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Located just 5 minutes from Higgins Beach, this preserve offers wildflowers, monarch sightings, open fields, woods, wildlife, wetlands, and a gorgeous old metal barn. The 161 acres and 1.5 miles of trails found here also includes a .25 mile Universal Access/ADA Trail named Eleanor's Trail. This rare open space contains headwaters of the Spurwink River and abuts the Rachel Carson National Wildlife Rescue. Dogs are allowed, but must be leashed on Eleanor's Trail. We came here f

This hiking area includes a waterfall, easy trails and an old bear cage in the woods. The parking lot is located at 61 Cascade Road in Saco, just off of Route 1. Insider tip: this trail is down the street from Aquabboggan Water Park , so you could tack it on to the end of your wild day of mat slides, the Yankee Ripper and The Taco (they've changed the name, but we'll keep calling it The Taco, forever). You could also stop for an ice cream at The Dairy Corner in Scarborough o

My family recently spent a few days in Bethel and while there, explored several swimming holes and waterfalls in the area. On day one, we...

I was feeling guilty as I left my family at 6:00am last Friday to pick up my hiking partner, Jaime, and spend another glorious day in the...

Where there's a swimming hole in Maine, there's often an old bridge or rope swing with people of all ages hurling themselves into the water. It's good old-fashioned fun and a favorite activity during our brief season of hot weather. This idyllic float/paddle spot off of Gambo Road in Windham, is not far from Babb's Bridge Swimming Hole in Gorham...one is just upriver from the other. It includes easy parking, a trestle bridge and rope swing, and access to the Mountain Divisio

A couple of weeks ago, I drove my son and his friend to Killington Mountain School's week-long Bag Jump Camp in Vermont (If you haven't...

Located off of Shore Road in Cape Elizabeth, Robinson Woods Preserve contains 197 acres of woodlands, fields, ponds, streams, waterfalls and massive white pine, red oak and hemlock - some as many as 300 years old! It offers over four miles of public trails on varied terrain, open year round for hiking, mountain biking and snow shoeing. Dogs are allowed, but must be kept on leash. Read about Enock Glidden's experience using a wheelchair on these trails through Maine Trail Find

Last week, my son Henry and I took a spontaneous camping trip to the Wolfe's Neck Campground in Freeport. I had a few days off, he was free (he's 12, always free) and we both love camping. It was the perfect escape. We'd already decided to explore all of the local destinations this summer, so it made perfect sense to also try camping close by. Lucky for us, they had a few open sites to choose from and we were even allowed to bring our dog. We've been taking the boys camping

This sunrise adventure includes easy parking, a dog-friendly beach, and a long walk to a Ferris wheel. I first experienced this sunrise walk a couple of years ago with my friend Becca, who loves beach walks and is also an early (and I mean, early ) riser like me. The beauty of walking Pine Point Beach in the wee hours of the morning is this: - You will mostly have the beach all to yourself. - Parking in the municipal lot is only $5 before 9:00am. - Dogs are allowed off-leash

This hiking area truly offers something for ALL abilities, from a 3.7 mile accessible trail to a 17.5 mile (out and back) hike up a 4,025...

Peak's Island is one of my favorite local summer adventures. It includes a boat ride, a 3.9 mile loop with stellar views, historic forts to explore, and just enough food/coffee/ice cream stops to keep the crew happy. The perimeter road is paved and mostly flat, with benches along the way. This is a dog-friendly island and these trails are maintained by the Peaks Island Preserve . Served by the Casco Bay Lines, the 20 minute ferry ride from downtown Portland to Peak's is a jou

This may be my new favorite mountain range to hike. It's only 1.5 hours from Portland, just outside of all of the shops/restaurants in...

This trail leads to a massive pond hidden in the woods off of Route 77 in Cape Elizabeth. It's dog-friendly and is conveniently located near a dairy bar. Now you can have your hike, your dog and your ice cream. And eat it too. The 1.5 mile one way (out and back) includes views of Great Pond along the walk through fields, woodland, and wetland marsh. It also includes the longest elevated boardwalk I have ever seen at 700 feet! Great Pond is a 40-acre freshwater pond, used in t

If you are looking for a challenging hike that will take you on a full day adventure, this is the trail. This hike is one of my all time...

If the word "blueberry" transports you to sunshiny mountain trails in the summer months, I'm with you - and we will get there. But for now, we'll focus on this wintry hike and all that it has to offer us: a skating pond, two summits over 400 feet, babbling brooks, tucked-away ponds, and a deserted (shall we say creepy?) Boy Scout camp in the woods. There are many trailheads for Knight's Pond Preserve, including: 1. Bruce Hill - located off of route 115 in North Yarmouth via H

Here are some of the feelings I'm left with after a day of hiking: clarity, grounding, inspiration, energy, renewed excitement for life. But the drive to the mountains is long and I'd recently started wondering if that same post-hike high could be achieved through a longer local hike. My friend Anna and I were discussing this during a neighborhood dog walk and decided to plan a day to hike the 10 + mile West Side Trail in Yarmouth. The first time I walked this trail was in Ja

If you are looking for a fun and easy day of outdoor adventuring, Route 26 in Grafton Notch State Park offers a whole lot. Here you will...

There are three things one should always do before heading out on a hike: Look at a map. Check the weather. Leave your giant dog at home...

Owned by the Town of Cumberland and permanently protected by a Chebeague & Cumberland Land Trust conservation easement, Greely Woods is mostly forested with a stream meandering through it. This 40-acre parcel of woods is tucked among several neighborhoods in Cumberland with three different trailheads. Romy and I explored the 1.3 mile lollipop loop, starting at the Greely Road Extension trailhead. Here you will find a few dirt parking spaces along the shoulder of the road. Fo

The path leading me to new trails is not always calculated or well planned. There's no master list or method to the madness. Still, I continue to find new trails every week because they are quite literally everywhere. Sometimes the best way to find them, is to just open your eyes. Last week, Finn and his friends asked if I'd bring them to the new skatepark in Gorham. My dog also (desperately) needed a walk, so I brought her with us in hopes of finding a trail nearby. The ska