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.

We stayed at Whisperwood over the summer and thoroughly enjoyed our stay. The owners were more than…read morehelpful and thought of every thing. Our cabin was clean and tidy. The lake is just serene. The boat we rented was a black lund, clean and ran perfectly. The food was plentiful and delicious and wait staff were very courteous. We can't wait to go back. We just booked again!

The place was clean and food was good,staff friendly. The mattress in our cabin (Lake…read moreView)desperately needed to be replaced. Cost per day for renting a small fishing boat were high considering the condition of the boats. Fishing boat fleet could use an upgrade to modern equipment (trolling motors ,seats etc)

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.]

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.

Always have a good time shacks are warm staff is very polite and helpful. Highly recommendread more

Very neat staff was super friendly and attentive. We had so much fun woukd def do it again next…read moreseason!

Great experience. Equipment is top notch. Everything was explained in detail and they made sure we…read morehad everything we needed. Family had a great day on the trails! Would definitely use these guys again!

This is an Off-Road park for Trucks and ATVs. Awesome terrain, HUGE park, as well as camping and…read morefood! Jon has a very laid back management of the park, which is nice that you can just go enjoy yourself. He is always around, so if you get stuck, he can come unstuck you. No matter the size (bulldozer and escavtor on site if it is that bad!). He also encourages people to make trails of their own if they'd like. Just keep it in the property's borders (which are massive so that is easy!). He also cooks if you bring a group for a day or weekend trip. The food is always amazingly good. If you call ahead and schedule, then when you arrive in the morning he will usually have breakfast ready for you (the french toast is unreal), with all the trimmings (bacon, toast, coffee, soda, milk, water, real maple syrup, as well as fake maple syrup. Lunches and dinners are always a toss up - but always good! and always way more than enough food. The lodge is a little rough, but it matches the nature of the park. Fireplae in the corner for the fall and spring. I've heard him mention that he does a snowcross track in the winter too, but haven't had a chance to go yet. And the huge couches around the fireplace may look gross, but seriously try sitting there after a day of wheeling... if you aren't asleep in five minutes than you still have more park to see! Campsites are spread around the lodge. Far enough that you can camp, and not be bothered by anyone else's noise. He has some old RV's parked on some of the sites, that I think he used to rent out. Looks like someone broke in and destroyed all of them though. Definitely stay out of them haha. We tented out and slept in our trucks and had a blast. Right below the lodge are two large mud pits, a dirtbike track with some decent sized woops, and a small rock pile with some good obstacles for rock crawlers. One of the trails takes you right to the top of Winter Hill. You can see for miles, its very pretty, and the trip is usually a few hours up the trails so its a good half-day run. This park needs more visitors. I fear if people don't start hitting this place harder, he may just close up. This park has SO MUCH potential, and is really the "free-est" terrain in maine from legislature. If you haven't been, it's worth the trip at least once. Alcohol is permitted as long as it is kept reasonable. We usually are having too much fun during the day to remember that we have beer. - NO GLASS! Have been going for 2 years and will continue to go as long as it is open!

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? Yes. Loop trail? Yes. Well marked signs? Yes. Element of surprise? Yes. This is a gem of a hike. And it's proof that just when you think you know Maine... you don't. Will I ever run out of incredible places to explore here? Mt Pisgah proves I won't. I had never heard of this spot before, but was doing research for somewhere to play outside near the Augusta area, and this came up. It was everything I was looking for: 2 to 4 miles, meandering through the forest, and absolutely outstanding views at the top. I took Blueberry Trail (1.3 miles) which was mostly a very windy path through woodlands; what makes it so special, though, is the wild blueberries that grow near the top. From the informational sign: "...In natural settings native highbush blueberries are typically found in areas with wet, acidic, organic soils. Mt Pisgah, where highbush blueberries occur, does not resemble these preferred habitats. At this site, the highbush blueberries are found in an upland forest with dry soil and no nearby water source. It is unclear how the highbush blueberries came to be in this less than ideal habitat." TLDR: There are magical blueberries here. When I reached the top I climbed up the historic fire tower for impressive 360 degree views of the surrounding area. To come down from the summit there are two options: Tower Trail (which is about .7 miles) which passes through rich forest (expect lots of wooden planks over streams) OR the access road which is a straight shot on a well groomed, relatively accessible (think stroller-friendly) road back up and back from the parking lot. Side note: Ledges Trail, 1.4 miles, adds steps but not views. (From the informational sign at the top of the mountain: "In Hebrew, Pisgah means a lookout or place with a view, and refers to the place on Mt Nebo from which Moses looked out over the promised lands. In the 19th century, before the fire tower was constructed, the summit of Pisgah was an open pasture that provided panoramic views. Mt Pisgah has a rich agricultural history. Old stone walls, second growth pine and hardwood forest, and gnarly sugar maples with tap holes tell the story of intensive land clearing, pasturing, cultivation, and farm abandonment.")

A nice 1-2.5 hour hike (depending on which trails one takes), especially for winter hiking, and a…read moregreat panoramic view atop the high scalable tower.

I live just across the river from here. I wish we had a park on the Randolph side too. Haha!…read more I love the Gardiner Waterfront in all seasons. Public art, green space, lots of events in the summer. Boating, fishing, bird and fish observation. The sturgeon jumping! The trails to walk. Plus a fairy village!

Awesome waterfront park in Gardiner, Maine on the Kennebec river. It has a boat launch to launch…read moreboats with lots of trailer parking and car parking. Huge wooden boardwalk on the Kennebec with a trail. Wooded trail that extends beyond the boardwalk along the river and railroad tracks. Great place to walk dogs and have them swim in the river. The trail goes for a mile or less. There are gnome homes and fairy houses along the trail. It is really cool. Fantasy like. It is so wooded and magical right along the Kennebec river. Awesome little adventure. Great for kids.