Great trail that I walked briefly with my dog. We happened to be in the area passing through and…read morethere are no designated dog parks in the area like there are in Massachusetts, and really no neighborhoods to walk around in, so sometimes as a dog it can be hard to find some scents!! Decided to stop here and it was a beautiful day but very hot in the morning sun which is why we made it a quicker walk than usual. I also had sandals on and didn't feel like being on the trail very long in them as they weren't the most comfortable. Make sure to come prepared and check weather before going. Anyway, I was pleasantly surprised with this local trail. It is beautiful and lots of wild life. Definitely check yourself and dog or family members for ticks after hitting the trail as there's lots of tall grass which is the perfect place for ticks to be. I love the pollinator area, tons of butterflies and insects. The wooden sculptures are pretty cool too. Next time I am in the area I would like to do the full trail!

This was a great trail, plenty of parking . Beautiful views of the lakes and surrounding area. A…read morefairly easy hike . We did encounter an angry bird on the trail we must grave gotten too close to a nest or something. Not crowded at all when we were there.

Short sections can be combined in different combinations for a short or longer hike. A nice mixture…read moreof flat wide trails and rocky, forest trails. Lovely views from the summit, not to be confused with the 'Lookout' (a different view area of a different lake! As is usual, a bit windy a chilly at the top, but very calm and comfortable on the way up and down.

To me, a perfect trail is one that: not a lot of people know about, is hidden in plain sight, has…read moresome challenging parts (it's good to feel the heart pumping! ... but my legs don't need to quiver in fatigue with every step; does that make sense?), and offers an impressive reward by way of view at the top. Jockey Cap Trail is all of that. A former ski hill in the 30's (it boasts of having had the first rope tow in Maine), Jockey Cap is now a trail system (unfortunately, many of the off-branches of the two main routes up lead to dead-ends). Tucked right behind a country store off Route 302 in Fryeburg, you'll find a dirt trail that first leads into the woods to Molly Locket's cave. Here's your Robert Frost moment: from here, the trail splits to the left and right. The former offers a gradual climb, the latter is much more steep. Regardless of which you choose, both are only about a quarter mile long. At the top are breathtaking views of forest, lakes, valleys, and mountain ranges. There's also a bronze silhouette allowing climbers to line up which mountain is which. It's a short climb, but if you're in the area, it's worth it - especially in spring and autumn when the colors are on opposite ends of the spectrum of impressive and the tourists are at a minimum. I would say it's kid-friendly if your kids are active and love the outdoors; as a side note, while brief in length, I would still say this leads more towards "hike" then "nature walk".

Fun short hike with nice views at the top. Not enough parking. Trail not well marked but you can…read morefigure it out. Use all trails.

Great family campground, showers and bathrooms are clean. This was our second time here and we will…read morebe back! The beach is nice and there is a really nice playground for kids. No general store, so bring whatever you want for the weekend! We love the sunsets from the west side of the campground. Very quiet at night, heard a few coyotes.

I feel the need to preface all of my nature reviews with this: being 90% forested and having around…read more3,500 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? Yes. Well marked signs? Yes. Element of surprise? Yes. This is the first time I've been at a trail where I've seen trail volunteers! There were a dozen or so folks midway up the trail working on maintenance and drainage, and they were all so friendly. Thanks for taking care of this pretty little climb, Greater Lovell Land Trust folks! This is a shorter trail, 1.4 miles, that leads up to the 1,253 foot Sabattus Mountain. The trail will bring you through mixed growth forest and some moderately difficult sections of exposed ledge. As you approach the summit, it actually becomes less steep and rooty. The expansive overlook along the cliffs offer near panoramic views of Keyes Pond, Kezar Lake, and - in the distance - Pleasant Mountain and the Whites. Take a seat on the rocks, or - if you're lucky! - the memorial bench for a picnic. Exceptional birdwatching from here too. Please stay on the trail, know that this area is open to hunting during firearms season. (Coming in summer? There's *lots* of wasps/yellow jackets because of the increase of goldenrod here [so I was told].)

I have to say that this was my favorite hike of all time!! First I would like to mention that this…read moreis definitely a moderate trail! It's very steep but also decently short! I was lucky enough to get to the top before it started raining today, but lucky it was not a slippery hike down either. Some of the Cons of this hike goes as follows: * The roots were everywhere along the trail which may be difficult for children and is definitely no where near handicap accessible * The only other review for this mountain here on Yelp mentioned how buggy it was 6 months ago from today, May 24, 2023, and it still was extreme. We tried as much bug spray as anyone could humanly handle and I still got bit up quite a bit * Without the proper preparation like prior experience and or stretching/warming up beforehand, it definitely leaves you strained and very tired * For AT&T customers (at least) there is absolutely no service until you get pretty far up the mountain, this included most of the ride to the parking area and the area itself Despite all of these things all of the Pros make up for it These include: * Amazing Scenic Views * How short the trail actually is * The stunning raw quartz at the top * The amount of Wildlife * The amazing photo opportunities If you're either experienced or up for a little bit of a challenge I 100% recommend this trail! (P.s. playing some of my favorite songs while walking definitely added to the experience)

I just stayed 4 nights at the campground- and I feel it's a great choice for the area…read more What I needed was a basically a base camp where I could have a nice tent camping space that would be used mostly for sleeping (vs. staying at the campground for relaxing, using the river, cooking, etc). My space, #57, was very large for tent camping, had a picnic table and fire pit (which I didn't use). There was plenty of flat, root-free space for me to pitch the tent. I put my tent on flat, hard-packed sand...which is fine but I would recommend a mat or towel for the tent entry way to wipe your feet and leave your shoes on. I used the shower daily. The shower I used was clean, plenty of hot water, good water pressure...and free! The bathroom was bare bones but clean and well maintained. The campground was busy but I didn't feel it was rowdy and certainly wasn't loud. The quiet hours were observed when I was there. But for me, Bearcamp River Campground is about its owners. They take great care of the campground and great care of the people who stay there. Just one example, I was (very) late for my Wed. night check in. I called and was told the parking gate pass would be waiting for me and it would be no problem at all to be late...just make myself at home. I really appreciate their accommodating me. Overall, 5 stars. It's it a great setting, a well maintained facility, run by nice people who genuinely want you to have a good time and will do anything to make sure you do.

It's like pulling into a junk yard. Rude people and dirty facilities. The sites on the river are…read morenot bad but the whole Ora of the place is sketchy

I feel the need to preface all of my nature reviews with this: being 90% forested and having around…read more3,500 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? Yes. Well marked signs? NO*. Element of surprise? Yes. WOW (say it like Owen Wilson a dozen times, please). What an absolutely incredible trail! Burnt Meadow Trail/North Peak Trail, 1.25 miles and blue blaze, "leaves a parking area along ME Route 160 and ascend the shoulders and south facing ledges of the broad eastern spur of the North Peak weaving in and out of forests and ledges onto the summit after a short scramble up the uppermost ledges to the summit (elevation 1,575 ft)." Read: this has strenuous uphill hiking, rock scrambling, aggressive climbing, and absolutely breathtaking views. From here DO NOT DOUBLE BACK, instead carry on to... Twin Brook Trail, 2 miles and yellow blaze, "leaves from North Peak Trail, mostly following the main brook and ravine..." (the kiosk goes on and on to talk about the various peaks this travels through). Read: this barely has any blazes, so there's A LOT of guesswork about where you're going (which I was annoyed at in the moment because I didn't realize it was twice as long and sooooooooo very full of switchbacks, but retrospectively added to the charm of this overall experience). We had to cross streams, pass by a wall of giant boulders where a me-sized porcupine was eating, and goes windy, windy, windy through the forest until we were dumped back onto the Burnt Meadow Trail. DO NOT go up this trail and "down" North Peak because... that'd be just dangerous. The views here are some of the best in this part of Maine. Honestly, this might become an annual autumnal pilgrimage for me. Despite it being a complete workout, the summit is just such a rewarding treat. It should be noted that during the summer (at least the past two) there's an overwhelming amount of hornets right at the most difficult part of the climb, so you may want to come in spring or fall.

My husband and I made our first foray into cross country skiing here this past weekend and LOVED…read moreit! We did a lesson with Clifton which was VERY worth the time and money. Apparently a lot of the other trail systems weren't open due to the lack of snow, but Bear Notch had plenty of beautiful, well-groomed trails to play on. The best part: COMPLETELY dog friendly! We could have taken our dog out on any of their 65km plus trails, not just a mile or two like other sites. We loved the cross country skiing, so we went back to Bear Notch to rent snowshoes today for a hike up Mt Crawford. Again, super friendly staff and really affordable prices. This is the only place we'll bring our business to the next time we're in the area.

The cross country skiing trails were so fun! Trail 19 had amazing views, 30 went right along the…read moreriver, and a bunch of them passed by/over the creek in the woods. It felt like an authentic XC ski experience and like we had the place all to ourselves. They definitely worked hard to get trails groomed again after some unfavorable conditions. The trail map and markers are a bit confusing though. Reasonable prices. Staff was attentive and helpful. We liked it so much we went back the next day!