Free parking and a nice short trail to a cascade. It was dry when we went so the cascade was a…read moreletdown tbh but still a fun time

I have noticed this trailhead many times on our trips to Old Orchard, but never had time to stop in…read moreand check it out. Today, we did! I'm so glad! The trail is beautiful, and easy for anyone (except a wheelchair, sorry) I have a bad knee with limited mobility, and this was doable for me! I'm so glad we made it out there today. The waterfall was at full force, and was so gorgeous. The little landing area at the bottom was full of downed trees, but the kids were having so much fun climbing and navigating. There were people flitting about in every which way, miniaturized by the big waterfall. The bridge was washed out, looking to be repaired, so I think one access from the loop was cut off. But people were navigating over the downed trees and on rocks. Nobody seemed to care. It was a blast! HIGHLY recommend this trail.

This hike is a nice place to take a short stroll for the locals but not a place I would recommend…read moretourist to come. First off, it is only about half mile from parking to the waterfall. So total hike was only 1 mile. it is a WALK, not hike. Good for families with young ones. Be very aware that the mosquitoes here are super HUNGRY! I have never gotten so many bites within such a short time inside a hike! I got 6-7 bites all over my legs just from hiking here for 30 mins. My husband got 8+ bites all over his body! Luckily my little one only got 1 bite. We were all over Maine in the last 2 weeks including kayaking and out at Acadia national park. All outdoor activities and barely got any bites until now! There are other trails here too but after getting so many bites, we wanted to run away as fast as we could! I wish I didn't come here. View and waterfall are not worth it for trade off of these hungry hungry mosquitoes!! *sooo itchy* :-/ Bring bug spray if you wanna come!

Jewell falls is a waterfall of water flowing from the Fore River and is named for Tom Jewell who…read morewas one of the founders Portland Trails and very much alive today. Did you know that Portland Trails started in 1991? He donated the land around the falls and the rest of the land the trail walls through is a mix of public and private land. You see evidence of this with many marked signs that designate private property -- good to respect these so we can continue to walk these trails. Somehow I got lost off my usual path I take and ended up going on the greater fore river sanctuary trail loop around and across the railroad tracks, but the boardwalks were great! Back to the falls, if you start at the trailhead near Brighton ave, it's less than 0.25 miles of a walk. The falls are made of horsetails of rushing water over large slabs of rock. The trails are really well maintained and there's not too many people. You can definitely still hear traffic from some parts but there are a few quiet enclaves.

Well this is indeed different. It's lovely and the fact that on a hot day it is completely shaded…read morewith 50 to 100 foot tall trees covering every step of the way. I definitely recommend wearing appropriate shoes and clothing especially until you know what kind of plants and wildlife are out here. There are two trails one says it's handicap accessible the other which I took is definitely not and it is not for anyone with any kind of difficulty walking. Cool little creeks let the dogs playing not too deep this time of year maybe 6 inches to a foot in most places. Definitely a good off leash area not too many people here in fact you could go an entire walk without seeing anyone so I'm good for quiet time to think or chat on the phone well you hang out with your favorite canine companion. Maybe was to wear bug spray won't know till tomorrow if I'm covered in mosquito bites but no sound of flies just little tickles here in there.. I was a little worried about getting lost at first but to the road that you can hear the sound of cars although not so close that you have to worry about your dog running into traffic. What I like the most about it is that it's actually a good hike and good exercise and it's different than the other dog parks and it's more a hiking trail that you can bring your dog and allow it off leash then it is an actual dog park. Also make sure you bring your own bags and water if needed. And most of all have fun

This trail is part of the South Portland Land Trust's West End project. The trail head itself is…read morelocated to the right side of the Home Depot parking lot by the stone wall. You will see the kiosk. Part of the trail is paved and you will be able to go around the Home Depot building. There is a short dirt trail that is marked as handicap accessible and only goes a short distance in to the woods and there are benches to sit and look out over the water on either side. You can follow the smaller path down to the water. If you follow the paved trail to the right you will come to the dirt trail that skirts the pond. This is packed dirt and there are stairs and tree roots. The trail is becoming more and more popular. Expect to see people walking dogs here off leash. This trail connects to the Red Brook Trail as well that goes behind Sappi. We have seen many herons, ducks, an owl and what look like fox dens. There are signs of beavers, but we have not seen any. This is a great walk while being on the heart of a busy area of South Portland. Depending on the path you take, this is approximately 2 miles long. *As a side note: there are some "camps" in this area and we have come across some transients and homeless in this area. As always, take safety precautions for trail walking.

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!

Cost $14 for two people out of state. Beautiful views and nice benches to sit on. We went in…read moreSeptember and it was not too crowded. More peaceful and quaint than the lighthouse parks. You can NOT see the lighthouses from here!!!

I love this park! One of the more photogenic lighthouses I've seen. Park was clean and beautiful…read more Parking is cheap. Was around $7 for two hrs. It is 2hr parking minimum at the parking spot closest to the lighthouse, keep that in mind. I went here before June, so the museum and museum shop wasn't open. Drive slow as you venture through the park as there aren't a lot of sidewalks so people are walking kinda everywhere. Few food trucks planted around the park, I went to one that had Blueberry Pie ice cream, wow what a treat! Great park!

**November 2025: Saturday Morning Visit**…read more Visiting a lighthouse in Maine was a priority on this trip, so I did a little bit of research and saw that this lighthouse (the Portland Head Lamp) was not only the oldest lighthouse in Maine, but that it was also commissioned by George Washington! It's housed at Fort Williams Park and while we were there for the lighthouse there are other attractions like Fort Williams Museum and Cape Elizabeth History Center there as well. We parked as close as possible to the lighthouse and noticed that that was privately owned. The lowest number of hours you can purchase was 2 hours for $6. Since it was super windy and 30 some degrees we only stayed in the area for 20 mins or so. You can't go inside the lighthouse but you walk right up to it and see the coast. The view from the base of the lighthouse was beautiful and if it wasn't so cold I'd probably stay longer to enjoy the view. Note: They don't have trash cans there. Worth a visit! and maybe next time I'll see some of the other attractions at the park.

loveee back cove!!! some notes…read more.. - the new field + playground & fitness course is such an improvement. - the section around 295 including tukeys bridge kinda sucks, so much trash, narrow for bikes, and i'm not confident the thin concrete barrier would stop a car from hitting you. but, hopefully the new roux institute pedestrian bridge will alleviate those issues.

Back Cove - it's DEFINITELY NOT CALLED "Back Bay", and when you say that we know you're not a local…read more- is a 100+ year old 3.5 mile multi-use, tree-lined, accessible/mostly flat path around a tidal estuary basin that offers skyline views and birdwatching. There's also a recently renovated athletic field and very new/in exceptional shape/varied fitness course area! So fun to see people playing here again; over all, this trail is great for ambling, dog walking, running, and biking. Some things that are great: - The art (both city installed and citizen "installed"). Some of the old informational placards now house paintings, you might find handmade birdhouses, and other various structures! - The half of the trail that's *after* Tukey's Bridge, passing Payson Park, around the Boulevard (which is closed to vehicles on Sundays in the summer), all the way to maybe Vannah Ave is spectacular! Some things that are not great: - there's a *large* trash problem here from the parking lot across the Hannaford, near the 295 off ramp after the athletic fields, going up the include to the bridge, segue... - crossing Tukey's Bridge is never a pleasant experience; it's *so* loud because of the highway traffic speeding by, segue... - there's not a ton of lights, and this area doesn't feel particularly safe at night

"ORDER 73. ORRRRRRRRRDER 73."…read more "ORDER 74. 74, YOUR ORDER IS UP." This is how our walk through Scarborough River Wildlife Sanctuary started. With the sweet, sweet sounds of Ken's teenage girls calling out orders through their insanely loud speaker system and is the overwhelming scent of deep-fried seafood permeated our noses. Not sure about you, but that's everything I want when spending time in nature. Who cares about listening to bird calls or smelling leaves, right? In all seriousness, this 1.5 mile loop was pleasant enough - full of marshes, wetlands, forests, and fields. We did actually listen to many birdsongs, got to hear bullfrogs at the pond (which comes up unexpectedly from a tiny hill you walk up towards the end of the trail - it was actually very cool), watched chipmunks chase each other (amazing how noisy those little things are when crashing through the brush), enjoyed the hues of pink and white from the tremendous amount of apple trees along the path, walked along beautiful wooden bridges, and even found a tremendously random chair overlooking the ocean (seriously, see the photo). It was a very flat trail, and to be honest there were several places where the path had eroded, leaving giant blue tubes exposed forcing us to literally jump over them to the other side. Many of the signs marking trees and other interesting historical points (like - did you know? - the area used to have a golf green in it) were also cracked or missing entirely. Oh, and our walk ended the way it started. We were still a good half mile in the woods when the smell of fried seafood hit us and "ORDER 109. 109. ORRRRRDER 109. YOUR ORDER IS UP" blasted our ears. Now that I've seen this place once, I probably wouldn't come back for any reason. But it is a GREAT trail (once it gets fixed up) for kids, walking your dog, for those who are less mobile, or if you're trying to escape the OOB-madness.

A whole lot of…read morehistory The Scarborough River Sanctuary is a 52 acre parcel of land that has a couple of easy miles of hiking trails. Nothing strenuous or difficult, this is more a quiet stroll than a hike. A few small hills but nothing extreme in the least. Most of the trails are soft grass and I even think someone comes by and mows it from time to time. Much of the sanctuary is rolling fields and flood plain and one eventually leads down to the river. Unfortunately because of all the recent rain we couldn't quite get that far. It was getting just too soggy and wet. The area has lots of cool history and was a popular spot for the native Americans who fished the river and hunted and lived in the woods. It later became farmland and even a golf course at one time before it was finally declared a wildlife sanctuary. Not a place for hard workout. Just a very quiet, peaceful and lovely place for a walk. A piece of land that people have walked, used and appreciated for a long, long time.

This was such a cool park to explore. Gorgeous trail along the water and we saw a pair of bald…read moreeagles! The pet cemetery was really sweet and such a fun surprise towards the end.

I can practically see Mackworth Island from my livingroom window, and it's a quick drive--and also…read moreone of my favorite walks in Portland. It's no secret, of course, and as other reviewers have noted there isn't much parking. For some reason I've always been lucky that way and have always found a spot (to be sure, sometimes the only open one). What I recommend--giving away secrets here!--is to aim for just before or after prime times like first thing in the morning or lunchtime. Once you're there, this wonderful little island right smack in a city makes you feel like you're miles away. The trail is less than a mile and a half but you can easily linger in the many path detours to lookout points, several of which have benches with the most marvelous views out into the Casco Bay that you can find anywhere. I have a favorite spot to take a breather with a book and a good coffee, but I'm not letting on exactly where that is : ) I also highly recommend the side paths to the pet cemetery (not Pet Sematary!) where the original owner of the island, Governor Baxter, buried his many Irish Setters and one very special horse. Check out the tombstones; it's quite moving. Also be on the lookout for the famous fairy houses (hint: there's one main area and you'll likely find random little setups hidden throughout). I don't want to ruin the sense of discovery on Mackworth--that's part of the fun!

Portland Trails is a nonprofit land trust that preserves green space for public access. They…read moreconnect people with places by creating and maintaining a 70-mile (and growing) network of trails in Greater Portland. They encourage the participation of actively using the trails along with land stewardship. And they are trying to make our great region a model for people-powdered recreation and transportation. And nearly every day I am thankful for their existence. I go running on Back Cove - a 3.6 loop that is constantly in excellent condition. And when there's a problem (trash, broken fences, erosion in the trail) it takes maybe only a week before that's fixed. I feel safe there - the trail is compact and clean of debris, so I don't have any fears I'm going to trip over something and hurt myself (even when it's raining); the path is mostly well lit, so (as a smaller female) I don't feel physically uncomfortable or nervous being alone. I love my run, because I get outstanding views of the Portland skyline; and, I get an intimate look at nature (last autumn there were literally hundreds upon hundreds of Canadian geese that ate and slept in the marsh near mile marker 2... they were there for days). Portland Trails is great about community education and involvement, too. I've worked with a teen-centric non-profit before, and Portland Trails is great about allowing them to come volunteer on a trail. They get information on why the trail is being built, what important ecosystems need to be kept in place, and what this is going to mean for the immediate community. Love that they have all that knowledge about each and every one of their trails. Which, by the way, there are currently 30+ of. So if you like being outside (running, hiking, walking, looking at nature, etc.), there are so many options in so many different parts of Greater Portland that you'll never not have something to explore or be inspired by!

Portland has set aside a bunch of walking "trails" around the city for both the enjoyment of…read moreresidents and visitors. I love this idea and commend Portland for setting it up. They have a website were you can check out all the trails (which are almost entirely sidewalks) and download maps and descriptions. I chose to check out the two most appealing: the Back Cove Loop and the Portland Harbor trail. The Back Cove boasts that it gives great views of Portland. Harbors aside Portland isn't an attractive city from a distance by any means and I wouldn't go on any trails that boast a "view" of Portland. The Cove water level was way down and it was very swamp like when I went. It was a great paved loop (with a good sized parking lot) to go on to get exercise, some fresh air or to relax but there was nothing really to see. The Portland Harbor trail is quite a long trail you'd have to devote the majority of the day to completing (and walking back if you don't plan a water taxi ride in advance) the Trail brings your through the main stretch of Portland, over the bridge and runs through the neighborhoods of South Portland. It ends in getting to see the Bug Light. Unfortunately I didn't complete the trail but would love to go back and finish it. It's a really nice walk and a great addition to Portland.

Definitely visit this if you are in Portland, especially on a sunny day. As much as the Lighthouse…read moreis iconic, the scenery around it is mind blowing. You can also take a walk along the cliff to enjoy the view from multiple directions. It is a good spot for picnic as well, and there are a couple of locations which are close to the water as well. Plenty of parking available, there are multiple parking lots along the property. Definitely recommend it.

While in Portland for lunch, we stopped in some small shops in the area and the lovely lady at the…read moreshop recommended that we check out the lighthouse. She said it was only about 15 minutes from the shop and we decided we would go check it out. The Portland Head Light is one of their most famous light houses according to the locals. It was very cold there but what a sight! We walked round the light house, checked out the cliff sides and walked on the trail. It was a gorgeous day (freezing but beautiful) with the perfect skies for photos of the light house. We were able to read the historic plaques, see the cliffs and the water crashing below us. After visiting the Head Light, we went over to the other portion in Fort WIlliams Park and checked out the old house, military storage areas and I even went down and touched the ice cold Atlantic ocean water that was crashing on the beach. If you are in the area I would highly suggest visiting the Portland Head Light. We were there in the late evening about an hour prior to closing so the coffee truck wasn't open but they do have a coffee & gelato stand right near the Light House. It was an amazing experience and much different than light houses I have seen on the West Coast.