Sunrise run on the Back Cove in Portland Have you felt a mid-winter restlessness? A pull towards something that makes you feel ligher, more alive? An urge to bust out of your daily routine? This quest has been tugging at me for weeks. Maybe it’s the deep freeze we’re in, or maybe it’s the fury over the Epstein files. Whatever sparked it, I’m ready to act. While we can’t seem to control our corrupt government, we can control the quality of our days. Creating more joy in our da

This gem of a trail leads through an old apple orchard and open meadow, a wooded path along a hidden pond, and a beach with red sand. The red-sand cove, Jordan Point, is located at the western end of Crescent Beach State Park. This sweet spot is separated from the larger sand beach by a rocky ledge, so unless you follow the trail I'm about to share, you'd never know it was there. I heard about "the trail leading through the woods to Crescent Beach" from my friend Meghan many

This was my first big, snowy hike of the season, and it provided everything I was looking for after the Christmas holiday: quiet trails, gorgeous views, and a great workout. I love the holidays - the lights, the time with family, the excitement of our kids - but it's a busy, overstimulating time of year. I'm always eager to get to the mountains for a good, replenishing hike when it's all over. When planning a winter hike, there are several things to consider: Snowshoes or mic

Something occurred to me during a 5:30 a.m. run last week: exploring the outdoors in the dark is FUN. Running through the quiet streets and woods of my neighborhood, lit by the narrow beam of my headlamp and the warm glow of holiday lights, it struck me that THIS is my kind of adult adventure. It’s relatively safe, doesn’t take much time, and provides the same feeling of exhilaration I had as a kid - running around with neighborhood friends past sundown. If you struggle with

Photo Credit: Brian Threlkeld, Photography For The People As if six months of winter in Maine wasn’t enough of a challenge, some add cold-water immersion to their wintry list of outdoor activities. These hardy souls submerge themselves in frozen lakes and ice-cold oceans during the coldest time of the year. Last March, 15 swimmers took it to the extreme with a “Super Plunge” in Ogunquit - a fundraising event involving 24 polar plunges in 24 hours. While they did raise $80,000

Over our 20 years in Portland, we’ve purchased Christmas trees from a multitude of places, including pre-cut from nurseries, gas stations, and high schools, along with cut-your-own trees from a friend’s family farm in Bowdoinham. Last year, we tried a local tree farm and cried laughing while cutting down one of the remaining trees - tiny with a flat top, leaning slightly to the left…and costing a small fortune. I did love this quirky nugget, always appreciating things that ar

My husband suggested I create a hiking checklist for myself, since I have a loooong history of forgetting important items when setting out on my adventures. Like the microspikes I forgot to bring on our recent hike in the snowy Whites. Or my wallet, which I left at home while traveling to Vermont for hiking research. Lists have become my life-line, because my brain is not always functioning like that of a full-grown adult. If you’re anything like me, I hope this hiking hack h

Follow this popular route partway or all the way to the summit of Mount Washington. Hermit Lake and Tuckerman Ravine. Photo credit: Henry McMahon Options are a beautiful thing. I love a trail that offers a variety of lengths and levels of challenge, and Tuckerman’s certainly does. This hike features an additional bonus: it brings you to an iconic backcountry ski destination where you can watch brave souls trek up an insanely steep bowl with skis on their packs, to enjoy a thr

A newsletter about hiking can feel trivial at a time when people are fighting for their human rights and basic needs. But then I have an experience like last weekend - watching 100 high school students start hiking at 5:00 am to share a spectacular sunrise from Mt. Battie in Camden. I’m reminded that disconnecting from the chaos to spend time outdoors ignites the motivation to continue valuing, fighting for, and finding refuge in our messy and beautiful world. Hiking is one o

I've done this hike with groups several times and can confidently say it's an ideal adventure for a range of ages, abilities, and dogs....

Calling all mountain bikers! This gorgeous 64-acre parcel includes up to 4 miles of beginner-friendly trails winding through mixed forest filled with ferns, boardwalks and sunlight filtering through the pines. You can also hike, run, snowshoe, and cross-country ski here. Located at Brunswick Landing (formerly Brunswick Naval Air Station), Neptune Woods was the first parcel here to be actively conserved and developed for recreation. A number of community partners were involved

And they're celebrating 80 years of life-changing, outdoor experiences. One of the best parts of my new job with Teens to Trails is visiting all kinds of outdoor recreation programs throughout the state of Maine. Even better, I get to meet the good people who facilitate these programs - and let me tell you, there’s not a bad one in the bunch. Last week, I had the great pleasure of touring Pine Tree Camp - a 285-acre waterfront campus in the heart of Belgrade Lakes. Teens to T

If you’re new to Cathedral Ledge, it’s a 700-foot-high rock wall just outside of downtown North Conway, NH. The cliffs are popular for...

This was a hike of dreams. My hiking partner, Jaime, finished her NE 67 (hiking all of New England’s 4000+ footer mountains) on Bondcliff at sunset, and I got to witness it. For two years we’d been talking about this 20-mile out-and-back hike ending at the iconic Bondliff summit, a rocky outcrop with a flat top for standing - and if you dared, looking over the edge of the 4,698-foot summit to the valley hundreds of feet below. I’m terrified of heights, so figured I’d just cra

Guest Post by WinterKids. Photo by Theresa Hanten DIY Summer Adventure Journal Good to Know: Suitable for: PreK - Grade 2 Can be modified for children in higher grades. DOWNLOAD INSTRUCTIONS AND PRINTABLES HERE Includes five printable blank outdoor journal pages: ● Cover Page ● Journal Page (sketches & notes) ● Journal Page (sketches only) ● Journal Page (notes only) ● Transition Word Suggestions This activity is great for children who are in Grades PreK – Grade 2 and ca

To all the fellas, I'm really glad you're here, but this post is for the women. I dedicate this post to all the female hikers who continue to get out there and do the thing that makes you feel most alive - through periods, pregnancies, perimenopause, menopause, and all of the hormonal fluctuations that make us soft and strong, vulnerable and powerful, friendly and fiesty. I hope you hike through all of the beautiful and challenging stages of a woman’s life. Because we know we

This was my second hike up Deer Leap and my fourth trip to Vermont in less than a year, thanks to the trail guide I’m working on. Living...

Me below Piazza Rock. Photo by Jaime Gagnon. The jaw-dropping reward at the outer end of this hike evokes wonder for nature’s majestic...

If you've never heard a dog scream, watch a 120-pounder, who can't swim, fall in a lake. Lucky for Romy, I was able to pull her out by...

I’ve admired this gorgeous barn for twenty years, driving past it countless times during trips to Mount Desert Island. Situated between Crooked Road and rolling hills with wild lupine, this historic farm dates back to the 1840’s. The iconic barn is en route to downtown Bar Harbor from the coveside cabins we rent for our annual family reunion each June. Last year, I noticed trailhead parking near the farm and this year, I got to explore the trail leading from it. Purchased by

A must-see waterfall if you're in Stowe! Less than 5 miles from the Sterling Pond Trail , which I shared details on last week, is an easy...

A moderate, 3-mile loop featuring grand views, cascading streams and stone stairs. Just outside of downtown Camden in Midcoast Maine, the...

We went to Stowe this past weekend to research my final three Vermont hikes for the Dog Hiking New England guide I’m working on. With a...

Since our boys were little, most of our vacations have involved camping or trips with extended family. Last summer, we rented a lakehouse...

Photo by Northern Outdoors (Post originally published in August of 2023) White water rafting offers unrivaled family fun. Lucky for us, we have access to three places to raft in Maine: the Kennebec River, the Dead River and the Penobscot River. The Kennebec and Dead Rivers converge at The Forks in Somerset County and include class 2 - 4 rapids. The Penobscot River runs through Baxter State Park and is a bit more intense with class 5 rapids. I've never rafted the Penobscot, bu

Last weekend, I joined eleven women in a large cabin heated by wood stove, and there was no cell phone service. It was the perfect reset...

This shorter day hike offers an exposed summit with 360-degree views, including a clear shot of Mount Washington. For that wide-open...

Photo by Henry McMahon This moderate 3.5-mile loop is located off the Kancamagus Highway near Conway, NH. The trail begins with a walk...

Amy Niemczura-Sowa was the first person to ever complete the entire Maine Mountain Guide. Here is the story of her remarkable achievement.

Once again, I am wowed by the fact that I'm still finding new trails to explore in our home city of Portland. I have explored over 150 local trails in Southern Maine, but did not know about Virginia Woods until spotting it on my updated Portland Trails map recently. This new-to-me trail was a mere 8-minute drive from my house, so it was an easy one to fit into a busy weekday. As it turns out, these quiet woods connect to the larger network of trails at the Ocean Avenue Recrea

Photo by Courtney Cronin What the heck is WFA, you may be asking? Pronounced "Woofah," it stands for Wilderness First Aid, and it's an...

With all the fresh snow we've had this past week, I feel like a kid in a candy shop! Finally, winter has arrived, along with all the outdoor recreation this season has to offer. This past weekend, we spent Saturday and Sunday at Riverside Golf Course in Portland for sledding and cross-country skiing. The beauty of Riverside is that it offers something for everyone, even your dog, who is welcome on these trails. While cross-country skiing with friends, our kids hit the sleddi

After renewing my annual Portland Trails membership, I received an updated 5th edition PT paper map and was excited to find several new trails on the list! A couple of them were in Westbrook, where my mom lives, so I invited her to explore the Blue Spruce Trail with me this past weekend. It was covered in a blanket of fresh snow, which makes any trail remarkable, but I also enjoyed the hilly path, quiet woods, and the way it hugged the Stroudwater River a good part of the way

Our 14-year-old woke up on Monday morning, lukewarm about school because his schedule said it was a "Blue" day. This meant French class and no recess, which only happens on "Gold" days. As I empathized with him because I was lukewarm about my work day too, I shared the strategy I often use to make undesirable tasks more fun: I pair them with something good. I've been using this strategy since college when I'd pair studying (a most dreadful task) with sitting in my favorite ca

Maybe I was a strange child, but I had a pet cemetery under a tree in the backyard of my childhood home. It wasn't for our family pets...

Located just 15 minutes from Sunday River Ski Resort, Buck's Ledge is a quick hike to open views of Mount Abram, The Mahoosuc Range, and...

Located within the Bates-Morse Mountain Conservation Area, this 4-mile out-and-back hike is among the most stunning in midcoast Maine....

Back in 2018 and 2019, I organized regular meetups at Portland skating ponds for multi-generational hockey games. It was called "Skate Club" and provided a way to spend time outdoors with friends and family of all ages. I always brought extra hockey sticks, and even crafted skating aids out of PVC pipe for beginners. As with all of the programs I created back then, my motivation was to get my own kids outside and to continue building a community of outdoor lovers to spend ti

Emmons Preserve is located at the Kennebunkport Conservation Trust's headquarters, surrounded by trails, woods, and the Batson River. One of the highlights of this property is a wheelchair and stroller-accessible Community Labyrinth, designed in the same 7-circuit pattern found on ancient archeological sites. From early December through January 6th, the path is lit by solar lights after dusk for the holiday season. I'd only experienced the labyrinth under the summer sun and

This post was written in April 2022. I learned three things today: 1. Adventures in large groups can be fun - as long as you're...

For a shorter day hike, this mountain offers great views and a steep ascent with 1,420 feet in elevation gain. I've done this 3.8-mile...

This pic was from 2018, many moons ago before either of our boys had a smart phone. Now they're 13 and 16, so we've had years to flounder...

Mount Major is the easternmost peak of the Belknap Range, located in the Lakes Region of New Hampshire, just south of the White Mountains...

This 4.5-mile out-and-back hike involves a steady ascent to stunning views of Lake Willoughby, one of the deepest lakes in the...

Located in St. Johnsbury, Vermont, this mountain is a utopia for dogs and dog lovers. The place is filled with so much joy and...

For a relatively short hike, this trail offers a stunning payoff. The 3.3-mile out-and-back reaches the summit of Mount Willard with...

The Basin is a glacial pothole, 30 feet in diameter and 15 feet deep, located along the Pemigawasset River in Franconia Notch, New...

When I first saw a photo of the free standing arched staircase tucked in the woods of New Hampshire, it was promptly added to my list of...