This is a great little trail to take your kiddos on. There's a playground, a story walk (that…read morechanges monthly), beautiful water views and an easy to follow trail around the pond. If you take a little detour off the story walk, you'll even find a cool teepee shaped bunch of sticks leaning against a tree. Children love to explore this area. It's not so far off the path that you'd ever get lost. In between the first few pages of the story walk, when you have an opportunity to go straight, do so. I promise it's only a few feet down the path. Can't miss it!

I wasn't expecting so much from this little park right off Route 302 (it's located on a dirt road…read morejust after the Westbrook Pool & Spa; there's a large granite sign at the mouth of the road, and you've probably passed it a million times - I know I have - but once you see it, you'll know exactly where this gem is forever)! Donnabeth Lippman Park - formerly known as Chaffin Pond Preserve - is 123 acre mostly wooded area that surrounds a 10 acre pond that's apparently great for fishing. I came here for a walk in the woods and was delighted to find that there was more than meets the eye: there's a family-friendly (you could easily take a stroller here - it's packed earth and not very root-y), totally accessible to all abilities, story book trail with a giant "Once Upon A Time" sign inviting you into the woods (how magical and fantastical is that?). Once you're finished, you can walk back to the parking lot from here via the yellow trail or you can take that same trail and follow it up alongside the pond, through the woods, then back down around the opposite side of the water (side note: I love loop trails - who wants to double back and see the same things?). A red trail deviates off to Mud Pond, and a green trail just adds an extended path through the forest before reconnecting to yellow. All of it is perfectly marked! It's a wonderful walking trail and if I lived nearby I could see this also being a solid spot for a good run! Admittedly, after heavy rain or during spring you should expect it to be quite muddy. No hunting allowed here, so it's a good spot for year round enjoyment (for those of you who are looking for a new snowshoeing spot!); there's an abundance of picnic tables overlooking the pond, a swing set, a big playground area, and plenty of green space to stretch out on. Again - what an unexpectedly great spot hidden in plain sight!

To me, a perfect trail is one that: not a lot of people know about, is hidden in plain sight, has…read moresome challenging parts (it's good to feel the heart pumping! ... but my legs don't need to quiver in fatigue with every step; does that make sense?), and offers an impressive reward by way of view at the top. Jockey Cap Trail is all of that. A former ski hill in the 30's (it boasts of having had the first rope tow in Maine), Jockey Cap is now a trail system (unfortunately, many of the off-branches of the two main routes up lead to dead-ends). Tucked right behind a country store off Route 302 in Fryeburg, you'll find a dirt trail that first leads into the woods to Molly Locket's cave. Here's your Robert Frost moment: from here, the trail splits to the left and right. The former offers a gradual climb, the latter is much more steep. Regardless of which you choose, both are only about a quarter mile long. At the top are breathtaking views of forest, lakes, valleys, and mountain ranges. There's also a bronze silhouette allowing climbers to line up which mountain is which. It's a short climb, but if you're in the area, it's worth it - especially in spring and autumn when the colors are on opposite ends of the spectrum of impressive and the tourists are at a minimum. I would say it's kid-friendly if your kids are active and love the outdoors; as a side note, while brief in length, I would still say this leads more towards "hike" then "nature walk".

Fun short hike with nice views at the top. Not enough parking. Trail not well marked but you can…read morefigure it out. Use all trails.

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.

We attempted to summit Pleasant Mountain today via the Ledges Trail. We started between 10 & 11. at…read morethe beginning we noticed some yellow jackets flying low but didn't think much of it. A little over a half mile in, we noticed a significant up tick in the volume of yellow jackets. I have never seen so many before. At 0.8 miles in I was stung. We got up to the overlook and I really wanted our dog to rest...but he couldn't because the yellow jackets were so bad. We ended up turning around and WILL NEVER GO AGAIN.

A little steep sometimes strenuous, but there are more challenging and more easier trails. I would…read moregive it a four star because there's lots of rocks, and I have slipped on them before... at the very top of one of the trails is beautiful you get a little view over moose Pond, and you can see the Pleasant mountain side of the pond

Great trail that I walked briefly with my dog. We happened to be in the area passing through and…read morethere are no designated dog parks in the area like there are in Massachusetts, and really no neighborhoods to walk around in, so sometimes as a dog it can be hard to find some scents!! Decided to stop here and it was a beautiful day but very hot in the morning sun which is why we made it a quicker walk than usual. I also had sandals on and didn't feel like being on the trail very long in them as they weren't the most comfortable. Make sure to come prepared and check weather before going. Anyway, I was pleasantly surprised with this local trail. It is beautiful and lots of wild life. Definitely check yourself and dog or family members for ticks after hitting the trail as there's lots of tall grass which is the perfect place for ticks to be. I love the pollinator area, tons of butterflies and insects. The wooden sculptures are pretty cool too. Next time I am in the area I would like to do the full trail!

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!!

The elevation gain is less than 600 feet, but if feels like a nice, steady workout. I'm not in…read morethe greatest shape and I thought it was pretty easy and quick. I was to the top in about 35-40 min. The trail is actually pleasant even without the views. At the top, the reward is huge, really nice views in an alpine area. Plenty of space to spread out up top, so you can space out. Lots of kids and dogs, but people that day were all respectful and pleasant. There is still cell phone coverage at the top (I use AT&T.)

Black Cap Trail is a relatively easy hike with a huge reward at the end. The views from the top…read moreare just spectacular. Take Hurricane Mountain Road off of Route 16 near the Intervale Scenic Vista. The Parking lot will be on the right near the summit of the road. Warning - this road is steep and winding! The trail is well marked and is approximately one mile in each direction. It is a slow, gradual climb with a lot of tree roots in the beginning that eventually give way to scattered rocks and then to all rock on the summit. If you are not an experienced hiker or do not have the proper gear (I fall into both of these categories) I would not attempt this when the ground is wet as it can be slippery on a good day. It's a good hike Spring through Fall, but hiking it in the Fall is by far my favorite. The view of the changing colors from the top is amazing.

I'm sure this is a different experience if you're coming through via a boat; or even seeing a boat…read morecome through (as a side note: this place reminded me of spots in Scotland for some reason). Anyway, my first visit was during a quiet midweek day when this was mostly a fishing hole. The Songo Lock - a hand turned swing bridge - is the last surviving lock that used to connect Long Lake to the Atlantic Ocean (via the Cumberland and Oxford Canal). According to the placard on site: "This lock, originally built of stone masonry in 1830, was a vital link in the 50 mile long waterway from Portland Harbor to Harrison at the head of Long Lake until the advent of the railroad in 1869. At one time 100 'canal boats' were engaged in freighting lumber out of and supplies in through the waterway. These boats were 65' long and were towed by horses and oxen through the canal, sailed across the lakes and poled up the Songo River. A total of 27 similar locks were constructed in the canal to compensate for the 260 foot difference in elevation between Sebago Lake and sea level. Traces of the old canal, abandoned since 1872, can still be seen at various places between Sebago Lake and Portland. This lock remains as service to pleasure boats and a reminder of a bygone era."

This old school bridge is human operated and costs $15. It can be a bit of a wait if theirs traffic…read moreor other boats in-front of you. You go into the lock and the water either rises or lowers depending on what way you are going. I honestly never saw anything like this before. Even if you are not on a boat it is still something different and unique to see.