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.

Pleasant Pond is 3.5 miles long and is connected via a bridge to Upper Pleasant Pond, which is 2.5…read moremiles long. Encompassing a total of 797 acres, the ponds have a maximum depth of 26 feet with a minimum depth of 10 feet. Pleasant Pond encompasses the towns of Litchfield, Richmond, Gardiner, and West Gardiner, (Kennebec County), Maine. There is a public boat launch on Thorofare Road, in Litchfield. Pleasant Pond is known as one of the best bass fishing locations in Central Maine. It is a 4 season body of water to enjoy activities including; ice fishing, snowmobiling, ice skating, swimming, boating, fishing, kayaking, paddle boarding, jet skis, and so much more. Pleasant Pond is also teeming with wildlife, including loons, osprey, falcons, bald eagles, largemouth bass, pickerel, perch, and brown trout. A beautiful, expansive body of water not to be missed if you are in Central Maine!

Beaver park is one of Maine secret gems. You'll find yourself navigating cute paths in this sweet…read morelittle woodsy park. Hike, swim, fish or take your kayaks for a peaceful ride amongst the ducks that often reside here.

This is our local town park in Lisbon, it's sort of our hidden gem! Want to hike? Lots of trails…read more Want some peace and quit? Beaver park is the place. Do you like to fish? Yes, you van and you should of course you need a fishing license. We have a gauge field, with two softball/ baseball fields. The cost is a few bucks it's worth it. I'm all about local, so if your in the Lisbon area stop by sometime.

We could have stayed all day just admiring the beautiful view, enjoying the sun and the refreshing…read morebreeze. I wish I could live on this pond in the summertime. It really is big enough to be a lake and it goes by a couple of different names. It was quiet with just a few people around. A boat ride around the pond is ideal to fully appreciate the beauty of of the area.

This little picnic area is nestled in the downtown area of Belgrade. A few picnic tables, benches,…read moreand plenty of spots to throw a cast. There is a few parking spots right in front and if not too busy across the street. The view is pretty amazing to take in while eating a bagged lunch or take out from one of the eateries in the area. Plenty of ducks to admire too!

Cute little Public park with benches overlooking Long Pond and just steps away from Days Store…read more Seems like a lot of people bring their lunch, kids and read books by the waters edge here. Dogs are not allowed there which I thought funny but did see people with their pets there. Many came to fish for a little while and others came to play their guitar too. Nice quaint spot to stop in and check out in Belgrade.

Captain John is the best captain and tour guide he made our trip , he is very knowledgeable and…read moreinformative the trip was just amazing and worth the very reasonable price

Great day and nice captain, had a wonderful time. Buying lobsters for dinner was funread more

This is a great little trail to take your kiddos on. There's a playground, a story walk (that…read morechanges monthly), beautiful water views and an easy to follow trail around the pond. If you take a little detour off the story walk, you'll even find a cool teepee shaped bunch of sticks leaning against a tree. Children love to explore this area. It's not so far off the path that you'd ever get lost. In between the first few pages of the story walk, when you have an opportunity to go straight, do so. I promise it's only a few feet down the path. Can't miss it!

I wasn't expecting so much from this little park right off Route 302 (it's located on a dirt road…read morejust after the Westbrook Pool & Spa; there's a large granite sign at the mouth of the road, and you've probably passed it a million times - I know I have - but once you see it, you'll know exactly where this gem is forever)! Donnabeth Lippman Park - formerly known as Chaffin Pond Preserve - is 123 acre mostly wooded area that surrounds a 10 acre pond that's apparently great for fishing. I came here for a walk in the woods and was delighted to find that there was more than meets the eye: there's a family-friendly (you could easily take a stroller here - it's packed earth and not very root-y), totally accessible to all abilities, story book trail with a giant "Once Upon A Time" sign inviting you into the woods (how magical and fantastical is that?). Once you're finished, you can walk back to the parking lot from here via the yellow trail or you can take that same trail and follow it up alongside the pond, through the woods, then back down around the opposite side of the water (side note: I love loop trails - who wants to double back and see the same things?). A red trail deviates off to Mud Pond, and a green trail just adds an extended path through the forest before reconnecting to yellow. All of it is perfectly marked! It's a wonderful walking trail and if I lived nearby I could see this also being a solid spot for a good run! Admittedly, after heavy rain or during spring you should expect it to be quite muddy. No hunting allowed here, so it's a good spot for year round enjoyment (for those of you who are looking for a new snowshoeing spot!); there's an abundance of picnic tables overlooking the pond, a swing set, a big playground area, and plenty of green space to stretch out on. Again - what an unexpectedly great spot hidden in plain sight!

Currently residing in Portland, we are always looking for a new place to easily plop in our canoe &…read morepaddle away during the beautiful summer days. After some online searching, we decided to check out Highland Lake due to the proximity to Portland, boat launch for easy access to the water, and available parking. And what a wonderful decision this was!! When we arrived, there was plenty of parking still available and just a short walk of muscling the canoe to the water. Once we got out onto the lake we saw a variety of water activities: kayaking, fishing, boating, tubing, waterskiing, & jet skiing. Although there were quite a bit of people and activity on the lake, it is definitely large enough to peacefully canoe and still feel immersed in the nature surrounding you.

Nice Campground, Ocean Views, Showers Too!…read more We paid $36 a night to camp in our tent. This campground actually gives you things for the value so it's a great family spot! It's maybe 1 mile from Wolfe's Neck State Park. This is part of an agricultural education center of some sort, so there are some cows and crops around. There is a gift shop tent and a little cafe over by the working farm part of the facility if you are looking for it. Clean and well maintained campground for sure, bathrooms could use a tad more attention, but a great value as it is. They have kayaks on the beach for you to use at no cost, which is super cool. Even 2 person ocean kayaks! Life jackets and paddles are at the shed by the playground. The playground is being used all the time and kids seem to like it. Our little guy isn't quite big enough for it yet, no little baby swings, only big kid swings. Hot showers are included so you won't need quarters like some parks which is more convenient for sure!

Although the park is beautiful, the facilities leave a LOT to be desired. The outhouses are not…read moretaken care of, and when one of our group complained at the office she was told they would not do anything to take care of it, even when told it is a public health hazard. Unacceptable!