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 (and NH) 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. I first discovered Rines Forest a few years ago, and maybe I came at the wrong time (seasonally, emotionally, mentally, whatever) because I thought it was just a long walk in the woods. I don't know why, but I felt compelled to come back this spring and... MAGICAL. Enchanted forest magical, actually. Why? Two words: cascading waterfalls. I believe that from my first visit to now the Chebeague & Cumberland Land Trust has put some serious time, energy, money, and love into this spot because there's an abundance of really well made bridges now. The trail feels much more accessible, groomed, and tremendously well marked. I never felt lost because of the abundance of "You Are Here" laminated maps and tree blazes. Also: there's all this educational material thoughtfully dispersed throughout the trail systems. Laminated information hanging from trees about the local flora and fauna you might see. Definitely kid-friendly! (Speaking of which, there's a Rines Forest Scavenger Hunt available at https://www.ccltmaine.org/rines-forest). Parts of the trail have some slight inclines, are a bit twisty, and rooty in some spots (especially the right hand side of the Loop Trail when you first enter), but it's definitely become one of my favorite spots. Time it so you come right after a rainy spell to see the falls in all their glory!

Some nice forested single track trail and boardwalks over streams at this preserve. There are some…read moreoffshoots including one through fields of wildflower prairie. Dog friendly on and off leash as of 2026. Lots of mushroom, lichens, ferns, and other forest sights to enjoy. There are lots of roots and it's pretty up and down. Nice narrow trail. There are at least two parking areas on roads opposite each other so make sure you know which you are doing of you meet anyone. Trails are well marked with colored blazes. Please help support the groups preserving and maintaining beautiful wild spaces like this one, land trusts and conservancies. The whole are north of Portland has lots of beautiful spaces to explore in forests and along the coast.

With so many amazing places to hike and walk nature trails and wooded paths in Maine, I'm not sure…read morethis is a spot I'd personally need to come back to (or even recommend you come out of your way to find). It seems this is more of a gem for hyperlocals (i.e. those that live within walking distance): plenty of folks here when I came midday, midweek walking their off-leash dogs with open containers, and loads of people on inflatable tubes in the Presumpscot River (note: the sound carries clear as day, so I could hear every single thing everyone in the river was saying... some of it pretty R-rated stuff, so maybe just be thoughtful if you're out there tubing). This is a one mile loop that goes up through the hemlock forest (note: many of the boarded planks to cross streams or muck were broken up here; see photos for proof), behind Great Falls Elementary School, then follows along the river (along the historic Cumberland/Oxford Canal Towpath). I came because I saw it was recommended as a shady hike good for summer, but it seems like a better spot to jump into the river (and there's Paddle Access to do so).

Any trail that has a nice water view is great in my book. I've been to most of the local trails in…read morePortland so I've been trying some others in the nearby towns. My goal is a trail that's light and easy for my grandpa pup and has some interesting sights. This preserve was nicely maintained and is short, only about a mile, but goes by two ponds and a section goes along the presumpscot river. There's a good portage for kayaking or tubing and the water is gentle. We found some frogs, which is always exciting. A little leaf peeping too! Wouldn't go out of the way for this, but if you're in the area, it's nice.

Northern Trailhead - this is my first time hiking this preserve and while the hiking was really…read morenice the lack of trail markings once you get onto the trail was a bit concerning as at beginning of the trail there were white signs and soon turned to blue markings on the trees but for some time there was no markings at all and as there are multiple looking trails, I got a bit turned around but was lucky enough to meet some locals that assured me I was on the actual trail ....... I would have hiked meeting up with the other sections of the preserve I just was not feeling secure in the marking to be able to find my way back. I will probably try some of the other sections but start at the other trailheads and hope the trail markings are better.

Very beautiful walk aside the water. There's a couple places to read history on the trail and…read moresurrounding area. Very clean and litter free. Quiet and there were no people when I went. The animals are very active on this trail so enjoy the squirrels, birds, and chipmunks! If you have 30 minutes this is definitely worth a try.

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!

Nice walking trail in Windham to bring the dog and get some fresh air. There's a good sized parking…read morelot and a solid trail system to explore. The trail was somewhat overgrown in fall and had a lot of leaf cover but walking around roots and rocks was not bad.

On a midweek, midday exploration of Maine's trails in the summer I came across Black Brook…read morePreserve. I'm *SO* glad I did. I didn't know what to expect, and ended up having a really pleasant - albeit quick - walkabout in the woods (and sat for a while on a bench overlooking a little stream to just listen to the plethora of birdsong)! I began on Diamond Trail (which is where you start from the parking lot), then went to Pine Grove Trail (a whole 410 feet long), to Hawkes Trail (2740 feet long), and once again to Diamond Trail which brought me back to my car (it says it's 1.9 miles long, but because I skipped the part where Beaver Trail is, I think maybe I only did a mile of it). I found Black Brook Preserve to be excellently groomed and marked; nearly every single fork in the road had a giant wooden information sign letting you know which way was what and how long it was. Again, it's easily walkable and very quickly too because most of the trails are measured in just feet! Also, lots of great plaques with tree types. Finally, it seems as if some new construction has taken place at the beginning of the trail with an "observation deck" into a pond-like area (couldn't see much because of the thick flora, but I bet it's much different in the fall/winter). Cute prints of human feet AND different kinds of animal tracks you might see in this area.

Maine is full of secret nooks and crannies. Glorious, magnificent, breathtaking places untouched by…read moreman or time. It's getting increasingly difficult to find these places, but they exist and Pott's Point Preserve is proof of that. Driving to and around Harpswell in and of itself is stunning. But coming specifically here is otherworldly as far as nature scenes go. Park to the side of the road (carefully and at your discretion) at a seemingly dead-end near a bunch of lobster traps and a wharf. Walk up the private Pott's Point Road and walk for nearly a half mile through a picturesque, straight-out-of-a-movie-set seaside neighborhood. It may seem awkward to walk through (metaphorically) people's backyards, but eventually you'll reach "the end" of the road where there's a tiny, sandy path through thick greenery. Through it? The literal end of the land. A beautiful acre of rocks and rosa rugosa bushes and gravel beaches and tide pools full of marine life. You can loop around and explore (especially at low tide; you'll have to carefully navigate the rugged coastal landscape otherwise), and see a plethora of islands in the distance. It's unspoiled Maine beauty at it's finest.

"The way life should be" - Maine's famous saying and logo - this place depicts just that. We went…read moreexploring and found this wonderful place. You're lost in time filled with algae, rocks, shells and grassland. We love this beautiful and breathtaking place. Perfect for puppies, children and couples. There is nothing quite like it and it's a short hike to the most gorgeous point. This place is perfect for this time of year- autumn with the leaves changing. Please come visit and find yourself at peace.

After I aborted my hike on nearby Mackworth Island State Park due to high, cold winds - I stumbled…read moreonto the Gilsland Farm Audubon Center. They have a nice visitors center - with a cool gift shop, meeting rooms, a trail system on the property, and more. #GilslandFarmAudubonCenter

Lovely spot. So glad to see this beautiful property preserved in its unspoiled state.read more

I'm having fun discovering all these parks and trails in Portland I never knew about before…read more Recently spent some time urban adventuring, and walked from Canco Woods to University Park (there was a trail off of Canco Rd that took us through the woods between the Portland Department of Public Works and the Biodiversity Research Institute, I believe; eventually that deposited us onto the corners of University St and Majors Ct -- there were ample "Sebago To the Sea" trail signs from the Portland Trails that guided us to Feeney Way, then into University Park through Harvard St). There's a wide open field for picnics, I guess (it looked pretty under used; and even overgrown already), right when you walk in from Harvard. We walked through the park, most of which is actually just woodland (and a couple very, very tiny and pretty grungy looking brooks), to the end at Yale St. It was SO QUIET. The best part was just being in a part of Portland I didn't even know about! Lots of squirrels and birdsong!