One of the many wonderful things about Portland is how much of the lovely outdoors we have right in the city! If you want to go for a walk in the woods but don't have time to trek to points north or west, Baxter Woods is a wonderful little escape. The woods are located in the Deering neighborhood, between Forest and Stevens Avenues. The main trail is less than a mile walk around, but you're surrounded by trees--right now, at peak leaf season, gloriously ablaze in red and orange and yellow--and it'll feel like you're miles away. Practicalities: the main entrance is on Stevens, and there's plenty of street parking; it can get busy on weekends, but I've never had trouble nabbing a spot. (That's a bit trickier on the Forest Ave. side.) I've also parked on Hartley (the residential street on the south side of the woods), and there's an entrance to the trail around the middle of that block. The trail is flat but be on the lookout for roots and rocks; there are also plenty of benches and tables and logs and other places to sit and rest or just chill out and get your forest bathing on. And since you're in the neighborhood already, I highly recommend stopping by Norimoto Bakery or Rwanda Bean coffee on the way there or back! read more

Baxter Woods - fall color - Parks Near Me - Portland, Maine

I feel similar to Baxter Woods Park as I do Thorncrag in Lewiston (see here: https://www.yelp.com/biz/thorncrag-bird-sanctuary-lewiston). What an absolutely lovely spot right in the middle of the city! It's like an unexpected, secluded oasis ("a pleasant or peaceful area") of nature. I've lived nearby for years and I only recently discovered it! I can walk from my house, across Forest Ave (definitely the scariest part), through Baxter Woods, across Stevens Ave (much less scary), and then into Evergreen Cemetery! I don't know why it took me sooooooooo long to come here; I think it's because it presents as a little sketchy. There's graffiti on the trashcan/information board and a lot of loiterers smoking at the entrance of the park/trailhead. But once you get past that, it's charming really! Baxter Woods is a 30ish acre nature preserve with loads of big, beautiful pine trees that offer shaded mostly easily accessible/walkable well maintained trails, a little pond, some streams, a meadow with wildflowers, an area that looks like it could be an outdoor stage/presentation area (there's a line-up of log benches), and lots of bird watching/bird listening opportunities! This is not a destination for tourists; this is really cool spot for locals to stretch their legs, let their dogs and kiddos play, and immerse themselves in nature. I'm excited to walk through here again to see what it looks like in autumn AND winter! Stay tuned! read more

Baxter Woods - Parks Near Me - Portland, Maine

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Baxter woods is the best park near me. It's off leash (although I think this has been changed for the seasons because of some incidents and people who complain about dogs) but mine is a small little grampie who just slowly trots and sniffs everything. It feels like a little secluded area in the middle of the busy outskirts of a city and is just a sanctuary for adults, children, and the city dogs. I've never had a bad incident with dogs here -- they've always been playful. It's actually the uncontrolled little kids riding their bicycles like rogue short people that run into me and chase my dog that sour our walking experience. There are several entrances but I primarily use the one off Stevens where theres a tiny little parking lot at the end of a short neighborhood pullout. People are for the most part pretty good about cleaning up after their dogs. Sometimes they miss though. read more

Baxter Woods - Wisdom on rocks at Baxter Woods - Parks Near Me - Portland, Maine

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What a lovely area that was tucked away and within walking distance from my Airbnb. It definitely became part of my morning or evening walks and you can admire all the leaves and views from different areas. read more

Baxter Woods - Parks Near Me - Portland, Maine

Great spot on the edge of a cool part of town. Met some nice people with some nice dogs including the greyhound owning park historian guy. It was great because I was like the only without a dog and he had two and they warmed up to me like right away. Got a lot of info. He was interesting. Also met a mother and son and energetic Great Pyrenees/ lab mix who was so much fun to play with. Those people were even nicer than the greyhound guy. But they didn't have as much park Info so I took the tour instead. But yeah, everybody was chill for the most part. It's not like I was hosting a meet and greet for crying out loud lol. There was another guy I spoke to about the history of the oldest tree in all Of Portland being in this park and I took a look. It's could be the oldest. Park hasn't been messed with since 1835 btw lol. then I walked down the street to the quality shop for some drinks and a sandwich. And there were a ton of good Looking local people there. Very cool spot read more

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My family and I love Baxter woods. A fun and relaxing nature escape that is local. Perfect for long family walks with your dogs! Our dog, Gunner, loves to play and explore in Baxter Woods. Fall is a really beautiful time to visit! read more

Baxter Woods - Parks Near Me - Portland, Maine

Oak ash and pine Baxter Woods, or more formally known as the Major Baxter Woods, is a 32 acre woody area that remains the largest undisturbed track of land in Portland. It was donated by Percival Baxter and is a lovely place to walk, bike, cross country ski, snow shoe or walk a dog. Lots of people use these woods and you will probably meet some friendly people along the paths no matter what time of the year you visit. The main trail is very wide and easy and smaller, more rugged side trails run off from each side. Lots of signs, it's pretty hard to get lost in here and all the trails either loop back to the main trail or just circle around themselves. Lots of beautiful old trees in these woods, mature oaks, ash and pine give the area a lovely smell and the sound of a whole multitude of birds can be heard in the spring. Not the place for a strenuous hike, most of the trails are pretty flat and the woods aren't that large for a real workout. It is a nice place to find some nature, peace and beauty. read more

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Great neighborhood spot for walking, running, biking and exploring. Nice to have some greenery so close to downtown. There are trails throughout the woods. Field of trees on Stevens Ave is beautiful. Bring your dog! read more

Baxter Woods - Parks Near Me - Portland, Maine

We love Baxter Woods. Nestled very close to Deering High School, you totally would not realize that this bonafide nature oasis existed unless you went looking for it. You only have to take a few steps onto the property to feel totally secluded. There are several paths (including ones not marked on the map) throughout the 30 acres, but it's not enough that you could legitimately get lost. I think of it as having several different zones in my head--one area with towering pines with the path covered in soft needles, another with a meadow full of wild flowers, and many spots with mixed forest growth. The trails are exceptionally well maintained. This is an experience for walking in the woods, not hiking (though the trails are bumpy and irregular enough that most would not be great for people with mobility challenges). We have gone at all times of day and usually see 1-10 people but never more. Aside from all that goodness, though, the thing that makes Baxter Woods the best is the ability to have your (well-behaved) dog off leash. It's an awesome place to take your dog because 90% of the area is shaded, which is like a godsend in the summer. We've encountered many other dogs on the trail and never once had a mean dog/owner experience. It is imperative to be a good owner and pick up dog poop, but they make it as easy as possible with free bags and trash cans at the major entrance points. In addition to my five stars, our dog gives Baxter Woods four paws up! read more

Baxter woods is a nice little area to walk in. You wouldn't expect this nice wooded area in the middle of forest avenue. It has a few different walking paths and a little field to let dogs run. There are a few cement benches along the path for people that want to relax as they walk. The main entrances are on Stevens Ave and Forest Ave. It won't take very long to walk through the whole park, about 15 minutes. read more

Baxter woods is a fairly unique forested park boxed between residential streets. You have to park on one of the nearby streets to enter. However, you quickly forget how close to houses you are in the dense vegetation. The loop around only takes a few minutes, but it's perfect for a quick stroll or dog walk. There are also a ton of squirrels which is great or terrifying depending on how you look at squirrels. read more

Baxter Woods - Parks Near Me - Portland, Maine

Baxter Woods is an amazing little spot situated between Forest Ave and Stevens Ave that does a good job of keeping itself a secret. Located across from the Fish Market on Forest Ave, it looks like a nice little park and some woods. From the Stevens Ave side, it looks like a trail in to some woods. Much like a Tardis, this park is bigger on the inside. The trails wind and twist and turn and you discover that this little slice of nature is just want you need in this little busy town. There are additional access points from other side streets and neighborhoods as well. Once in the trails, you will find mostly clear trails with the normal leaves and some roots and sticks covering them. You can take the side trails and make for a longer walk and you can do more than once circle. Note: this is an off leash area for people to bring dogs so be aware of that if you are nervous around dogs. A furry pal might want to make your acquaintance but I have never encountered any issues. There is a small field where many people will let the dogs run with other dogs, other than that, you will just encounter a couple of people with dogs as you walk. This is a great place to take a walk on a rainy day due to the canopy provided by the trees! read more

This place is a hidden gem! I've lived in the Portland area my whole life & just discovered this park when Googling off leash dog parks in Portland. It *is* an off leash park (at least as of the date of this review). The trails are groomed nicely in the warmer months. This past winter I found that 90% of the paths were sheer ice, so crampons were required. The park is NOT fenced and some areas get very close to busy Portland streets, so full voice control of your pup is necessary!! read more