Blog

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

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

Calling all mountain bikers! This gorgeous 64-acre parcel includes up to 4 miles of beginner-friendly trails winding through mixed forest...

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...

After renewing my annual Portland Trails membership, I received an updated 5th edition PT paper map and was excited to find several new...

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...

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...

Emmons Preserve is located at the Kennebunkport Conservation Trust's headquarters, surrounded by trails, woods, and the Batson River. One...

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...

Lately I've become obsessed with catching the sunrise over the Back Cove in Portland - something I do almost every morning before work....

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...

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...

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...