful job preserving the area. There's sweeping ocean (and, of course, lighthouse) views, spacious green lawns, a small hiking trail behind the parking lot (I think part of it might accidentally lead into someone's backyard!; one part brings you all the way to the entrance), and all the fun things kids/kids-at-heart can climb all over. From the canons to the bunker (you can go down inside it; be careful, it's wet!), the powder house to the enormous unfinished walls on the perimeter of the property, I'm impressed that people can still pretty much touch and be a part of everything! Lots of forts I grew up going to now have gates and fences and barriers up to prevent the public from walking on/too close to things for preservation purposes. Which, as I mentioned in my first review, I totally understand and respect, but I think there's something pretty cool about being able to immerse yourself in a site like this when you can get so close! We *still* weren't able to go inside the Blockhouse though! Next time!

this is a pretty nice place for a walk! some parts of the path are mushy. great views of the water…read more would overall recommend stopping by.

amazing place to bring dogs, off leash year around between 10 AM I bring my dogs to a lot of…read more"Offleash" places that don't end up really being that. wagon hill was amazing, also looks like a great place to paddle board

We revisited Vaughan Woods at a different time of the year, and it's still such a cool spot (though…read morefar busier than it was when we came in autumn a few years ago). It's a state park that's open year long -- during the shoulder season, you can park outside the closed gates and walk in. This time we came when the gates were open; but, there was no attendant to check our state parks pass. It looks like payment is on the honor system (please pay so we can preserve beautiful trails like this!). I'll reiterate what I said in my previous review: It's located along Salmon Falls River (which separates Maine and New Hampshire). And with 3+ miles of hiking trails, it's easy to choose-your-own-adventure. So, whether you're looking to walk a lot or little, spend the day here or just a quick half hour, or if you're a local looking for a new running trail, be sure to explore the "old growth forest" (I saw this used elsewhere and looked into it: did you know this is a term that essentially means it's an ancient woodland, or a natural place that has aged without disruption?)! And it's accessible too: the extremely well groomed, well marked, mostly widened walking paths are easy to navigate (there are some hilly areas; and if it's not winter you're DEFINITELY going to want to bring bug spray). Also, from here you can access the grounds of the restored Hamilton House (built by merchant Jonathan Hamilton in the late eighteenth century) which sits on a stunning grassy knoll among cleared open green space overlooking the river (we actually saw a beaver this most recent time!) on one side and a beautifully maintained garden on the other side.

Want to get away from the sweating masses over-crowding the beach? Not up for sitting on your buns,…read morebaking in the summer sun? Want some peace & quiet instead of screaming tots and squeaky playground swings? I did. Not that there's anything wrong with the typical midsummer Maine beach experience. It just was NOT my vibe for this getaway. And so we sought out land trusts and mountains and parks, including one of our favorite spots to hit some pretty trails: Vaughan Woods. First, even in the middle of the summer and several cars in the lots, we barely saw another person. On the river trail--which I particularly love for all the scenic views of the river and benches to sit and rest--we had two couples cross our path. Very quick, smiley "hellos" and off they went. So peaceful! I'm mobility-challenged but I had a recent treatment and felt a little more mobile and stable. I took my time and my husband was a great helper. I'd say the river trail can get a bit challenging for anyone with a knee/ankle/foot/balance issue. But if conditions aren't wet, you go slow, and rest at the benches, you might be able to do it! The toilet stall is a wooden structure that is open to the air at the top of the walls before the roof begins. It's a toilet set over a pit, and you could definitely get a wheelchair in, but I don't recall seeing any grab bars. There was plenty of toilet paper and hand sanitizer. Like other places (parks, beach), we noticed it was "carry in, carry out." There are several picnic tables surrounding the parking lot, and we enjoyed a post-hike snack. This place is worth the drive out to South Berwick. Give it a go!

Across the street from Fort McClary State Park is a picnic area near Barters Creek. There are also…read moresome bathrooms and the Barters Creek Trail. While it isn't very long or difficult to navigate, it was absolutely lovely to walk around on - especially on a Sunday morning in late autumn. There was no one there but us! The trail is mostly a straight line with two tiny loops at each end (where it does branch off, you'll be met with big "State Boundary" signs as you're approaching someone's back yard) - so you can either choose to walk left or right first. If you initially go left on the trail, it's a small walk down to the Crockett Neck Rd bridge area. Loop around and go back to the right and you'll be brought to a mini island (we were there during low tide so it was easy to get to - only six or so steps over rocks to reach it). It's fun to hang out on it - there was a lobster trap washed up, a row boat flipped upside down, and the water was a sparkly greenish-blue. I know it sounds silly, but there really was something charming about Mini Island. Like you would expect to see fairies houses or gnomes gardens there! If you're visiting Fort McClary, it would be worth it to meander across the street (be sure to take a moment to sit and enjoy the pond - cattails, lily pads, and some amphibian friends) to this little area for some quiet time (especially during the shoulder seasons), some photos, and for some fresh air!

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.

Beautiful place to take a nice walk or see some amazing birds and other wildlife. You can take…read moreyour dog with you. Perfect place to do photography.

this is such a beautiful place for a walk. some parts of the path were a bit mushy but still…read morenavigable. would overall recommend!

Marvelous place to walk and enjoy out in the woods, especially during this damnpemic! Clear trails,…read moresome fields, some forest,. Most picturesque during this fall walk. I bought some snowshoes and look forward to enjoying the town forest in all seasons. I only wish there were some restrooms along the way.

The campground itself was awesome. For a little place on the side of the Saco you really can't ask…read morefor more. Yeah the bugs sucked - but deal with it you're camping. I got bit more than Evander Holyfield's ear, but I didn't get Zika so you won't die, just a little uncomforted. Yeah there were some loud people but after 10pm the owner was going around nicely asking people to keep it down. Chill guy, said his dream was to own a campground and just recently bought it and you can tell he is making constant improvements daily. Bring a grate for the campfire, the one that is provided you can't cook burgers on unless you have a big pan because of the 6 inch gaps between the sections.

First time camping there. Couldn't say enough positive about it. The owners are very knowledgeable…read moreand friendly. Hubby liked that it's easy to get into. I love that the sites are not on top of one another. Bathrooms are clean. They are handicap accessible also. We will definitely go back.