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 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? Kind of. Well marked signs? Kind of. Element of surprise? Yes. Mt Cutler feels like a work in progress. What I read about it online didn't entirely match what we found in real life; and those changes felt recent. Like the town of Hiram realized what a popular place this has become and they're trying to improve it to make it more accessible. That being said, here's what I would do if I were you: from the parking lot on Hiram Hill Rd (please DO NOT park on the road, there's plenty of space in the lot and if there's not... then have a Plan B) enter the woods near the Information Kiosk. Take the blue blazes (North Trail) to white blazes (White Flag Trail) to the yellow blazes (Boulder Trail). This will bring you to the Front Ledges on Mt Cutler, an overlook of a glacial moraine. Parts of this are a steeper climb, but the view is spectacular and an amazing spot to have lunch at. I would then doubleback and go home. AVOID THE RED TRAIL. Apparently this was the original trail and parts of it are basically just rock climbing while other parts are completely eroded (even the information kiosk reminds hikers of this hazard). You can also skip diverging left to the white and yellow blazes, and just keep following the blue trail for a while. It's a pretty steep climb and the views are almost as satisfying as Front Ledge (though there's more tree coverage and less space to enjoy yourself)... so it's A LOT more work for substantially less reward. I'm glad I did this; sitting on the Front Ledges looking at the foliage was special, but I'm not sure this is a trail I would need to repeat.

Great views, good hiking trails and not crowded. A hidden gem. Easy access and plenty of parking…read more Plus you may see a deer.

I feel the need to preface all of my nature reviews with this: being 90% forested and having around…read more3,500 miles of coastline, Maine 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? NO*. Element of surprise? Yes. WOW (say it like Owen Wilson a dozen times, please). What an absolutely incredible trail! Burnt Meadow Trail/North Peak Trail, 1.25 miles and blue blaze, "leaves a parking area along ME Route 160 and ascend the shoulders and south facing ledges of the broad eastern spur of the North Peak weaving in and out of forests and ledges onto the summit after a short scramble up the uppermost ledges to the summit (elevation 1,575 ft)." Read: this has strenuous uphill hiking, rock scrambling, aggressive climbing, and absolutely breathtaking views. From here DO NOT DOUBLE BACK, instead carry on to... Twin Brook Trail, 2 miles and yellow blaze, "leaves from North Peak Trail, mostly following the main brook and ravine..." (the kiosk goes on and on to talk about the various peaks this travels through). Read: this barely has any blazes, so there's A LOT of guesswork about where you're going (which I was annoyed at in the moment because I didn't realize it was twice as long and sooooooooo very full of switchbacks, but retrospectively added to the charm of this overall experience). We had to cross streams, pass by a wall of giant boulders where a me-sized porcupine was eating, and goes windy, windy, windy through the forest until we were dumped back onto the Burnt Meadow Trail. DO NOT go up this trail and "down" North Peak because... that'd be just dangerous. The views here are some of the best in this part of Maine. Honestly, this might become an annual autumnal pilgrimage for me. Despite it being a complete workout, the summit is just such a rewarding treat. It should be noted that during the summer (at least the past two) there's an overwhelming amount of hornets right at the most difficult part of the climb, so you may want to come in spring or fall.

Very well maintained trails through a 400 acre preserve with lookouts to the Muddy River and Holt…read morePond. 4 mile loop on level ground makes for easy walking in a peaceful setting. Note that hunting is allowed so make sure to wear your blaze orange during hunting season!

Easy parking area with a bathroom and an information board made the trip easy. The trail was well…read moremaintained and the views of the pond were beautiful. We enjoyed the boardwalks that were throughout the trail.

This playground is located in North Conway, NH. It has a lovely backdrop of the mountains. There is…read morea gazebo, splash pad, and ample street parking. They also have a basketball court and a green space. It's located near popular spots like Zeb's General store and the Scenic Railway. The playscape was well maintained. There were plenty of space for the kids to run around. My family and I enjoyed this spot during our visit!

Great hiking area in Oxford County, ME. Visited this hiking spot during a recent camping trip at…read morePapoose Pond in Waterford, ME. Only a 15-20 minute drive from the campgrounds. Super quiet hiking spot early in the morning during the week but weekends may differ. About a 25 minute hike up, 20 down. Definitely recommend!!

This little beach was just what we needed on our recent family vacation in Maine. We stayed at a…read morehouse on Thomas Pond - which is kind of a funny name because the pond is a pretty decent sized lake by my standards. Unfortunately, Thomas Pond does not have a sandy beach area that is open to the public. We did swim off the dock at the house, but with little kids it was kind of difficult. So, our goal was to find a beach for the kids to swim in a lake. We tried the beach at Sebago Lake State Park. It was okay, but we had to pay a per person fee to get into the park. Total for two adults and two kids was $15. I understand that the money goes to upkeep, but the price was kind of steep for just an hour or two at the beach since that is all the kids can handle. So, we asked the neighbors if they knew of any free beaches. It was very nice of them to steer us to Salmon Point Campground in Bridgton. The drive was a bit far, but it was definitely worth it. The beach is small with three picnic tables and a little play area. There are restrooms nearby. There is also a roped off area in the water so you do not have to worry about boats. The beach is protected by a little point so you barely even have any boat wakes. We had a great time playing in the water, which seemed pretty clean. There is even a small faucet on the beach so you can wash your feet after you get out of the water. Tip: Bring some water shoes if you have tender feet since there are some rocks on the beach and in the water. HIghly recommended for a family day at the beach.

Awesome Hike!! We've done in the spring and winter. In the spring there are rocks and roots and…read moresome high stepping as you move up the trail. There are a few brook crossings and a bridge or two. The trail is steep, so do not be fooled. It's right up hill, as us new englanders never thought switchbacks were a good ideas. Bring a good amount of water, and some summit snacks for a perfect day of hiking. In the winter time it's a different story. You should really be as prepared as you can be, hiking in the notch always, but especially in the winter. The snow creates hardened trail, that sits above the roots and rocks, so there is much less high stepping through out the hike. Still super slick, and steep, so I would suggest micro spikes or crampons. Carry the ten essentials, always, no matter how small or short or easy you think your hike will be. Doesn't hurt to also carry and buy yearly, a hike safe card, that supports search and rescue and could save you a big fee in the event of needing rescue. Plus it's only $25 dollars for the whole year. Do it! It's worth it. No matter what season you do your hike in, the last several yards, coming out of the woods and seeing the vista of the notch in front of you... it's just so beautiful. This is a great trail, any time !

Not for the faint of heart. Worth the view during fall foliage. Two mile hike from trailhead each…read moreway. Skip Flume Gorge and do this instead.

This hike is so epic. One of my all time favorites. I was intrigued by this adventure, with the…read morepromise of perpetual ice in summer. This is a difficult excision, and the trail may be wet, and even in rock climbing shoes is slippery. There were also orange slugs everywhere, which with foot hold slipping got squished by hands. The first several miles are flat, and then you start bouldering into and then up the Ravine. We did find some show in June, and the caves were cold and refreshing. The climb up to the top of the ravine is challenging, but you are rewarded with epic photo ops and views. The only unpleasantness was the mosquitos and black flies. Kids always bring your bug repellent. You can also extend the hike to hit the peak of Mount Adams. It is prone to storms and lightening. You can seek shelter in the hut near the peak if trapped in a storm. You do not have to go back down the ravine, you can return vis the Mount Adams trail, it is a loop.