I have a little dog. Her name is Zoey. She weighs all of 12 pounds, but she rules the roost - to…read moresay the least. One of her most favorite things is going for walks. So much so that if you say the word "walk" out loud, she will not rest until said walk has occurred. And, by not rest, I mean lots of bouncing around, hopping up on the couch to have her leash put on, whining - the whole nine yards. As such, we have walked many a places. The Westbrook River Walk is one of the best. While a big part of this is the convenience to our home, it is also just that it is a really nice walking path along the river and parks. The path, which alternates between wooden boardwalk and paved pathway, is perfect. The addition of the foot bridge crossing the river a couple years back was also really nice. And, there are several well positioned trash receptacles along the way, making for the clean up and deposit of her "waste" easy. All in all, this is the perfect post-work walk for my little four legged friend.

This walk is nothing special, but nice for a little bit of exercise. You should be forewarned that…read moreyou can only see the River for a part of the walk. The waterfall at the one end is beautiful but unfortunately it is mostly blocked by the bridge! The majority of the walk goes behind softball and soccer fields so it isn't very scenic. I personally would just recommend driving to the end to see the River area and small falls and maybe walking elsewhere. For reference, all my photos are from the end of the walk closer to the falls!

I always like finding trails that surprise me, and Mill Brook Preserve did just that. I can't…read morebelieve the number of times I've driven by the corner of Bridgton Rd (Route 302) and Methodist Rd and never realized there was a little pull-off for a few cars. This is where the northern trailhead is, and apparently there are three other trailheads: across the street from Willow Drive, down further Methodist, and on Perry Court! I feel like no matter which way you enter this 5ish mile trail system in Westbrook, you're going to experience and see something different. Which leads me to what I love and what I loathe about this trail: I love that it feels like it's hidden in plain sight, I loathe that it's not a loop (I'm not a fan of in-and-out trails, I just want one continuous walking path, y'know?). I'm not sure how deep I made it before turning around, but I know there are fish viewing ponds to the north and to the south... because, fun fact, Mill Brook Preserve is also the home to the largest annual migration of alewife fish from Casco Bay to Highland Lake (best viewing time is mid May to early June)! I appreciated how well marked the trail was (and how it followed/hugged the brook the whole time; who doesn't love being surrounded by water sounds and enormous trees?! yes, you can hear the traffic at times, but I found the running water and birdsong to be much louder), and how there were some more challenging spots. I'd like to come back and enter from the south next time!

Northern Trailhead - this is my first time hiking this preserve and while the hiking was really…read morenice the lack of trail markings once you get onto the trail was a bit concerning as at beginning of the trail there were white signs and soon turned to blue markings on the trees but for some time there was no markings at all and as there are multiple looking trails, I got a bit turned around but was lucky enough to meet some locals that assured me I was on the actual trail ....... I would have hiked meeting up with the other sections of the preserve I just was not feeling secure in the marking to be able to find my way back. I will probably try some of the other sections but start at the other trailheads and hope the trail markings are better.

We had such a lovely time here exploring the island. For such a small fee per person we were able…read moreto park and walk the trail along the perimeter. We saw the deaf school, pet cemetery, and fairy forts made with branches. I think it was probably 1-2 miles long. We saw many benches dedicated to general important people. There are mini trials within this island you can walk through and there's a natural "dock" you can walk on to see more of the water. This place is beautiful!!

This place was amazing and such a great 1-2 mile loop that is easy walking for all ages! They have…read morea fairy garden, pet cemetery and beautiful views all over the island. I am going to come here more often to walk the loop and take in the scenery. The only downside is there are not many parking spots so it probably can get really busy in the summer. We found one easily in November though.

Totally love this trail! I spend many summer days either walking or riding the first length. Of…read morecourse there is always time to jump off the railroad trestle to cool off. I have often wondered how high up off the river this structure is. Anyway, it's very exhilarating and the view from there is spectacular year round.

This is a lovely partly paved path that runs from the ocean to the mountains. The Sebago to Sea…read moreTrail runs to Portland via westbrook road to this location. You can mountain bike or walk. I love this trail because you can choose your own adventure. Go as far as you like, past the rolling farmlands and through the woods. My dogs LOVE this little hike. There is one part, in Windham, which goes over an old train bridge. The view over the river from this spot is magnificent. Sebago to Sea Map Link: http://sebagotothesea.org/ Mountain Division Trail Map Link: http://me-windham.civicplus.com/DocumentCenter/View/219

I'm not entirely sure how I ended up at Knight's Pond Preserve... a free afternoon on a sunny…read moreautumn day tends to inspire me to get outside and play, and before I knew it I was driving down what seemed like a very long driveway (Greely Road Extension) that eventually deposited me at a parking lot. The 300-acre preserve is the largest undeveloped parcel in Cumberland and was "created" in 2015 after conservation efforts led to the acquisition of a major portion of the land. The preserve features a 46-acre pond with an adjacent smaller pond that seems dammed-in (the trail doesn't lead to the stone wall that holds the water, but you can walk over carefully to see) that connects during wetter seasons - there's a wooden bridge to cross into the woods over any water that may be there, a fantastic trail system with great signage through dense woods (there's enough variety here that you could make your hike as short or as long as you like - personally, I like the White trail to the Blue trail, a digression to the FAA tower, to the Red trail, back to the White trail), views of Casco Bay and Mount Washington (on super clear days) from the ridgeline, an FAA radar tower, tons of birds... it's just a very, very nice spot. I came just to walk around and don't feel like I had the opportunity to see everything making me really excited to come back and explore more. Apparently in the winter it's a great spot for pick-up hockey games and ice skating, as well as snowshoeing! I'll be inside drinking bourbon and hiding from the cold then, but if you start to feel like you're getting cabin fever know this is an accessible spot year round!

We hadn't been here since before the pandemic, so we thought we'd come and take a late afternoon…read morestroll here recently... it's just as special as we remember! Some of my former review holds up: "It's a 1/2 mile boardwalk (a beautifully maintained structure with planks the color of the seaside) that winds through a coalesced bog (essentially what this means is that, a long time ago, two dying ponds filled with decaying matter so much so that they became one and turned into a peatland) - the southernmost example of its type - and ends with a small loop in the forest making it about 2 miles roundtrip. It's absolutely one of the most unique and stunning landscapes in Maine I've ever seen: it seems to include a variety of different flora from different climates (even though I know that can't be true). If I was plunked in the middle of here without knowing where I was, I wouldn't be able to tell you if I was in Iceland, Arizona, Mars, New England, or Scotland. It's so stunningly varied. From what I've heard, this is absolutely the kind of place you return to every few months because of how different it looks from season to season. Winter features sparkling whites and chocolatey brown colors, offering sweeping views of wide open spaces; during spring, the heath becomes incredible with pink and purples of the blooming plants and regrowth; in summer, the heath seems smaller because of the fullness of the rich green plants; and, autumn is ablaze with various warm colors from the range of plants all getting ready to rest. This is a very special place." A couple things of note now that it's become more popular though: 1. Some people use this as their running/power walking/exercise route, and that can be a little overwhelming when they're coming at you fast on such a small space, segue... 2. A stroller takes up almost the entire width of the three foot wide boardwalk. In both instances, be prepared to very carefully balance on the edge as these folks pass by. DO NOT STEP INTO THE BOG EVER.

This trail is gorgeous! There are a couple of points that you don't feel like you're in Maine…read moreanymore. For the main path, there's a cute rainbow-like boardwalk. This would make it easy for those with strollers. There's not as much mud to deal with like other trails. If you choose to, there is a more natural wooded loop that you can do when the boardwalks end. This part is more traditional, where you'll need some muddin' boots or sneakers you don't mind getting dirty. We've hit up multiple preserves and this is by far the best maintained location. Definitely give it a try!

Gorgeous trails, views and serenity. Well managed and marked!! Trail maps and an awesome website…read morehelp Navigate the 65+ mile trail.

Very nice trail for biking and walking/running. They're making a new larger parking lot at the…read moreentrance off Eastern st just past Eastern Village. There's a porta potty just after the bridge past Willow dale golf course. Watch for turtles in the path if riding a bike. It's about 2 1/2 miles to pine point rd across the marsh. Lots of ticks!!!! Wear bug spray and check your dogs!!!

Bridges ships and art…read more Harbor View park is an unusual little park that is basically under a highway bridge. Nice views of the under side of the bridge if that is what you are interested in but also some nice views of the docks and harbor once you get to the top of the park on York Street. Not a whole lot in this park, just some walking paths that lead under the bridge and then up to a grassy field. Several strange art type of sculptures are scattered around the park. They appear to be made from artifacts from the past. The best part of this park are the views. Great views of the harbor and ships that past through this area. If you are lucky you can even see a container ship being unloaded by huge cranes onto the docks. This is a park that is probably used mostly by local people cutting down from York Street to Commercial. It is a cool and very scruffy place that is probably not a good place to be after dark. But it is a very interesting place to visit for anyone tired of the usually touristy stuff in Portland.

Nice work city of Portland to make this public green space! It has a lovely view to the harbor, as…read moreexpected from the name. There is a lot of grass to throw around a frisbee, toss a baseball, run a game of tag, relax on a blanket, read a book and all the other fun outdoor activities you might enjoy on a grassy area. There are some trees around and some pathways. These pathways lead you down or up. Depends on where you started, but head down to Commercial Ave or up to the West End area, all while having the harbor backdrop. The park is visible from the Casco Bay Bridge, so of course, if you are in the park, expect a buzz from the nearby traffic. It still feels like a small tucked away green space that few take advantage of enjoying.