These trails are only a short distance from Brunswick and are worth a visit. Parking is…read moreconveniently located off of Rte 24 and the trails are located on both sides of the road. We enjoyed the trails on the east side more. The hikes are relatively easy and provide decent views however the proximity to the road provides a constant noise from nearby cars. Overall a pleasant experience, though.

Holy Batman this was a fun, invigorating, sweat inducing trail! At only a little over 2 miles one…read morewould think it wouldn't be too much, but the amount of up and down rocks, rollercoaster hills , and scaling a few spots it becomes a great workout. The trail is on both sides of the Harpswell Island Road so you can do just one if you chose and no matter what side you will be rewarded with amazing views! On the parking lot side you will see views of Casco Bay and the other side of the road there are plenty of spots to view Harpswell Sound. Both equally gorgeous!

A gentle hike…read more Penny Lake Preserve was opened in the fall of 2005 and is roughly 55 acres. It contains a couple of miles of trails and nothing that is difficult or strenuous. A very nice hike for older folks, kids, or people that want to be outside but can't negotiate a more difficult terrain. The hike features wide and slightly hilly trails with nice views. The main trails goes through some open fields, woody areas with lots of mature pine trees and then down to the water. The entrance can be a bit difficult to locate but if you go right behind the Carousel Music Theatre you will find it. It can get a bit mucky at times and during the warmer weather the bugs and ticks can be pretty brutal but the trails are nice in the winter for snow shoeing and cross country skiing. A pleasant little area that is great for anyone that wants an interesting short hike that is accessible to a wide variety of different people

Quick little hike up a quiet path. Doesn't seem to be a popular spot to hike which makes it even…read morebetter- unpopular=quiet. I did this hike after meeting a new client just down the road. I parked on their off road parking area and started my ascent. The path is well maintained, peaceful, and well marked with cairns when there is areas that would otherwise be confusing to which way to go. While the top wasn't as scenic as many of the mountains I have accomplished over the years, it was a nice place to sit, relax, and reflect in the quiet.

If you're a day hiker, a quick hiker, a nature walker, a fresh air lover, a geocacher, or just like…read moreto move your body, check out Higgins Mountain Preserve. It's about a .5 mile loop around a parcel of land that was donated in 2000 to the Kennebec Estuary Land Trust. It's the highest point on Georgetown being 259 feet above sea level. We decided to check it out because of the promise we saw when researching that we'd see "stunning views of the coast" (like Monhegan Island, Seguin Island, and the Gulf of Maine). It's unmarked from the road, so if you're driving down Route 27, be careful not to drive past it (when your GPS tells you you're there, you're actually there... just look for the incredibly small dirt pull-off). The hike/walk itself was much more uphill than I was expecting, but was beautiful - from the dense forest at the bottom to the beautiful sprawling lichen at the top and the wild blueberry bushes - throughout. We're also suckers for "rock art" (as we call it); which are, as you probably know, just piles of delicately balanced rocks acting as trail markers. This hike/walk had them every few feet on the path to reassure us that we were where we were supposed to be. Loved this - and love that the people using Higgins are a) leaving everything as they found it and b) practicing carry in/carry out (the mountain was in pristine condition, not a single piece of litter anywhere - hurray for humanity on this one!). When we reached the top, we didn't see any ocean though and it was a clear summer day. We both assumed that "views of the coast" meant actual water views. Not the case - at least not in the height of summer. Maybe when the trees are less full you can see more, but our scenery was a thousand shades of green tree tops. Still beautiful, but not what we wanted. I would absolutely come back here maybe at the peak of, or just past, foliage season for the views and a quick jaunt in Mother Nature.

Genuinely hated this. 90% of the time. There was some cute little story posted along the easiest…read morepart of the trail. There was a place to build fairy houses. There was a good amount of signage. BUT My biggest issue was they split the difficulty into only 2 levels. Absolutely bullcrap. That was by far the most difficult trail I've ever done. There should've been at least 3-4 levels of difficulty. If I had know it was that intense, I never would've gone. While the amount of signage was good, it was too vague. I read that it's 2.2 miles, but based on the signage I believe it's about 2.5 miles. The wood plank bridges were unsettling as heck to cross. The tree roots are sticking out of the ground and they grew out weird directions so lots of places to trip. Lots of areas where I had to jump down and strategically plan my descent otherwise I would've broken an ankle for sure. This is NOT for beginners. Maybe not even intermediate I'd say. I'm not in the best shape, but I've always been able to do intermediate level trails. The scenery at the very top was absolutely not worth the hassle. Definitely have to be careful at the top because it's absolutely a hard drop off cliff with lots of pointy trees and rocks. I'm giving a 3 because even though I hated it, it's probably a good trail for advanced to expert hikers. I need you to tell me if it's going to be that intense BEFOREHAND

I am in love with this trail because they have a mobility accessible portion for those us with…read morelimited mobility to do disabilities or other health issues. I work with adults with disabilities, out in the community. So this is a very special spot to come for some fresh air and exercise! To make it even more special; every April they do a painted rock Easter Egg Hunt. You follow the trail, and find the eggs hidden in nature. Don't take them! Leave for others to see. Just take photos!

Peaceful series of trails with a couple of small waterfalls. Mostly flat and very well-maintained…read more You can do a couple of short walks to see both falls in about a 1.5 miles, or do larger loops and get in 4-6 miles. Didn't see any other people on the trails in pleasant April weather during school vacation week!

We visited Thorncrag Bird Sanctuary on a Saturday morning. It had snowed the week prior, and the…read morecouple days run up to our visit it had alternated between rain and snow, making conditions a combination of slushy/snowy and muddy. There were lots of other folks at the place, some jogging/exercising, others walking dogs, and we saw a number of people 'power walking' with sticks. Parking lot was about half full. We entered into the sanctuary and took the blue trail to the right. We ended up walking all of the trails during the course of our 2.5 hours in the sanctuary, visiting the Anthony Fireplace, Miller Fireplace, Gordon's Ledge, and multiple small semi-frozen ponds. We really enjoyed the elevation changes, the variety of trees, the plethora of mushrooms and fungi. If it had been a tad better weather we could have stayed longer. I would definitely recommend walking sticks if you want to walk/hike here in snow - they really helped us navigate some of the steeper more slippery parts of the trail. I would also guess this place is awesome all year round, and a place worth visiting as the seasons change. Lovely little spot for a walk and enough trail distance to spend an hour or more without backtracking.

If you've lived in L/A your whole life and have never traversed the 3.5 miles of trails, or have…read morepassed through the area and thought there was nothing of note to see, I would highly recommend taking a couple hours to explore this wonderful Sanctuary! This 370+ acre nature conservation/wildlife preserve boasts of having the highest point in Lewiston (as a matter of fact, on really clear days you can see Mt. Washington from the Ray Landry Memorial Bench), and also claims to have a tree roughly 250 years old near Anthony's Fireplace. Walk around the trails and you'll see Whale Rock (a giant rock that looks like a... you guessed it!... whale), handmade wooden bridges over small streams, old homesteads, and - if you're very quiet - an abundance of different birds and (of course) squirrels. In the summer, the Sanctuary is lush and green; in autumn, it's the perfect escape from the city to enjoy the sights, smells, and sounds of foliage. So there you have it! Thorncrag is one of the most wonderful places in Androscoggin County for nature walks, jogging, hiking, picnics (remember to take your trash out, please!), cross-country skiing, and snowshoeing. Please be respectful and courteous of others who use the space: don't start fires or camp here, don't bring your bike or vehicle of any kind, dogs, horses, or alcohol (all of this is against the rules of the Sanctuary anyway)!

A wonderful little out and back hike with a beautiful outlook over Winnegance Bay. This trail…read moreallows leashed dogs, hiking, and bikers. The length is 1.6 miles which includes the shore line piece that is off to your left at the waterfront. Some of the waterfront trail is tricky if it's icy or if you have littles so use caution.

Maine is full of secret nooks and crannies. Glorious, magnificent, breathtaking places untouched by…read moreman or time. It's getting increasingly difficult to find these places, but they exist and Pott's Point Preserve is proof of that. Driving to and around Harpswell in and of itself is stunning. But coming specifically here is otherworldly as far as nature scenes go. Park to the side of the road (carefully and at your discretion) at a seemingly dead-end near a bunch of lobster traps and a wharf. Walk up the private Pott's Point Road and walk for nearly a half mile through a picturesque, straight-out-of-a-movie-set seaside neighborhood. It may seem awkward to walk through (metaphorically) people's backyards, but eventually you'll reach "the end" of the road where there's a tiny, sandy path through thick greenery. Through it? The literal end of the land. A beautiful acre of rocks and rosa rugosa bushes and gravel beaches and tide pools full of marine life. You can loop around and explore (especially at low tide; you'll have to carefully navigate the rugged coastal landscape otherwise), and see a plethora of islands in the distance. It's unspoiled Maine beauty at it's finest.

"The way life should be" - Maine's famous saying and logo - this place depicts just that. We went…read moreexploring and found this wonderful place. You're lost in time filled with algae, rocks, shells and grassland. We love this beautiful and breathtaking place. Perfect for puppies, children and couples. There is nothing quite like it and it's a short hike to the most gorgeous point. This place is perfect for this time of year- autumn with the leaves changing. Please come visit and find yourself at peace.