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All hail the alewives! They have arrived at Mill Brook Preserve to make their annual migration to Highland Lake. These impressive fish are not to be confused with the alewives of medieval England, women who made ale and served it in their own homes before pubs existed. Although equally impressive, we'll stick with the aquatic version today. This preserve features a 6-mile trail system on 130 acres of forested land along the crystal clear Mill Brook. It is notable for the lar

This 5.6 mile out-and-back trail leads to the beautiful Madelyn Marx Preserve near the Kennebunk beaches. The wide, flat trail was once a railroad bed for the Kennebunk & Kennebunkport Railroad Company, which brought tourists and residents to the inns and homes along the beach. It parallels the Mousam River and begins in a residential area, passing private houses along the way. About 1/3 of the way in, the trail opens up to a vista of the river with wildlife viewing spots jus

The truth of it is, Maine trails and forests are not at their finest this time of year. Shoulder seasons offer dull browns, bare trees...

This place was so magical, I just kept waiting for the fairies and mermaids to appear. That didn't happen, but at least we still had Romy. Hiking with my dog is the next best thing to hiking with mythical creatures. She's playful, full of surprises and although she's no natural swimmer (like those mermaids), she almost always falls in the water. Located between Boothbay and Edgecomb, this extensive 5.3 mile trail network covers two peninsulas, scenic shorelines, aquamarine wa

This is a story about expectations, luck, and a 12 mile trek up a mountain to see a 99% full solar eclipse. In the weeks leading up to...

This trail is wide, flat and goes on for miles - 28.9 miles to be exact. It includes 22 off-road miles in addition to scenic, on-road miles connecting Kennebunk to Bug Light Park in South Portland. It is flat almost the entire way, so it's perfect for all ages of walkers, runners and bikers. It's also a great choice for mud season. Our favorite starting point is at the Eastern Road parking lot in Scarborough. This trailhead leads to the Scarborough Marsh, the largest contiguo

Just outside of charming downtown Brunswick, is a historic swinging bridge leading to a flat, paved trail along the Androscoggin River. Sunday was my first time discovering this bridge...one that I'd driven past at least a hundred times. You can only imagine how excited I was when we first pulled into the small parking lot and caught sight of the striking red bridge. Here's how the conversation went down with (ok at) my husband as we got out of the car. "Holy crap! How did I

This adventure was serene, scenic, and soul filling...thanks to the good company of my friend Courtney and her sweet dog Oso. But if you want the down and dirty truth, the vernal pools were the highlight. That's right, vernal pools . Those murky, muddy, smelly water holes in the woods that my dog likes to lay down in. Courtney is highly knowledgeable about the animals that live in vernal pools and she taught me all about the magic happening in them. Her enthusiasm is so conta

It's thrilling to discover that two trail systems you've been walking for years are actually connected. This happened last week when I brought our dog Romy to a trail we visit often, Canco Woods. At the outer edge of our regular loop, there is a short path leading up to a neighborhood trailhead that I'd never explored, since we'd always turned around just before reaching it. But something inspired me to walk to the end this time...and I discovered that this trailhead led dire

I love finding accessible trails, but it's even more exciting when I stumble upon one by accident. This preserve in Bethel offers 1.2 miles of universally accessible trails, winding through woods and fields with views of the Androscoggin River, the Bethel Community Garden and the Habitat for All Pollinator Garden. I found this trail as a result of poor planning and an experience that reminded me, once again, to always check the trail manager's website before setting out to ex

This property includes 4.25 miles of trails that wind through a mixed forest of hemlock, beech, maple and birch. Two main trails lead to the Mill Creek tidal estuary and marsh. Most of the trails are flat with some slight elevation on the trails leading to the salt marsh. This is a great place for hiking, cross country skiing and biking. Dogs are allowed, but must be on leash to protect sensitive wildlife habitat. These trails are not wheelchair accessible. Photo by Henry Mc

These dog-friendly trails provide a variety of routes, looping around two ponds fed by Kimball Brook. An outer loop winds through fields and woods, while inner loops hug the ponds' shorelines, passing brooks and mini falls along the way. There are 2.6 miles of trails in network. Due to stairs located throughout these trails, I would not call them accessible, but there are some shorter routes here that would be possible in a wheelchair. Read Enoch Glidden's full report on acce

One of the secrets to getting my kids on trails, is to pair our nature walk with an activity they enjoy. Last Saturday, that meant poppin' tags with Finn - and I'm not talking about the Jay-Z version of shopping. We were poppin' tags Macklemore-style, at Goodwill Buy the Pound. Thrifting "the bins" is one of Finn's favorite things to do. If this language sounds foreign to you, don't worry, I'll shed some light on the pastime. I will also share details on the Shaw Cherry Hil

This 3.3 mile trail follows the banks of the Stroudwater river and includes packed-earth, boardwalks, bridges, wood and stone stairs. There are also benches and scenic outlooks along the way. The middle of this trail (near the Blueberry Road trailhead) is closed during winter months to protect Portland's deer habitats. This is the section that gets a bit more difficult, so I would only recommend it if you're up for hilly trails through dense forest. The parking lot and trailh

To be completely honest, I used to get turned around in these woods every time I visited. I've spent countless hours in here and am truly in awe of the fact that I sometimes find myself lost, STILL. That is why I love these woods. They are extensive, interesting and a real challenge! They include easy sections as well as rock boulders for climbing and difficult mountain biking. The woods are shady, filled with bird sounds, ancient trees and green ferns. It's heavenly in here,

Last Friday, schools were closed and I was gifted some rare, one-on-one time with my teenager in the mountains. And although he realized...

This post is less of a detailed trail write-up and more of an ode to my mom. Here's why: It was my mom's idea to visit this conservation area because, like me, she has also become hooked on exploring local trails. This makes perfect sense since she loves traveling, new experiences and adventure of any kind. We lovingly refer to my mom as the "Honey Badger" because she's fearless and seemingly invincible. With all the talking, my mom and I got lost on these trails (shocker),

This was a trip. One that involved people in the middle of the woods with pickaxes, shovels, wheelbarrows and sifting screens, hoping to find the next lucrative stone. These gem-hunters are fueled by stories of other rockhounds who've found rare treasures here, like the woman who recently discovered a large piece of watermelon tourmaline worth a whopping $200,000. That was a story told to us by a middle-aged man we met, who'd been digging at Mt Apatite since childhood. He als

Since returning to full-time teaching this fall, my hiking time has been reduced to shorter, local trails. It's a trade-off I'm happy to make since working with kids offers a different kind of fun and fulfillment. It's also no real sacrifice, considering the long list of spectacular trails we have in Southern Maine (if you haven't seen my list, click here ). Still, I'm all for the four-day work week and if anyone wants to institute that, I give my full support. In the meantim

If your kids like Minecraft, they'll love this short hike. Why? Because the .5 mile out and back trail leads to a historic feldspar...