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!

Free parking and a nice short trail to a cascade. It was dry when we went so the cascade was a…read moreletdown tbh but still a fun time

I have noticed this trailhead many times on our trips to Old Orchard, but never had time to stop in…read moreand check it out. Today, we did! I'm so glad! The trail is beautiful, and easy for anyone (except a wheelchair, sorry) I have a bad knee with limited mobility, and this was doable for me! I'm so glad we made it out there today. The waterfall was at full force, and was so gorgeous. The little landing area at the bottom was full of downed trees, but the kids were having so much fun climbing and navigating. There were people flitting about in every which way, miniaturized by the big waterfall. The bridge was washed out, looking to be repaired, so I think one access from the loop was cut off. But people were navigating over the downed trees and on rocks. Nobody seemed to care. It was a blast! HIGHLY recommend this trail.

I wasn't really sure what to expect with Cousins River Trail, but it was one of our favorite nature…read morepaths we've explored recently. It's easy to access: tucked directly behind the YMCA off Old South Freeport Rd, there's plenty of parking. And the trail itself is EXTREMELY well marked (as you'll see in my photos). We were so impressed with how many signs there were and how well maintained the paths were -- nothing confusing here! When we came we were treated to lots of fiddleheads and birds and squirrels; and nobody else despite it being a beautiful spring afternoon. There's something kind of magical about walking through the woods without another soul in sight -- seven billion of us on the planet, and for a brief moment you have a piece of nature all to yourself? Maine, am I right? Also, the trees here felt MUCH BIGGER than I've experienced elsewhere nearby. I don't know if it's because much of the trail sits low in what feels like a bit of a valley, but it was just SUCH a lovely walk (a bit hilly in areas so heads-up there). We went all the way down to the marshy shoreline of Cousins River (where wa watched someone in the distance digging for clams) and were just really pleased with this new-to-us discovery!

I saw some reviews of this and decided to check it out . Great parking and really nice trails. I…read moredid get a little confused and took the trail to the left which was really short and lead to a street . Once we got going we wandered to the river and it was great . This time of year remember your bug spray, they were a little too happy to greet us when we got too close to the river. I would definitely go back. Maybe a little challenging for really little kids and definitely not a stroller trail. A real escape from everything.

Explored Skolfield Shores Preserve in January and it was absolutely breathtaking. I drove up from…read morethe Mississippi Gulf Coast (about 24 hours) just adventuring - as soon as I laid eyes on the end of the trail I was walking, I thought, "Now this... is what I came all this way for!" (even though this stop was a random passing selection off the map of my route). If my phone was not shutting down due to the below freezing temperatures, and if I'd been able to feel my toes, nose, and fingers longer, I could have wandered the area all day. So happy to see such a well-kept, beautiful piece of nature.

Located right over the border of Harpswell this trail system boosts not only gradual loop trails…read morethat are about two miles worth, but also a view of pure beauty down the Shore Trail. The short trail to the shore has a large field area before it for people that want to picnic, sunbathe, or maybe even play a game of soccer. Beyond the field is the path to the shore with wide stairs and a path next to it for easy access. With a view of an old boat house and islands in the distance this view can take your breath away. Put it over the top with a quick hike down here at sunset and you are golden!

This was such a lovely hike while on a quick visit to Bath, en route to Bar Harbor. Foliage…read morebeautiful and so many picturesque spots with the water. It was hunting season, so we had to make a pit stop to get our orange protective gear, but the trail was very well marked and was a great day. We didn't have the time to go the entire length but picked a turnaround spot about 3.5 miles in.

This is a lovely loop trail. We visited in the fall so there was no waterfall but even without it…read moreis a nice hike. The big rocks are definitely worth seeing. Our hike took about an hour. The trail is well-marked with painted blue dots on the trees. The hardest part is finding the trail. These directions are copied from the Phippsburg land trust website: Follow Route 209 into Phippsburg, if coming from out of town. At the Stony Brook Road, turn right (the Stony Brook Road is about 3.5 miles from the causeway at the Phippsburg/Bath town line). Devil's Highway is a left hand turn about .6 miles from the start of the Stony Brook Road. It is not always well signed (kids tend to run off with the road sign), but it is a dirt road with a fairly wide opening onto the Stony Brook Road with mailboxes. The left turn comes just as the Stony Brook Road is making a noticable turn.. If you've come to the Fuller Mountain Road, a similar left hand turn, you've gone too far. The parking area is on the left as you travel Devil's Highway; I believe it is about .4 miles onto Devil's Highway. It is just past the third house on the right, I believe. You can't see it on the Google Earth map, because it is a small wooded parking area (perhaps 4 cars can park there). If you come to the the area where there is a side road off to the left with houses, you've gone too far. There is a small PLT sign in the parking area.

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? Yes. Well marked signs? Yes. Element of surprise? Yes. This is one of my favorite little hikes in Maine. I fell in love with it immediately (even if I can't remember the name and keep calling it the Bijou Flower Forest). It has my favorite four things: parking, a loop trail, extremely well marked signs, and constant elements of surprise that even if you know about because you read about them online are *STILL* amazing when you see them in real life. The trails are extremely well maintained and easy to navigate. You first come into a meadow; and then, there's another meadow to your right, but to the left is the forest itself. The ever present sign of what is located where allows you to lose yourself in the beauty of this natural space because you know you can't lose your way. Waterfall this way. Hundred foot rock this way. Laurel this way. And what a lovely waterfall it is. You can hear it rushing before you approach it. There's a little bench placed literally directly in front of it so you can just sit and be. The brook it creates winds along much of the rest of the trail you'll take so expect to crisscross it a few times via bridge or plank or even a big ol' hop. (NOTE: I can't speak to what this place looks like in a summer drought, but I came in autumn after some rain and it was a spectacular sight, and loud too! I bet it's just as stunning in spring.) The hundred foot rock is unexpected even though there are signs for it. Because, you look up and suddenly it isn't just trees around you but a literal massive boulder. Regarding the laurel, alas I didn't see it when I came because it's in bloom in June and July, I think. Apparently it's one of the northernmost stands of mountain laurels in New England, so you know I'll be back next summer. While I didn't see any flowers, I did see an abundance of rock tripe, which honestly looked like giant scales of some mythical creature (it's really just lichen). Magical? This place is absolutely that.

I found this trail today on Google Maps when looking for a place to run near my hotel. The…read moretrailhead itself is located down Tyler drive and has its own parking lot with more than ample parking. It is a blue blazed trail with offshoots of at least yellow and orange which seem to link back up to the main trail. It is an easy to follow trail although there are a lot of roots which makes you pay attention and if you are moving at a decent clip, not see as much of the scenery as you would like. In the short distance that I used it for it had a lot of features like bridges across creeks, boards across wet spots and even a little set of switchbacks to get you heart going in a short but steep little climb. During my run I saw lots of tire tracks from mountain bikes and a couple of mountain bikers as well as a lady walking her unleashed dog. The bottom line for me is that I would head back here again in the future. I really enjoyed my easy paced run here and only wish that my schedule had more mileage for me on the day.

It was perfect for a short family walk. My niece and nephew…read moreloved the story book when we went and couldn't wait to get to the next station. They ran and were tired - the good news it's not a long trail and we were back to the cars before they could ask for us to carry them LOL The trail is pretty clear and flat, with that said you should still watch your step. A couple of family members tripped. In the spring and fall, the paths can get kind of soggy. Make sure you use the appropriate footwear. I highly recommend the use of orange blaze colors, you just never know who is out there. Parking is typically plentiful, unless there's a baseball game happening or Saturday's farmers market.

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? Yes. Well marked signs? Yes. The entrance to the Cumberland Town Forest can be found on the left hand side of the Town Hall on Tuttle Rd. It's a wide, mostly flat trail (some exposed roots, but not that many) - perfect for walking your dog, if you've got small children, or if you're pushing a stroller - through a nearly 100 acre forest. According to the information kiosk at the trailhead, it was donated to the town of Cumberland by Elizabeth Drowne in 1891; most of the present tree cover is the result of planting in the 1920's/30's by Ernest A Rand (a dedicated conservationist and for whom the trail is named after). The trail is about two miles, and there's currently a shorter path featuring a Story Brook Forest area (laminated pages from a children's book attached to displays). I appreciated the plethora of signage near various flora. I liked being able to identify/learn that Red Maples and Canada Mayflowers were okay to be there, but Vinca and Lily of The Valley's are apparently invasive species, for example. Unfortunately, despite searching for it, I didn't see any Butterfly Garden or Vernal Pool. Maybe my expectations were too big or maybe it was just overgrown because I came during the height of summer; also, again maybe because I came in August, there were no little streams where there should have been either. Everything was completely dried up. This is a local's spot. A place where people who live very nearby come to walk in the woods. Honestly, it's not a place you need to necessarily seek out, but I appreciated the fresh air!