This is actually one of the trails that connets with the Oak Nuts Park trail and the Presumpscot…read moreRiver Trails on the north west end of Portland, on the Falmouth line. I got here through the Oak Nuts Park trailhead, but you can get in from a number of other inlets as well. The forest trail leads straight to and along the river and following the Presumpscot River Trail takes you to the "falls". They're more like rapids but it's amusing to see the warning for the waterfall ahead for kayakers. The rapids are actually really mesmerizing and offer a nice prize for a light stroll through the woods. Like a lot of Portland Trails, the trail weaves through private land so city life is just in the distance -- you typically can see a house around 80% of the time you're in the trail, and it can get noisier towards the river, but it theres still plenty of fresh air. Oak Nuts Park trailhead offers just street parking but the road isn't too busy. Nicely maintained and a good 1.5 to 3 mile hike depending on how far you want to go.

First time here. The entrance was literally in a neighborhood area. I wasn't impressed with it at…read morefirst. However after I saw the river, everything was worth it! It was beautiful with a small water fall. So beautiful, quiet, and green. Saw many dogs here!! So cute .

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.

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.

Reviewing this so I can find it later! Lovely trail but definitely has parts of moderate…read moredifficulty, navigating steep climbs on slippery rocks and lots of tree roots to trip on. Not handicapped friendly. Cell reception was spotty at times. A few of the bridges are getting pretty rickety. Great for dogs, little/no bugs.

So, forget the trails. Someone else can review that. I'm here for floating down the river, which is…read moreone of the most fun, free summer activities that you'll find in the Portland area. When you're bored on a summer's day, grab a friend and head to Walmart for tubes and a few beers (in cans, of course). Take two cars. You can drop one car off after the bridge on Allen Ave Extension (a couple miles after the intersection with Washington Ave). Take the other car to the sandy parking lot before Hannaford in West Falmouth that's on the river. This is where I use for the entry point. The next three hours are absolute perfection. Floating down a mild current, bright sun beaming on your face and complete silence besides nature. The water is warm, somehow, even early in the season. It's a fairly wide river and very deep (yeah I may be the loser who wears a life jacket...I blame that on my parents for not investing in swimming lessons!). There's also rope swings at various points that you can jump off. After about two hours, you'll see signs warning of dangerous rapids and it will scare the living **** out of you. That's the time to head to shore and walk the trail for a few minutes. The signs aren't joking and I'd love to see a kayaker navigate those serious rapids. Hop back in the water after and keep relaxing until you reach the dock, which leads up the hill to your first car. I hope too many people don't discover this river because it's been so peaceful the last few summers. But it really is a great group activity and I'd highly recommend it if you want a break from the usual beaches/lakes.

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.

Neat network of mixed-use trails with some elevation gain and a pond view. Every trail intersection…read morehas a map so you can see where you are and make decisions about which way to go. I did a little over a mile loop with a friend, then about 4 miles doing the full purple loop, stopping at a bench next to the pond for some zen. These trails are easy to get to from Gray, Windham, West Falmouth or Gorham, and has plenty of parking, but on this cloudy day we only saw a few other people and I had the purple trail all to myself. This conservation area abuts another in Falmouth and the trails join so you could explore both areas, but alas that will have to be another day.

This is a seasonal public float for boat loading and unloading and FREE short-term tie ups (less…read morethan 6 hours), open April-November. The dock is located in the park between Ocean Gateway and SailMaine, by the Narrow Gauge Railroad. It has several color-coded places to park based on length of stay and size of boat: 5-minute pickup and drop off, 3 hour, and 6-hour tie-ups. This is tucked away and easy to get to both by boat and by car (once you know where it is), though you will have to walk a bit, or pay for parking if you come by car. When picking up friends for a day on the water, this is a much easier pick up spot than the Maine State Pier or Bell-buoy Park, also managed by the City of Portland Park System.

This is a great little trail to take your kiddos on. There's a playground, a story walk (that…read morechanges monthly), beautiful water views and an easy to follow trail around the pond. If you take a little detour off the story walk, you'll even find a cool teepee shaped bunch of sticks leaning against a tree. Children love to explore this area. It's not so far off the path that you'd ever get lost. In between the first few pages of the story walk, when you have an opportunity to go straight, do so. I promise it's only a few feet down the path. Can't miss it!

I wasn't expecting so much from this little park right off Route 302 (it's located on a dirt road…read morejust after the Westbrook Pool & Spa; there's a large granite sign at the mouth of the road, and you've probably passed it a million times - I know I have - but once you see it, you'll know exactly where this gem is forever)! Donnabeth Lippman Park - formerly known as Chaffin Pond Preserve - is 123 acre mostly wooded area that surrounds a 10 acre pond that's apparently great for fishing. I came here for a walk in the woods and was delighted to find that there was more than meets the eye: there's a family-friendly (you could easily take a stroller here - it's packed earth and not very root-y), totally accessible to all abilities, story book trail with a giant "Once Upon A Time" sign inviting you into the woods (how magical and fantastical is that?). Once you're finished, you can walk back to the parking lot from here via the yellow trail or you can take that same trail and follow it up alongside the pond, through the woods, then back down around the opposite side of the water (side note: I love loop trails - who wants to double back and see the same things?). A red trail deviates off to Mud Pond, and a green trail just adds an extended path through the forest before reconnecting to yellow. All of it is perfectly marked! It's a wonderful walking trail and if I lived nearby I could see this also being a solid spot for a good run! Admittedly, after heavy rain or during spring you should expect it to be quite muddy. No hunting allowed here, so it's a good spot for year round enjoyment (for those of you who are looking for a new snowshoeing spot!); there's an abundance of picnic tables overlooking the pond, a swing set, a big playground area, and plenty of green space to stretch out on. Again - what an unexpectedly great spot hidden in plain sight!