"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 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.

You know those magical places in the world that catch you off guard? You weren't expecting it, or…read morelooking for it maybe, you just stumbled upon it and thought... "this place - however long I stay here, whether I'm just passing through or stop to sit and soak it in - will always sit in my heart." That's how I felt about the brook off Broadturn Farm Trail. Broadturn Farm is this big, beautiful organic farm that invites visitors for a self-guided tour of the farmstead and their fields. Just behind their outhouses, though, lies Silver Brook Trail from the Scarborough Land Trust. It's maybe just a mile loop through former woods (really it feels like you're walking a wide path cut through enormous brambles). There's nothing exciting about it, but it's charming mostly because: a) You could be walking through the geography of a dozen different fables... will you end up at Snow White's cottage, the Shire, Albion, FernGully, or back at Broadturn Farm? b) There's a sign for a "Very Old Pine Tree" (and if that doesn't make you smile, then you're dead inside). Veer off the path to visit her. What IS so special about the place is... once you go down the little hill behind the outhouses you can choose to go right to the path or left to the brook. Go left. You will find yourself at a bench overlooking what I'm positive actually does come straight out of a fairy tale: if you're going in the summer, think hundreds of shades of green, moss covered rocks with water tumbling down them, a babbling brook, streams of golden sun shining through the canopy of trees. It feels absolutely enchanted or otherwordly (and I imagine it's just as glorious in the autumn). It's like a shot of everything perfect about nature right into the soul. And that it's just hidden-in-plain-sight enough, makes it feel extaordinarily special.

Saco Trails has done a great job with this area and we discovered another new trail on this latest…read morehike. The terrain is varied and you should be prepared with good hiking shoes or boots. You will be hiking up and down short hills and the path will be rocky with roots and covered in leaves. Also, you will be walking around a marsh and along Stackpole Creek so there are many areas that are wet and you will want to keep your feet dry. The trails are extremely well marked, however, I would recommend taking a picture of the trails at the trail head to review as you hike. While we have been here a few times, we had never followed the Blue Heron trail to the end and were surprised when it just stopped at a bench overlooking the river. Well guess what... that is what it currently does! We back tracked and ended up crossing over the bridge to join the Red Maple trail and loop around the hill (you will come to a spot where you can look across the river to the bench at the end of the Blue Heron trail). This is a great spot for birders!!! Some trails are also open to mountain biking. Dogs are supposed to be on leash, no longer than 4ft, but that does not mean you will not come across someone with an off leash dog walking these trails. There is a decent sized parking area at the trail head which is located off Rt 112. The trail does skirt along private property so be aware of where you are. They are also building a development and there is currently a construction trailer near the trail head. You can make this hike a short hike or a long one. This last hike we ended with a 4.68 mile hike. I really like this spot and recommend bug spray in the Summer and expect to find ticks for sure.

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!

Our family visited Portland Head Light (in Fort William Park) to take photos around 6pm in July…read more2026. It's about a 10 minute drive from South Portland and well worth the trip! First, it is the oldest lighthouse in Maine (which was completed in 1791 and authorized by George Washington). Second, it's easily accessible - just a short walk from the parking lot. Third, you have the option to buy lobster rolls if it's lunch or dinner time or bring your own picnic to spread out on the spacious grounds. Parking is only $3 per hour. Since the WiFi connection for Verizon was weak, I paid for a printed paper ticket (minimum of $6 for 2 hours). Would strongly recommend coming here within 2 hours of sunset for the best lighting of photos. Also, be sure to spend some time walking along the coast for stunning views of the rocks below.

Locals said this is the most photographed and most painted lighthouse in the world! I think it's…read morealso the most beautiful! It's fairly easy to get to, and parking is easy as well. There are easy trails all around the lighthouse so you can walk to different directions and take photos from different angles. On a clear day it is beautiful beyond words. Though not that easy to get to, Portland is a beautiful town, worth a serious visit. This lighthouse just makes it so much more spectacular!!

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!

When we first got to Portland, we saw a trail entrance in front of the Maine Mall. We parked on…read morethe other side of the street and decided to check it out. It's a short trail. There's a small bridge and the trail loops around the rest of the shopping area. You can see several more businesses from across the trail. A sign on the trail shows which direction you could go so you won't get lost. Fun trail.

This is a very cool little trail. We visited the area, and before starting to drive all the way…read moreback to Montreal we wanted to starch out legs. This is a very short (I would say less the 1Km trail) that in a few steps take you from an urban area into nature. yes you she buildings here and there and hear cars but still this trail is full of surprises including a small wooden bridge across the stream. My 3 year old son loved it. Also it is located at the edge of a big shopping center so the parking is easy. If you are doing shopping and have 30 min, or need to brake a long ride this trail is just what the doctor ordered