This trail is about 3.5 miles around Back Cove and is beautiful to experience! Today was gorgeous -…read morenormally a nice breeze, plenty of people walking dogs, riding bikes, etc. Trail is kept clean and continues to draw people in!

3 and half mile loop around back cove.You walk around the water so it's really nice. Most spots are…read morecool, you do have to go over a bridge that is on the highway but I also think that's cool. Large parking spot to park your car and walk. A little sketchy at night though so def do during the day.

From my original review: "'You know what I love about this place? It's low risk, high reward.'" We…read moreoverheard an older woman tell her husband this as they approached the summit. And as we stretched out on the rocks enjoying our picnic in the the warm sun, taking in the view of what seemed to be endless forests, bodies of water, and islands, we couldn't have agreed more." A decade later this is still true. If you're looking for an easygoing, very accessible way to go hiking and get some fresh air while wandering Maine's woods, take in the changing leaves of autumn or the abundance of blossoms and wildflowers in the spring, Bradbury - located just thirty minutes from Portland - is hard to beat. According to their website, Bradbury Mountain State Park was one of the original five state parks in the state of Maine, acquired by the Federal government in 1939. The mountain is open year round from 9am until sunset and offers a variety of hiking trails that range from very, very easy ("wide gradual ascents", "well packed and fairly flat") to slightly more challenging ("steepest ascent, but not difficult to hike", "areas with sharp turns"), from .2 miles to 1.5 miles (or more if you want to build your own adventure here - which is very easy to do because this state park's trails are now abundantly well marked; expect lots of maps throughout to let you know where you are AND lots of wooden signs pointing you in the right direction). You could easily do it all in one half day or break up your walk and come back another time, especially considering it's an easy, convenient mountain with an elevation of just 485 feet. Dogs are allowed on leashes, horses are allowed on certain trails. There are bathrooms. You can check out an old cattle pound. Explore for geocaches. It's a cute little mountain, and I'm so happy it's right in (proverbial) our backyard.

I remember going here as a kid and I took my youngest son almost a decade ago. We wanted to do the…read moresummit trail and climb Bradbury Mountain. Definitely not a big challenge but it was fun. I grew up in Lewiston so this park is close by. I will have to take John next time we're in Maine. Lots of other trails to explore.

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!

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!

Who knew this little park existed?…read more Locals. Hyper locals. That's who. Tucked away in the corner of Knightville (where Waterman curves into/becomes Ocean), this little park under the Casco Bay Bridge might not look like much upon first glance. But park nearby, walkover, and explore something beautiful and unexpected. Just past the no-longer-used railroad tracks are benches and stationary game tables. Beyond that (and down the hill) are beautiful views of Portland's working harbor and a plethora of sailboats. And just beyond that is a wooden pier straight out of some watercolor painting of the smaller fishing villages along Downeast Maine where floating docks are available for boats. So if you're looking for a new spot to take a walk, walk your dog, or hide in plain sight (which isn't such a bad thing... sometimes we all need to escape without escaping [which is incredibly hard to do in Greater Portland], so if you see me sitting on the wooden pier reading and drinking a coffee, do you mind not interrupting? I'm seeking peace of some kind.), the delightful Thomas Knight Park might just surprise you.

After demolishing the Million Dollar Bridge and re routing the flow of traffic with the new Casco…read moreBay Bridge years ago the city has done a great job with making this little nest park on Waterman Drive. (I wish the Farmer's Market was still here!) This park doesn't look like much from the road (which has 2 hour parking and ample spaces around) however, soon after walking in to the park you discover that it is bigger on the inside than you thought, kinda like a Tardis. The cobblestone path will lead you to the access ramp to the sidewalk on the bridge as well as some of those stationary binoculars to take in the sights like the Portland waterfront. There is also a small path down to a tiny beach. The paved path will take you under the bridge where you will pass the game tables. Go down the hill and discover some more grass and access to water (over rocks) as well as a bridge that leads to public docking. There is a small outbuilding with cushioned outdoor furniture. What you get now is sweeping views on both sides of you out across the South Portland and Portland sides of the Fore River/Casco Bay. Granted... There is a sewer treatment plant nearby but down here you wouldn't know it. People bring dogs and kids here to walk and play. Don't forget to bring bags and clean up since SoPo no longer provides bags. So one day... Drive past Shaws and McDonald's and the Ford Dealership and find a little oasis under one of the busiest roadways connecting these cities. You won't be sorry. Then... Instead of driving back toward Shaws, go around the other corner and discover the little shops that are no longer on the main track since the traffic pattern change.

This is a lovely state park with stunning views of the coastline and opportunity to scramble along…read morerocks at the water's edge. Although it does not have a beach, Two Lights State Park was a fun place to explore for our family. It has clean restroom facilities and picnic tables if you want to enjoy lunch. Away from the coastline, the park also has a wooded trail that provides respite from the sun. The only downside is that NO lighthouses are visible within the park. Instead, you'll have to turn right just outside the park and drive about a half-mile toward a seafood restaurant and tiny beach. However, the view of the lighthouse is partially obstructed by a mega-mansion under construction. That said, we managed to capture a photo of the famous lighthouse (from the Edward Hopper painting) by going up a private street (Two Lights Terrace) for a quick photo. It's unfortunate the state park did not acquire the land where the restaurant is located and block the construction of private housing.

The parks in the Cape Elizabeth area are all amazing and the Two Lights State Park is no…read moreexception. This particular park is a bit deceiving in that the name two lights might make you think you are going to see 2 lights, there is only one on the mainland, and the other is 17 miles out to sea. But who really cares when the park gives you the amazing views that it does! The trails wind on the upper cliffs of the shoreline and provide an awesome view of Casco Bay and the ocean. Along the walking trails are benches and picnic tables where you can take pause and be at one with the ocean. The views of the crashing waves and the rocky shoreline are amazing!

Any trail that has a nice water view is great in my book. I've been to most of the local trails in…read morePortland so I've been trying some others in the nearby towns. My goal is a trail that's light and easy for my grandpa pup and has some interesting sights. This preserve was nicely maintained and is short, only about a mile, but goes by two ponds and a section goes along the presumpscot river. There's a good portage for kayaking or tubing and the water is gentle. We found some frogs, which is always exciting. A little leaf peeping too! Wouldn't go out of the way for this, but if you're in the area, it's nice.

With so many amazing places to hike and walk nature trails and wooded paths in Maine, I'm not sure…read morethis is a spot I'd personally need to come back to (or even recommend you come out of your way to find). It seems this is more of a gem for hyperlocals (i.e. those that live within walking distance): plenty of folks here when I came midday, midweek walking their off-leash dogs with open containers, and loads of people on inflatable tubes in the Presumpscot River (note: the sound carries clear as day, so I could hear every single thing everyone in the river was saying... some of it pretty R-rated stuff, so maybe just be thoughtful if you're out there tubing). This is a one mile loop that goes up through the hemlock forest (note: many of the boarded planks to cross streams or muck were broken up here; see photos for proof), behind Great Falls Elementary School, then follows along the river (along the historic Cumberland/Oxford Canal Towpath). I came because I saw it was recommended as a shady hike good for summer, but it seems like a better spot to jump into the river (and there's Paddle Access to do so).

Nice walking trail in Windham to bring the dog and get some fresh air. There's a good sized parking…read morelot and a solid trail system to explore. The trail was somewhat overgrown in fall and had a lot of leaf cover but walking around roots and rocks was not bad.

On a midweek, midday exploration of Maine's trails in the summer I came across Black Brook…read morePreserve. I'm *SO* glad I did. I didn't know what to expect, and ended up having a really pleasant - albeit quick - walkabout in the woods (and sat for a while on a bench overlooking a little stream to just listen to the plethora of birdsong)! I began on Diamond Trail (which is where you start from the parking lot), then went to Pine Grove Trail (a whole 410 feet long), to Hawkes Trail (2740 feet long), and once again to Diamond Trail which brought me back to my car (it says it's 1.9 miles long, but because I skipped the part where Beaver Trail is, I think maybe I only did a mile of it). I found Black Brook Preserve to be excellently groomed and marked; nearly every single fork in the road had a giant wooden information sign letting you know which way was what and how long it was. Again, it's easily walkable and very quickly too because most of the trails are measured in just feet! Also, lots of great plaques with tree types. Finally, it seems as if some new construction has taken place at the beginning of the trail with an "observation deck" into a pond-like area (couldn't see much because of the thick flora, but I bet it's much different in the fall/winter). Cute prints of human feet AND different kinds of animal tracks you might see in this area.

This is part of the Standish Parks and Rec. I went here recently to start the Mountain Division…read moreTrail (MDT) from the side opposite of where I live, in the up and coming town of Windham. It was a beautiful drive from Windham to Standish on Route 35. The great Sebago Lake on the right and the woods on the left. I wasn't aware of this, but the woods are owned by the Portland Water District. They contain over 13 miles of trails and have a connected trailhead with the MDT. While I waited for my hiking partners I wandered around the field to check out my new surroundings. Johnson field seems to be a typical local soccer field. They have a large parking area, clearly marked with a sign along the road. Around the field they have a jungle gym and a play area. They also have 3 adult plyometric machines to get an outdoor workout? It's like an outdoor step and rowing machine. I had never seen anything like it. The restroom situation is Port-A-Pot, but they seemed clean enough, better than a trailside bathroom break. The trailhead kiosk for the MDT starts to the left of the field and runs along a gravel road that seems to be a multi-use trail shared with the YMCA camp. I would like to see the traffic on this trail/road in the summer. Not sure if it would be a place to have a dog off leash, because of traffic, despite the size of the trail. Johnson Field is a fine place to park and then walk.