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.

This lovely park and swim area is just outside the city. There is a playground with swings, slide,…read morerocking motorcycles, see saw and even an old school merry go round that leaves everyone dizzy. There are gazebos and tables for picnics and shelter from the sun. The swim area is not the sandy beach type but rather a grassy knoll that leads to a refreshing pond. The bottom is murky only when you get deep. Perfect spot to cool off and enjoy the fresh air. There is a boat launch across the street as well.

The bones of a…read morehotel The Sunken Garden is a lovely and quiet area that offers a wonderful place to spend some time after walking around the town of Wiscasset. One of the first things a visitor notices, after the plants, are the number of cool looking rocks that surround and make up the foundation of the garden. The rocks actually have an interesting history. Across the street was once the Wiscasset Hilton Hotel that burned to the ground back in 1903. Frances Sortwell, whose family owned the hotel, got tired of looking at the rock foundation of the building and finally decided to do something beautiful with them. So she got together with some artistic and talented friends and decided to make a sunken garden from the remains of the old hotel. Today the stones and all the plants of the Sunken Garden remain as a quiet and reflective spot to relax, rest or just think about the past. A gentle place of beauty that is worth spending some time.

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.

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.

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

Sunnyside Park may be small, but it's a nice spot for kids to play and burn off some energy. The…read moreplayground has had some upgrades over the years, and while it's in decent shape, it's nowhere near what it looked like when I was a child. There's a bit of nostalgia lost, but at least it's still a good place for families. It's not a destination park by any means, but if you're in the area and need a place for the kids to run around, it does the job. It's clean, relatively safe, and usually not too crowded. Just wish it still had the charm I remember from years ago!

This place is so cute. I can't wait to bring my niece and nephew here. Also my fur baby. A nice…read morelittle hide away. I've lived here my entire life and never knew about this park!!!

What a beautiful and serene spot!…read more Echo Lake is approximately 15.7 acres. Two granite ledges called White Horse and Cathedral Ledge surround it. We went later in the afternoon so parking was ample. A short walk leads you to the picnic area and lake. It's about a 1 mile hike around the lake. The water was clear and cold. There were lots of mosquitoes at that hour. We enjoyed seeing the tadpoles in the water. My family enjoyed our time there and can't wait to go back to this picturesque spot!

Rude staff. My girlfriend and I arrived around 4:30. We tried using the restroom but they had…read moreclosed them earlier than the sign would have u believe. When my girlfriend asked if she could use the restroom, we were directed to the porta potties. The female attendant said they kept it clean. Both the porta potty and the lady were full of sh!t. Girlfriend then asked again to use the restroom due to the porta potty being unusable. The male attendant told her "you're an adult, use the porta potty". Very classy indeed.

This is one of my favorite spots in town Freeport ME. It's tucked away and not heavily used which…read moremakes it a perfect spot for dog walking. People with dogs are really good with keeping it clean, which makes it feel almost like a dog park for locals and visitors alike. There are some rough edges when entering from the School St entrance but once you get past it, it's pretty nice and quite.

A HUGE thank you to Deni for writing a review on this place. We had no idea it existed and…read moreseriously this place made our Memorial Day Weekend. It's super cool how a tiny path enters into an amazing park and offers placards of its' historical past. Our dog loved it and we loved the dog bag stations, trashcans, and super nice benches, picnic tables and look out spots. The bridge was AWESOME too. We found a great little cafe off the path called Forest Falls Cafe, which next time we will definitely eat at. There was enough shade for our dog and a nice breeze off the river. We'll be able to come back through the summer with him even on hotter days. There were a few families that passed us on bikes, a few others eating lunch at the picnic tables, and couples walking the paths. This place should be on Boston's Chronicle as a hidden gem or tank of gas episode. Wow, we LOVED it.

We entered the park by the William Rowe School on the aptly named School Street. Some of you may…read moreknow this area of ball field and tennis courts as the space used to set up the rides for the Yarmouth Clam Festivals and have eaten your fried dough here and then had a turn on the Zipper. There are signs that caution you to leash your pet and there are rules posted for your canine companion. Please be a good dog companion ambassador and follow the rules. This is a great park for the whole family. The paths are paved so they are accessible to all (there is a hill so you may want to help anyone in a wheelchair along that section). Be aware that the river has a really fast current and rapids so children, pets and anyone else not being safe can be swept away! If you are a dog owner and want to let your pal romp free of leash, there is a designated spot at picnic point where you can "unleash the beast" and let them play. There is also a sandy spot with access to the water for your pup to jump in and cool off which one of ours gladly took advantage of. The trail winds along the rapids and falls and there are signs of old industry and left over parts of buildings. There are informational signs along the way to read. There is a bike rack and picnic area (not in an off leash section) on the side of the park near the Yarmouth History Center as well as another trail head. There are open fields where your kids can play and you can play too! without being cramped in with too many other people. I wish there were maps of the area showing the intersecting trails as this park meanders through and between many neighborhoods. We met many other people walking these trails and everyone was friendly. While dogs are supposed to be leashed, we did encounter a few off leash, however, the owners did have voice control and we had no issues. The views are amazing, the history lessons insightful and this is a great space to spend time and hang out. *as a side note... we did find an "alligator" strategically placed which made me laugh out loud. If you walk this trail and see that red eyed monster too, let me know!*

We wanted to get one last hike in before heading back to Florida. Wolf's Neck was just a few…read moreminutes from our hotel in south Portland and it was awesome. We wanted to get great views of Casco Bay and were so happy we could go right down to the beach area. Beautiful! The trails throughout the park were outstanding and we walked them all. Great ending to an amazing Maine trip.

This is one of my favorite spots in southern maine and along the coast. I have come two to three…read moretimes a week this entire season. I bring my dogs on leash and we enjoy the trails and swimming in the water. It is nice during low tide when you can access the beach, and during high tide when you can't. The trails are extensive and range in their difficulty. There is a fair bit of elevation. They have a picnic area as well a large covered gazebo you can rent. They also have restrooms. There is an osprey nest for viewing. This is such a great spot, just be mindful of when they close the gate at night. Also, there is a per person fee to enter, and it is more for people from out of state. My only issue is that they don't offer a season pass.

Maine Trip #1…read more "Something will have gone out of us as a people if we ever let the remaining wilderness be destroyed ... We simply need that wild country available to us, even if we never do more than drive to its edge and look in." ― Wallace Stegner, The Sound of Mountain Water Androscoggin Riverlands State Park (ARSP) first came to my attention while in Maine visiting my family. I had never heard of it before, and when I did some research, I found out why. ARSP opened six years ago, but hardly anyone was using this amazing park. A year ago, they put up more trail signs in order to encourage people to visit, in the hopes that they won't be so nervous about getting lost in the 2,700 acres, 12 miles of river frontage, and 22 miles of trails. History: The Androscoggin River is the 3rd largest river in Maine, and it begins in the mountains of New Hampshire. The Native Americans camped and fished for at least 9,000 years, and they gave the river its name--meaning "plenty of fish." Thanks to riverfront industries, the Androscoggin River became one of the ten most polluted rivers in the country back in the 1960s, but thankfully, the Clean Water Act in 1972 helped water quality improved tremendously. Amenities: * Toilet (outhouse--these things are probably way better than portable toilets. Open-air and wood building makes for no odor. * Large, dirt parking lot * No fee * ATV riding * Canoeing * Cross-country skiing * Fishing * Hiking (trails) * Horseback riding * Hunting (except Sundays) * Kayaking (two water landings) * Off-road biking * Picnicking * Snowmobiling * Snowshoeing * Watchable wildlife * Carry In-Carry Out * Pets welcome (on a leash at all times) * 8 old foundations show the community that existed here before 1927 I had a wonderful time hiking the Homestead Trail. It has several different terrain and lots to see. Unfortunately, I didn't know exactly how far the trail would go, so I turned around. (I now have a trail map and will post it.) At one point, I did lose cell signal so be prepared for that. Make sure you bring bug spray! I didn't see a single soul while I was on my hike, which is wonderful for me. I love the solitude and the "wilderness" at ARSP. I think you will too.