Cold clear and…read morequiet Wonderbrook Park is a eighty acre tract of land that is a combination of two donations. One by the Wellman family in 1994 and the Murphy family in 1997. The park is now part of the Kennebunk Land Trust. The park has one main trail that sort of wanders around through the woods. I've actually only been here in the winter but of course it is open all year long. I imagine it gets really buggy in the spring and has a whole different feel and look during the warmer months. Unfortunately the small parking lot isn't plowed in the snowy season and parking can be iffy. Dogs are allowed as long as they are well behaved and the owners clean up and mountain bikes are also permitted to use the trails although it can get very muddy and narrow in here so the biking can be technical. Lots of lovely old trees and ferns, in the winter the entire place is dead quiet, peaceful and eerie. I've never seen another person here but I suspect that in the warmer months it gets lots of use. It does get icy and difficult in the winter but in heavy snow it would be a nice place to snow shoe or cross country ski as long as the skier is really good at turning and stopping. Wonderbrook is a cool and peaceful little park that offers a lot of different things to do throughout the year. A nice park to find some quiet and solitude.

Wonderbrook Park is tucked in the back of a neighborhood but has the ability to park about 10 cars,…read moreno more than that. It does not have bathroom facilities. There are two walking/hiking paths that are decent in length but unfortunately I cannot tell you how long because it was not marked anywhere. Our guess is about 2.5 miles? The walking paths are defined but you need to watch out because there are a lot of roots, rocks and branches. Overall the hike was great exercise through the woods but there weren't any notable views worth stopping and taking a long look at. It was also surprising that we did not see all that much wildlife. We very rarely saw a squirrel or a chipmunk which was sort of unusual. I'm glad we went and we would visit again but if you are going for more than just exercise (views, animal life, easy walk) this one may not be for you. Oh and be sure to bring your bug spray. You really don't need sun block because it is in the woods.

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!

Good reward at the top for a short hike. You can see pretty far with the views but nothing…read moreextraordinary, since the mountain is not very tall. The trail is very well marked, with trail markers every twenty feet or so. The walk is mostly wooded, so just take some time and enjoy the rustling of the trees. This would be a good trail to bring your dog on. Parking lot probably fits 10 to 15 cars. There were no bathrooms on site.

After a long day of hiking various trails in the area, we decided to squeeze in one more right…read morebefore dusk and we're so glad we did because it ended up being our favorite. Just the drive to find the entrance to Bauneg Beg (which we did from Fox Farm Hill Rd) was stunning - sweeping views of wide open fields and meadows. Lovely. If you're coming to the mountain this way, there's a inconspicuous brown wooden plank sign before the small off-street gravel parking lot (we blew past it initially, and probably would again if we came bag so just go slow!). This conservation area is comprised of close to 90 acres of logging trails (a two mile network) through thick woodlands and rock formations, one such called Devil's Den made up of impressive and daunting looking boulders - hiking up the relatively steep rocky "path" constructed through here, though, brings you directly to the top of Middle Peak. Apparently Banueg Beg has three distinct peaks which can actually be seen from the ocean (and in the past they were used to help navigation to ME's coast, kinda cool right?). Unfortunately, the views from the top (apparently you can see Mt Washington and the Atlantic on a clear day) where we specifically were didn't quite offer what we were expecting as much of it is obstructed by the overgrowth of trees and vegetation. A bit of a bummer, but still worth the work-out! Instead of backtracking, we went down the mountain via the more accessible, gentle, all-levels trail through a pine grove (Ginny's Way). Bauneg Beg was just such an unexpected, beautiful network of trails through such a thick, tall deciduous forest that we were impressed. The signage on the paths themselves could be improved (some trees have multiple boards with arrows pointing in literally every direction making it VERY confusing; guess that's part of the adventure, though!), but this particular spot just had that untouched-by-man, trekking-through-the-raw-beauty-of-Maine-without-a-single-person-knowing-where-I-am-and-can't-bother-me-via-text feeling really reconnects a gal to nature and makes her want to create or write something beautiful, y'know?

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? Yes. Loop trail? Kind of. Well marked signs? Kind of. Element of surprise? Eh, kind of? "Welcome to the Hilton-Winn Preserve... this 48,000 acre area is the largest, intact (minimally fragmented by roads coastal forest from Acadia National Park to the New Jersey Pine Barrens. A unique confluence of northern and southern species of plants and animals lie here, making it the most biologically diverse region in Maine." That's what the sign says when you arrive. How cool sounding!!! All of that may be true, but I have to admit that I actually have no idea what's going on here; because whatever you see online or at the information kiosk (under "Trails & Rules") regarding the trail map is not totally the truth. Yes, there's *a lot* of signs, but there's *a lot* of signs for trails that don't exist on the map. Does that make sense? Like, I started on Boardwalk Trail (very clearly labeled both on the map and on the trail itself) through forested wetland, went to Hilton Lane (very clearly labeled both on the map and on the trail itself), went to Loop Trail (which was actually pretty cool because it crosses the Ogunquit River twice -- there's a sturdy cable connecting trees on the opposing banks of the river to help you navigate your way across; when I came, however, this was unnecessary because there was no water in the river at all [August in Maine; everything's dried up due to the drought]) and then this is where things got weird. Because Loop Trail should have "looped" back to Hilton, but it didn't. So I backtracked all the way to the original part of Hilton I deviated from and this time walked up to River Trail (clearly labeled both on the map and on the trail itself), which seemed misnamed: does it follow the Tatnic Brook? Maybe, but again - no signs of water whatsoever. This then brought me to Breen-Norris Farm Trail... and then to Grandma's Wishing Bridge (which was collapsed), Imagination Pond (which was definitely not real no matter how hard I tried to believe), Stone Wall Way (there were no stone walls), Holding Pen (a collapsed wooden "pen"), an enormous field, and Green Horse Trail (there were no green horses; I'm guessing they escaped the pen, kicked the stone walls down, drank the water from the pond, destroyed Nana's bridge, and are living their life somewhere in that giant field). I took pictures for proof, and also: none of that was on any map. Was it an adventure? Sure. Did I sweat? A whole lot. Would I come back here? Nope. Too scared about where the horses may or may not be.

"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.

A beautiful beach that is mostly full of locals. Parking is by the day. There aren't many…read moreamenities so make sure to bring whatever you need. We had a wonderful afternoon enjoying the view. Some of the family went for a swim. The water was cold but not frigid. I'd definitely visit Fortune's Rock Beach again.

Quiet. Not crowded…read more Great for walking- 2 mile stretch, kayaking, sunbathing, no too wide but soft sand & sea grass/dunes beyond. Swimming can be iffy bcz of the seaweed factor but otherwise it's excellent as the beach curves like a 1/2 moon w rocks on the both sides.

If you're feeling adventurous, start your hike in Emmons Preserve on the Learning Trail and you can…read morewalk all the way to Tyler Brook Preserve via the Baston River Trail through woods and past extremely old cemeteries. You can also drive down Tyler Brook Lane off of Route 9 (it feels a little like you're going down a private road to someone's house [you are], but keep straight and you'll see a little parking area on the right hand side for three or four cars. From there you can walk down a wide pathway that leads to the start of Tyler Loop (which is about a mile long). Go to the right, and you'll follow Tyler Loop (marked white) through the woods; go to the left, and you'll follow overlapping trails (Tyler Loop and Baston River Trail, which is marked yellow). It's from this latter half of the loop where there are offshoots that offer scenic marsh overlooks (one off a red marked trail [Tyler Brook Overlook] that goes out and comes back, one on the trail itself, and one off Blue/Brook Loop [on their trail maps it says Blue Loop; on the directional sig it says Brook Loop]). Be absolutely sure to cross the bridge and check out the pretty, but very small falls where Batson River Trail and Tyler Loop branch off from each other. It's a very, very mellow walk, dog-friendly as far as I can tell, plenty of well maintained slatted planks along the pathway, and it's extremely well marked. It's a nice walk in the woods, and if that's what you're looking for and you're in the area then definitely stretch your legs and check it out!

Wide open spaces…read more Memorial Park is a cool park nestled in between the ocean and the Libby Library. Definitely not a bad location for a park, this one just seems small at first but just keeps going. All kinds of things in the park, tennis courts, basketball courts, a nice gazebo, a memorial for veterans and even a nice little lighthouse model at the main entrance. Gentle, rolling hills makes Memorial Park a great place for a gentle walk in your bare feet. During the summer there is a Summer Concert Series of music as well as other events and activities. This is a very popular park and you see all kinds of people during all kinds of things. Some playing sports, other strumming on musical instruments and some just laying on the grass catching the sea breezes. In the winter people even use the park for cross country skiing, snow shoeing and some sledding for the little kids on the small hills. A very nice park in an extremely nice location.