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.

Definitely visit this if you are in Portland, especially on a sunny day. As much as the Lighthouse…read moreis iconic, the scenery around it is mind blowing. You can also take a walk along the cliff to enjoy the view from multiple directions. It is a good spot for picnic as well, and there are a couple of locations which are close to the water as well. Plenty of parking available, there are multiple parking lots along the property. Definitely recommend it.

Amazing experience to see the most photographed lighthouse in the United States! This iconic…read morelighthouse on the Eastern seaboard is still functional and was commissioned by George Washington. Wow! I was able to get some great videos of the entire property as well. Not too busy but beware it's a popular place so as the summer season moves forward plan to be inundated with tourists of all kinds.

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!

Cost $14 for two people out of state. Beautiful views and nice benches to sit on. We went in…read moreSeptember and it was not too crowded. More peaceful and quaint than the lighthouse parks. You can NOT see the lighthouses from here!!!

What's not to love about this place; Fort Williams Park is worth the short trip just outside…read morePortland, ME. in Cape Elizabeth. It's a beautiful scenic 90 acre space over looking the Atlantic Ocean. The iconic Portland headlight and historic Fort ruins (former US Army post) are especially notable. The park offers many trails, plant species and wildlife! If you go on the Cliff Walk you get panoramic views of the entire Casco Bay. There are also places to picnic and play various sports. It'd be a great place to spend a summer day!

I love this park! One of the more photogenic lighthouses I've seen. Park was clean and beautiful…read more Parking is cheap. Was around $7 for two hrs. It is 2hr parking minimum at the parking spot closest to the lighthouse, keep that in mind. I went here before June, so the museum and museum shop wasn't open. Drive slow as you venture through the park as there aren't a lot of sidewalks so people are walking kinda everywhere. Few food trucks planted around the park, I went to one that had Blueberry Pie ice cream, wow what a treat! Great park!

"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.

Peaks Island is a fun place for a day trip or hike while visiting Portland. The island features…read morepublic restrooms and plenty of hiking trails at Trott-Little John Park. If you take the main trail loop, you'll pass by the abandoned Battery Steele fort, which has been decorated with street art. Super cool! On top of a bit of history, you'll also get great views of the ocean, cute local homes, and a fun ferry ride along the way! The ferry requires a ticket for your dog or bike in addition to your own ticket. There are no food sales on the ferry, but there is a vending machine on one of the lower decks. You can even ferry your car over. Once boarded, you are free to roam throughout the ferry.

Two Peaks Notice So,…read moreevidently there's a whole archipelago here in Casco Bay off of Portland Harbor. About six of them, from what I've gathered, and they all have different unique things on them from actually living there to beaches and golfing to hiking trails. Peaks Island is the largest--and most populus--of which, and features a beach, museums, shopping, hiking and even a small lighthouse. Unfortunately, we didn't plan our travel here very well as we basically just got here, did a short hike, and then bounced. Next time I wouldn't mind getting an Airbnb on the island and having a few days to reconnoiter it and the surrounding islands more. Next time, Gadget! Next tiiiiimmmeeeee...!

Portland Trails is a nonprofit land trust that preserves green space for public access. They…read moreconnect people with places by creating and maintaining a 70-mile (and growing) network of trails in Greater Portland. They encourage the participation of actively using the trails along with land stewardship. And they are trying to make our great region a model for people-powdered recreation and transportation. And nearly every day I am thankful for their existence. I go running on Back Cove - a 3.6 loop that is constantly in excellent condition. And when there's a problem (trash, broken fences, erosion in the trail) it takes maybe only a week before that's fixed. I feel safe there - the trail is compact and clean of debris, so I don't have any fears I'm going to trip over something and hurt myself (even when it's raining); the path is mostly well lit, so (as a smaller female) I don't feel physically uncomfortable or nervous being alone. I love my run, because I get outstanding views of the Portland skyline; and, I get an intimate look at nature (last autumn there were literally hundreds upon hundreds of Canadian geese that ate and slept in the marsh near mile marker 2... they were there for days). Portland Trails is great about community education and involvement, too. I've worked with a teen-centric non-profit before, and Portland Trails is great about allowing them to come volunteer on a trail. They get information on why the trail is being built, what important ecosystems need to be kept in place, and what this is going to mean for the immediate community. Love that they have all that knowledge about each and every one of their trails. Which, by the way, there are currently 30+ of. So if you like being outside (running, hiking, walking, looking at nature, etc.), there are so many options in so many different parts of Greater Portland that you'll never not have something to explore or be inspired by!

Portland has set aside a bunch of walking "trails" around the city for both the enjoyment of…read moreresidents and visitors. I love this idea and commend Portland for setting it up. They have a website were you can check out all the trails (which are almost entirely sidewalks) and download maps and descriptions. I chose to check out the two most appealing: the Back Cove Loop and the Portland Harbor trail. The Back Cove boasts that it gives great views of Portland. Harbors aside Portland isn't an attractive city from a distance by any means and I wouldn't go on any trails that boast a "view" of Portland. The Cove water level was way down and it was very swamp like when I went. It was a great paved loop (with a good sized parking lot) to go on to get exercise, some fresh air or to relax but there was nothing really to see. The Portland Harbor trail is quite a long trail you'd have to devote the majority of the day to completing (and walking back if you don't plan a water taxi ride in advance) the Trail brings your through the main stretch of Portland, over the bridge and runs through the neighborhoods of South Portland. It ends in getting to see the Bug Light. Unfortunately I didn't complete the trail but would love to go back and finish it. It's a really nice walk and a great addition to Portland.

Well this is indeed different. It's lovely and the fact that on a hot day it is completely shaded…read morewith 50 to 100 foot tall trees covering every step of the way. I definitely recommend wearing appropriate shoes and clothing especially until you know what kind of plants and wildlife are out here. There are two trails one says it's handicap accessible the other which I took is definitely not and it is not for anyone with any kind of difficulty walking. Cool little creeks let the dogs playing not too deep this time of year maybe 6 inches to a foot in most places. Definitely a good off leash area not too many people here in fact you could go an entire walk without seeing anyone so I'm good for quiet time to think or chat on the phone well you hang out with your favorite canine companion. Maybe was to wear bug spray won't know till tomorrow if I'm covered in mosquito bites but no sound of flies just little tickles here in there.. I was a little worried about getting lost at first but to the road that you can hear the sound of cars although not so close that you have to worry about your dog running into traffic. What I like the most about it is that it's actually a good hike and good exercise and it's different than the other dog parks and it's more a hiking trail that you can bring your dog and allow it off leash then it is an actual dog park. Also make sure you bring your own bags and water if needed. And most of all have fun

This trail is part of the South Portland Land Trust's West End project. The trail head itself is…read morelocated to the right side of the Home Depot parking lot by the stone wall. You will see the kiosk. Part of the trail is paved and you will be able to go around the Home Depot building. There is a short dirt trail that is marked as handicap accessible and only goes a short distance in to the woods and there are benches to sit and look out over the water on either side. You can follow the smaller path down to the water. If you follow the paved trail to the right you will come to the dirt trail that skirts the pond. This is packed dirt and there are stairs and tree roots. The trail is becoming more and more popular. Expect to see people walking dogs here off leash. This trail connects to the Red Brook Trail as well that goes behind Sappi. We have seen many herons, ducks, an owl and what look like fox dens. There are signs of beavers, but we have not seen any. This is a great walk while being on the heart of a busy area of South Portland. Depending on the path you take, this is approximately 2 miles long. *As a side note: there are some "camps" in this area and we have come across some transients and homeless in this area. As always, take safety precautions for trail walking.

Good campground, clean and fairly priced. Would definitely recommend to anyone that wants a nice…read moregetaway spot

First time camping there. Couldn't say enough positive about it. The owners are very knowledgeable…read moreand friendly. Hubby liked that it's easy to get into. I love that the sites are not on top of one another. Bathrooms are clean. They are handicap accessible also. We will definitely go back.