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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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 daylong adventure had me on a wild goose chase to find the mysterious monument for Elenora French, the young girl who fell from...

This rugged trail includes 150-ft cliffs overlooking Long Reach Reserve's unnamed island, a fairy house village, a short walk along...

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

Lately I've become obsessed with catching the sunrise over the Back Cove in Portland - something I do almost every morning before work. Since I'm up at 5:00 a.m. and the sunrise is currently around 5:30, this gives me just enough time to drink a cup of coffee, throw on my sneakers and run down to the cove. This mad dash in the wee hours of morning may not be your idea of fun, but here are the reasons I love it: Sunrise viewings fit easily into just about any work schedule.

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