Free parking and a nice short trail to a cascade. It was dry when we went so the cascade was a…read moreletdown tbh but still a fun time

I have noticed this trailhead many times on our trips to Old Orchard, but never had time to stop in…read moreand check it out. Today, we did! I'm so glad! The trail is beautiful, and easy for anyone (except a wheelchair, sorry) I have a bad knee with limited mobility, and this was doable for me! I'm so glad we made it out there today. The waterfall was at full force, and was so gorgeous. The little landing area at the bottom was full of downed trees, but the kids were having so much fun climbing and navigating. There were people flitting about in every which way, miniaturized by the big waterfall. The bridge was washed out, looking to be repaired, so I think one access from the loop was cut off. But people were navigating over the downed trees and on rocks. Nobody seemed to care. It was a blast! HIGHLY recommend this trail.

This hike is a nice place to take a short stroll for the locals but not a place I would recommend…read moretourist to come. First off, it is only about half mile from parking to the waterfall. So total hike was only 1 mile. it is a WALK, not hike. Good for families with young ones. Be very aware that the mosquitoes here are super HUNGRY! I have never gotten so many bites within such a short time inside a hike! I got 6-7 bites all over my legs just from hiking here for 30 mins. My husband got 8+ bites all over his body! Luckily my little one only got 1 bite. We were all over Maine in the last 2 weeks including kayaking and out at Acadia national park. All outdoor activities and barely got any bites until now! There are other trails here too but after getting so many bites, we wanted to run away as fast as we could! I wish I didn't come here. View and waterfall are not worth it for trade off of these hungry hungry mosquitoes!! *sooo itchy* :-/ Bring bug spray if you wanna come!

Jewell falls is a waterfall of water flowing from the Fore River and is named for Tom Jewell who…read morewas one of the founders Portland Trails and very much alive today. Did you know that Portland Trails started in 1991? He donated the land around the falls and the rest of the land the trail walls through is a mix of public and private land. You see evidence of this with many marked signs that designate private property -- good to respect these so we can continue to walk these trails. Somehow I got lost off my usual path I take and ended up going on the greater fore river sanctuary trail loop around and across the railroad tracks, but the boardwalks were great! Back to the falls, if you start at the trailhead near Brighton ave, it's less than 0.25 miles of a walk. The falls are made of horsetails of rushing water over large slabs of rock. The trails are really well maintained and there's not too many people. You can definitely still hear traffic from some parts but there are a few quiet enclaves.

Very underrated from the information we found online but we were in the area so decided to go. I'm…read moreso glad we did !! Beautiful walkway along the ocean, cliff top area. It's not a very long walk but we had kids with us and very easy for little legs.

If you are on Bailey Island I recommend a stop at Giant's Stairs Trail. There are directional…read moresigns to get you there once you are fairly close. I parked by the McIntosh Lot Preserve where there is a small parking area on the side of the road. Stay on the path and be respectful most of the area is private property. The rock formations are magnificent, i was in awe of what I saw. Pictures cannot do it justice.

"ORDER 73. ORRRRRRRRRDER 73."…read more "ORDER 74. 74, YOUR ORDER IS UP." This is how our walk through Scarborough River Wildlife Sanctuary started. With the sweet, sweet sounds of Ken's teenage girls calling out orders through their insanely loud speaker system and is the overwhelming scent of deep-fried seafood permeated our noses. Not sure about you, but that's everything I want when spending time in nature. Who cares about listening to bird calls or smelling leaves, right? In all seriousness, this 1.5 mile loop was pleasant enough - full of marshes, wetlands, forests, and fields. We did actually listen to many birdsongs, got to hear bullfrogs at the pond (which comes up unexpectedly from a tiny hill you walk up towards the end of the trail - it was actually very cool), watched chipmunks chase each other (amazing how noisy those little things are when crashing through the brush), enjoyed the hues of pink and white from the tremendous amount of apple trees along the path, walked along beautiful wooden bridges, and even found a tremendously random chair overlooking the ocean (seriously, see the photo). It was a very flat trail, and to be honest there were several places where the path had eroded, leaving giant blue tubes exposed forcing us to literally jump over them to the other side. Many of the signs marking trees and other interesting historical points (like - did you know? - the area used to have a golf green in it) were also cracked or missing entirely. Oh, and our walk ended the way it started. We were still a good half mile in the woods when the smell of fried seafood hit us and "ORDER 109. 109. ORRRRRDER 109. YOUR ORDER IS UP" blasted our ears. Now that I've seen this place once, I probably wouldn't come back for any reason. But it is a GREAT trail (once it gets fixed up) for kids, walking your dog, for those who are less mobile, or if you're trying to escape the OOB-madness.

A whole lot of…read morehistory The Scarborough River Sanctuary is a 52 acre parcel of land that has a couple of easy miles of hiking trails. Nothing strenuous or difficult, this is more a quiet stroll than a hike. A few small hills but nothing extreme in the least. Most of the trails are soft grass and I even think someone comes by and mows it from time to time. Much of the sanctuary is rolling fields and flood plain and one eventually leads down to the river. Unfortunately because of all the recent rain we couldn't quite get that far. It was getting just too soggy and wet. The area has lots of cool history and was a popular spot for the native Americans who fished the river and hunted and lived in the woods. It later became farmland and even a golf course at one time before it was finally declared a wildlife sanctuary. Not a place for hard workout. Just a very quiet, peaceful and lovely place for a walk. A piece of land that people have walked, used and appreciated for a long, long time.

I have missed this lake. My grandparents bought a cottage up here many years ago, and the whole…read morefamily would come during the summer. We would all be crammed into this cottage, spending time together and going on adventures like hiking Mt Chocorua, going out on the canoe on the lake, or just swimming here. I remember countless hours fishing with my dad, I think I can count on one hand how many times I actually caught anything. Or we would just lounge on the porch, or be inside reading. Maybe we would watch the news in the morning, or watch a VHS tape of a kids movie at night (no cable here, this is roughing it!) with everyone in the living room and kitchen. I remember times spent with my grandparents here. Grandma passed away several years ago, and June of this year (2020) Grandpa passed away. There was a flood of memories coming back, it was a couple of years since my last visit. I am glad I was finally able to bring my wife here to see both the cottage and the lake. We went out on the canoe but had to come back because of thunder rolling in. It was her first time in a canoe, 30 seconds in she capsized and fell in the water. I'm glad I wasn't already in the damn thing . With Pine River Pond being 5 miles long, there is so much to explore; the islands, sand bars, tributaries, coves, there is no shortage of things to explore. The weekend was my birthday, and it was nice staying with my family there. This is a beautiful lake. I can't speak for the fishing but if you have a boat there is plenty to explore.

Absolutely stunning views as you walk along the trail. So many great spots to take pictures and…read morejust enjoy the the sights. Trail can be quite busy, make sure to move to the side for faster travelers. Pathway is pretty easy, just a few ups and downs... very doable. We loved this spot so much, we came back again before we headed home.

The walk is a must to view the gorgeous coast of York. Definitely wear good walking shoes and pay…read moreattention to the trail. This not a paved sidewalk. There are any areas of uneven rocks and no railing, but it is a must . There are plenty of areas to stop and enjoy the spectacular views. The walk is just over one half mile and ends, or begins at the public beach. There are many signs warning of poison ivy, so it is best not to touch any of the plants.

Saco Trails has done a great job with this area and we discovered another new trail on this latest…read morehike. The terrain is varied and you should be prepared with good hiking shoes or boots. You will be hiking up and down short hills and the path will be rocky with roots and covered in leaves. Also, you will be walking around a marsh and along Stackpole Creek so there are many areas that are wet and you will want to keep your feet dry. The trails are extremely well marked, however, I would recommend taking a picture of the trails at the trail head to review as you hike. While we have been here a few times, we had never followed the Blue Heron trail to the end and were surprised when it just stopped at a bench overlooking the river. Well guess what... that is what it currently does! We back tracked and ended up crossing over the bridge to join the Red Maple trail and loop around the hill (you will come to a spot where you can look across the river to the bench at the end of the Blue Heron trail). This is a great spot for birders!!! Some trails are also open to mountain biking. Dogs are supposed to be on leash, no longer than 4ft, but that does not mean you will not come across someone with an off leash dog walking these trails. There is a decent sized parking area at the trail head which is located off Rt 112. The trail does skirt along private property so be aware of where you are. They are also building a development and there is currently a construction trailer near the trail head. You can make this hike a short hike or a long one. This last hike we ended with a 4.68 mile hike. I really like this spot and recommend bug spray in the Summer and expect to find ticks for sure.

Beautiful state park with great views on many trails. The trails are pretty flat and not difficult,…read moreand they are very shaded, so it's a very relaxing set of hikes. Looks like a great spot for a picnic as well.

This is a great little state park close to Portland and Freeport with trails that go along the…read moreocean, through the woods and along the Harraseeket River. Nice picnic spots and places to sit and admire the view. This is a popular park in Summer, especially in nice weather, so parking could be a challenge. If you're in the area, definitely worth a visit. Don't forget to leave your money in the box at the entrance of you don't have a Maine State Park pass so we can keep state parks like this open and maintained.

The parks in the Cape Elizabeth area are all amazing and the Two Lights State Park is no…read moreexception. This particular park is a bit deceiving in that the name two lights might make you think you are going to see 2 lights, there is only one on the mainland, and the other is 17 miles out to sea. But who really cares when the park gives you the amazing views that it does! The trails wind on the upper cliffs of the shoreline and provide an awesome view of Casco Bay and the ocean. Along the walking trails are benches and picnic tables where you can take pause and be at one with the ocean. The views of the crashing waves and the rocky shoreline are amazing!

Cost $14 for two people out of state. Beautiful views and nice benches to sit on. We went in…read moreSeptember and it was not too crowded. More peaceful and quaint than the lighthouse parks. You can NOT see the lighthouses from here!!!

I am in love with this trail because they have a mobility accessible portion for those us with…read morelimited mobility to do disabilities or other health issues. I work with adults with disabilities, out in the community. So this is a very special spot to come for some fresh air and exercise! To make it even more special; every April they do a painted rock Easter Egg Hunt. You follow the trail, and find the eggs hidden in nature. Don't take them! Leave for others to see. Just take photos!

This hike is easily one of my favorites. I am by no means an avid hiker but I do like to get…read moreoutdoors and get some exercise while experiencing the beauty of this state. I also like a big reward for moderate effort, and Cliff Trail is perfect for that. An easy, to moderate at times, trail of about 2.1 miles rewards you with stunning views. The trails are well maintained and marked, along with ample parking at the trail head. Fairy houses and seasonal kids activities make it great for families. Highly recommend you check this place out!!