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.

Nice Place in the summer to go and listen to the bands. They…read moreoften have food trucks and is the place to be for fireworks Plenty of places to sit and watch the sturgeon jumping.

Spanning both sides of the Kennebec River near downtown Augusta, this park features some…read moremagnificent views of the river and the bridges that cross it. There is some parking nearby and it's a neat spot to stop and enjoy your lunch al fresco if the weather is nice. On the east side of the river, it's a concrete and stone walkway with some benches and seating. On the west side of the river, a picnic area, playground and grassy spots for running. [Review 10019 overall, 1602 of 2018.]

Granite City Park welcomes locals and tourists from all over. There is plenty of parking in the lot…read moreand on the street. This park is the heartbeat of Hallowell. Safe, clean and fun the citizens of Hallowell take great pride in their park. The conservation commission makes sure that in the spring the brush, and winter rubble is removed. If you're look for sturgeon this is THE place to be. End of May into June is peak Sturgeon jumping time and the Kennebec River will not disappoint. You'll see sturgeon leaping from the river, ducks, eagles, cranes, hawks, and turtles abound. Hallowell is a foodie destination. There are numerous outside dining areas, live music, craft local beer, killer cocktails, fun antique shops, and funky markets to discover. Grab a coffee and stroll the quaint streets, hit up the bakery, and explore the rail trail. Granite City Park is the cornerstone of this amazing city. Steeped in history, Granite City Park is a multi-use location. July sees it hosting food trucks and vendors for Old Hallowell Day, this is THE front row seats to an incredible fireworks display. Summertime you'll find the parks immaculate gardens in full bloom. Lounge in the sun, picnic, ride bikes on the rail trail, jog, walk, and just enjoy this city oasis. The park is ADA compliant with ramps, and handicap porta-potty that is fresh and clean each time I've used it. This is a spot for artists, writers, readers, and it's also a great place for a first date! You cannot smoke here, or in any park or eating place in Maine, there are trash recepticals scattered about - please pick up after your pets and use these recepticles. I hope you enjoy one of my favorite places to while away a summer day.

My wife and I went to granite City Park Thursday June 26th. I am in a wheelchair and my wife was…read moretrying to get me in my wheelchair onto the ramp to go down to the seating area. We could not have done it without the help of two very helpful and friendly ladies. We would like to thank them again for their generous help. While we were down overlooking the river, for sturgeons jumped out of the water in front of us. I only saw one actually clear the water by 3 ft. The rest happened so fast at all was and heard was a smack of the splash as a landed back in the water it was a beautiful day to be there. And lucky enough to see the sturgeon jumping. My wife and I really enjoyed it. Again thank you ladies for your help getting me on to the ramp.

As a family this was our first time at Vaughan woods and we will be back many times. It's a short…read morewalk/ hike through the woods and the waterfalls and bridges as well as the different kinds of trees make this a beautiful walk in any season. The trails are not marked well and to which trail your on but the path is easy to see. Come and check this out if your in the Augusta area.

Short and sweet, would take 15 min but feels as though you're lost in the woods. Leads to a small…read morecascade

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 (and NH) 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? No. Loop trail? Sort of. Well marked signs? Sort of. Element of surprise? Not really. This is definitely a tough spot to find; there's no parking, so be sure to very carefully pull as far off as you can from the road (it's not a busy road, but still #healthandsafety). This is about 1.5 to 2 miles - relatively easy to moderate (just because there is initially a bit of a steep slope, then some twisty and rooty bits of the trail), starting with a long walk through the woods pass some fields, over some brooks - with extremely well maintained wooden bridges! - and eventually alongside the Kennebec River (if you wish to walk that far down). There's also a short spur up to a place called Mount Tom which features the old remains of a chimney and fireplace, as well as a stone bench that overlooks the water in the distance (probably much easier to see before spring/summer)! I think if you love birdwatching AND wildflowers, you'll see (and feel) the magic of this spot. We came when the wild ginger (Asarum canadense) was in bloom -- apparently this species is rare for this far up the East Coast. They were beautiful! The whole walk was a lovely homage to spring, what with the crops of fiddleheads and the constant birdsong! BEWARE OF TICKS.

The Rockland Breakwater Lighthouse is located in the park and to get there, you have to walk about…read morea mile or more on the uneven granite slabs. There's some parts that have gaps, so you have to pay attention. But over all it was an easy walk to the light house. The walk itself was quite relaxing and beautiful. On each side of the pathway, the water on each side are quite different, which makes it beautiful. Once you reach the end, you'll find a lighthouse at the end. You can walk up the stairs of the lighthouse to get a better view. Overall, I really enjoyed this lighthouse and would come back.

The Rockland Breakwater Lighthouse is located in this park. There was ample parking . The…read morelighthouse is located almost one mile our and the walk to get there is not horrible, but you do have to pay attention. You walk along large stones/bolders with gaps in between. However, the views are spectacular. Definitely worth the walk for to experience the views.

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.

I'm working my way through the Maine State Parks Passport and this spot was listed in it…read more Unfortunately, when we visited the fort was entirely under construction and the passport box had been removed, so no stamp for us. I'm not sure this is a "destination" spot for anyone who doesn't live immediately in the area; if you were (hyper)local, this for sure is a great place to come walk your dog, sit with a picnic or a book to enjoy on the expanses of green grasa, or bring your family for an event (which I imagine they do since there's a bandstand; more information online suggested the park has been used for concerts, movie screenings, July 4th celebrations, and more). We found two random Adriondack chairs sitting right by the water's edge, and took some time to watch loons! There's a placard that reads, "The blockhouse is the only building the remains of a larger fort complex, built by British-Americans in 1754-1755 to defend the upper Kennebec River Valley from possible attack... in 1966 the State of Maine acquired this blockhouse which was all that remained of the original fort and restored it... in 1987, flood waters rose to eight feet up the side of the fort and its logs floated apart, drifting as far south as Dresden. These were recovered and reassembled, restorying the old blockhouse to its original appearance."

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? Not really. Element of surprise? No. For Cumberland County folks, Moose Point feels like a combination of Fort Williams Park and Mackworth Island. It's got grassy knolls to picnic on with views of Penobscot Bay, evergreen groves to meander through via wide and well maintained trails (some of which have benches, some of which have little staircases leading down to the pebbled water's edge), a gazebo for events, and during low tide there are tidal pools to explore (during high tide it's much more difficult to navigate because it's mostly just uneven rocks and not much of a shore). I think this is a beautiful spot in midcoast Maine, and I'm glad there are locations like it throughout the state. Personally, I don't necessarily feel the need to come back (except to get my Maine State Parks Passport Stamp!!!), just because we have something soooooooooooo similar so close. But I can see how it's a draw for so many!

A hidden in plain sight gem of Maine! Moose Point State Park is sandwiched between route1 & the…read moreocean. We visited just before the season &, as such, parked outside the gate & walked in. There are many picnic table to enjoy lunch, a group pavilion, a playground & hiking trails to enjoy the ocean views. It would be well worth the $3/person fee in-season to enjoy this park. In particular, go in to the right ocean corner of the open area past the playground & there's a level easy walking path along the ocean out to a point with 270' water views. Give enough time to take pictures. We met the park ranger & had a lovely conversation about the local birds & the park's resident fox. Allot 1-2 hours, bring a picnic lunch & bring your camera.

Wonderful hiking trail to the top of a mountain in Rome. Good amount of parking with a large sign…read morewith plenty of info on the trail, mountain, and area. The trails are well marked in most spots (went off in one spot but quickly realized our mistake). While the view isn't panoramic it is quite a nice view of Belgrade lakes. The mountain will gain you about 350 feet in elevation and will take you about 45 minutes to do the loop. There were some spots on the trail where you needed to maneuver through uneven rocks and spots where the climb got a bit tough, but nothing too hard. I brought a 9 year old and he had a blast. I could see much younger kids pulling this off with no issues.

Great spot for hiking especially with your furry best friend. Not really any spots for viewing but…read morestill a good hike.