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Oftentimes, a fulfilling hike is less about the trail and more about the company you bring along. Henry and I had one of our better adventures yesterday on a mediocre trail. Why? We slowed down long enough for the natural beauty around us to reveal itself. Sure we had to look past some trash and the occasional Natty Light can. It is an urban trail after all. But what we discovered in our slower pace was quite impressive and definitely a surprise. We chose the Fore River Trail

Today I had to remind myself of the benefits of cold exposure as Romy and I hiked through gusty winds and single digits. Of course, I could have done this trail on one of the warm days we had last week. But as a master of procrastination, I chose to wait until the day I needed to write this email. This is a long way of explaining why I did not take many photos. It was just too painful to remove my gloves. :) This peaceful preserve offers brand new trails created and maintain

This is the time of year when it's helpful to connect with your bliss and do the things that light you up. Lately I've been getting caught in the rapids of adult responsibilities and haven't done as much of what fills me up. In doing so, I've been reminded that "to do" lists are tough to complete when you're wearing multiple hats. I've also been reminded that if I'm not happy tackling those lists, no one around me is happy. No one wins in this scenario. My new plan is to ditc

Since it is school vacation week, I have a couple of extra ideas for you. The first, comedy. Making a pandemic laden February break feel like a "break" is a tall order. We can laugh or we can cry. I engage in both, but prefer the former. Comedy is a great way to remind us that there is humor in everything, even the toughest of times. Here are some of my favorites places to go when I need a good laugh: 1. Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend - the only podcast that consistently has me

It's mid February. How are you holding up? I can't say this time of year brings the same level of euphoria that we all feel in the summer. What I can say, quite confidently, is that being outside is the answer to staying happy in the dark, cold months. Due to the combination of researching trails, running an outdoor program, and having a puppy, I've spent more time outside this winter than ever before. The result has been increased energy, no real mood dips (unless I've just

Located on 6 acres in downtown Gorham, the Frazier Preserve offers .75 miles of trails through wetlands, forests, and along streams. If you are a mountain biker, I'm sure you've already been here because it connects with a large network of Town of Gorham single track trails and includes Southern Maine's first pump track (accessed off of the Week's road trailhead). Originally conserved by Gorham Trails, the preserve was incorporated into the Presumpscot Regional Land Trust in

This outing was a kid-free hike that I planned for my friend Becca's birthday. Originally, the plan involved a much larger hike and would have taken a full day. Due to rain, I searched for a shorter, closer walk and ended up finding this great spot in Harpswell. Things always end up working out...as long as we stay flexible, and make friends with women who don't mind walking in the wind and the rain. My kind of friends. :) Managed by the Harpswell Heritage Land Trust, the pre

Every week I wonder whether or not I will find a new trail worth sharing. And every week our gorgeous state of Maine, with its dedicated land trusts preserving endless trail systems, does not let me down. I will never, ever, stop being thankful for the abundance of natural spaces we have access to here. I am also thankful that I get to share those trails with you. We need to do things that make us happy, and this is one of those things for me. Ok, enough with the rambling an

With 55 acres and 3.1 miles of trails that wander through big open fields, through woodlands and along the Royal River, this place is the perfect outing for all ages. To top it off, dogs are allowed of leash. You really can't go wrong by choosing these trails. This Park is located off of Memorial Highway and owned by the North Yarmouth Historical Society. You will know that you've arrived at the entrance to the large parking lot when you spot the Old Town House, a small white

With over 28 acres of woods and paths that wind along the Little River, this sweet spot is the perfect little escape. The woods here include hemlock and aspen, with a variety of wildflowers in the springtime. We walked through a rich forest of ferns and moss, which provided some much needed color during this gray season. The trails here are well marked. From the parking lot, located at 258-260 Gray Road, the trail first enters a thicket, then crosses a field to Aspen Lane (a

Pratt's Brook is Yarmouth's largest park. At over 220-acres, it includes over 6 miles of trails for hiking and cross country skiing. Sorry mountain bikers, this and other activities that could damage the trails are prohibited. The good news, dogs are allowed. You win some, you lose some. These serene trails offer piney woods, open meadows, bridges, stream-side overlooks, blueberry fields, a disc golf field, an active beaver pond, great horned owls and a rocky waterfall on the

I am so grateful that a KMP Member told me about this incredible spot - thank you Sarah! This 40-acre parcel of gorgeous property was donated to the Royal River Conservation Trust in 2018. The preserve protects Meadow Brook, which is on the edge of Intervale's vast wetland areas. These wetlands rank among the richest habitat and ecology areas in the Royal River watershed, according to the brochure I picked up at the trailhead. The area supports migratory shore birds, waterfow

Five words sum up the reason this park is ideal for walks with family members of all ages: scooters, skateboards, bikes, strollers, ADA accessible. It is also a short 1/4 mile walk to downtown Yarmouth for pizza at Otto's or coffee at Handy's. Socially distanced, quality time with the kids, the grandparents, and the dog - check. The 5 foot wide, paved path follows a 1.3 mile loop along the impressive Royal River. The trail includes three waterfalls, two are at old dam sites a

This was not the trail I had planned for this week. But life happens and I had to make a last minute pivot when I got the call from Lincoln Middle School, letting me know that my son wasn't feeling well and needed to be picked up - ASAP. Luckily, he didn't have "The Rona", as he calls it, just a bad headache, stomach ache and maybe an aversion to math class. None the less, I wanted to stay close to home so we resorted to our old faithful, Baxter Woods. We spend every day here

I chose this trail because I wanted to find the old castle tower remains located just up the road from this spot...but I'll get to that later. Located at 14 Old South Freeport Road off of Route 1, the 1.2 miles of trails here are the result of a cooperative project of the Freeport Conservation Trust and the Casco Bay YMCA. The trailhead is also located at the far end of the YMCA's large parking lot. This short and sweet trail begins at some large rocks that beg for climbing,

When I read that this wildlife preserve was home to the largest red maple tree in Maine, I had to go...cannot resist a treasure hunt. This 100 acre sanctuary includes upland forest, marsh, stream, vernal pools, bog and fields. The parking lot is located at 464 Buxton Road in Saco, a less than 30 minute drive from Portland. After parking, take the 1.3 mile Blue Heron Trail (blue blazes), which stretches along woodlands, an open meadow and Stockpole Brook. After taking the new

I was lured to this trail in search of an exotic mushroom that was recently discovered here. We had just finished watching Fantastic Fungi, a documentary that teaches about the mysterious, magical, healing world of fungi through an incredible time-lapse journey. This documentary had such an impact on me that I headed straight to the mushroom section of the grocery store the next day - a section I typically avoid. As my newfound appreciation for fungi progressed, I started to

This park and accompanying trail systems are located at the Cathance River's head of tide, which is defined as the furthest upstream that the tide impacts the river. Here you will find a 15-foot waterfall that separates the tidal from the freshwater portions of the river. The Cathance River is one of six rivers that flow into Merrymeeting Bay. This bay, combined with the Lower Kennebec River make up the Kennebec Estuary, which is the second largest estuary on the East Coast.

Who knew that just 4 miles from Bradbury Mountain, there exists another beautiful hiking spot called the Hedgehog Mountain Trails. With over 5 miles of trails, you could spend some serious time here, getting lost in the fall colors and old pine and hemlock forests. Or following the old stone walls that seemed to appear everywhere on these trails. Hiking, cross country skiing, snowshoeing and dogs (on leash) are permitted here. Mountain biking is allowed on designated trails.

My kids asked to come here for the skate park, but we discovered oh so much more. In addition to the small skate/scooter park, there are 5.1 miles of wooded trails here that include large areas of rock/ledge. If your kids are anything like mine, they will have a field day rock climbing and parkouring their way through these trails. This would also be a really great place for mountain biking. Oh, and did I mention the story book path for our younger hikers? And the waterfall?