Crescent Beach State Park: The trail to the red-sand cove and skating pond.

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 times, and when we finally explored it, I was blown away! I'd been to Crescent Beach State Park countless times and had no idea this little beauty was tucked alongside it. My kids knew about it though.

When they were younger, we'd join other families for an end-of-school-year celebration at Crescent Beach each June. Every year, a group of our kids would venture over the rocky ledge at the end of the beach to explore the "red sand" at the secret beach. I'd never been to the mysterious beach myself and was amused to learn that Meghan's trail brought us directly to it. It was a full circle moment and a great reminder that your next favorite trail could be right under your feet.

The entrance to Crescent Beach is located at 109 Bowery Beach Road (Route 77) in Cape Elizabeth. During off-season, park just outside the main gate and walk along the park road until reaching the trailhead on the right, just passed this sign.

You'll walk through the woods briefly before the trees open up to a meadow. Here's a picture of my mom, enjoying the feeling of expansion as she left the woods and entered the wide open, grassy path.

This path winds down towards the water, ending at a small opening to Jordan's Point. Here you will find tide pools, views of Richmond Island, and magical red sand. During our visit, Meghan did a quick search on the source of the red sand and discovered it comes from garnet in the beach rock.

The red-sand beach may be the highlight of this trail, but there's more to come. Continue along the grassy (or snowy, depending on when you visit) path from Jordan's Point towards the larger stretch of sand at Crescent Beach.

Just before reaching the open sand, there is a trail leading back to the woods on the left. Here are pictures from fall and winter.

Continue further and you'll soon reach the marsh and a large pond tucked into the woods. I've never done it, but people do skate here in the winter. A ski in, skate, and beach walk sounds like a trifecta to me. Whether you opt to skate or not, this pond is gorgeous in all seasons.

From the pond, the trail leads to the large parking lot for the State Park. Return to your car via the main park road or continue along the 1-mile stretch of sandy beach at Crescent Beach, then connect to Kettle Cove for a longer, 2.8-mile loop. Here's the All Trails link for the longer walk and details on Crescent Beach State Park.

With the flat, wide path, and year-round recreational opportunities, this trail is perfect for all abilities and seasons. Dogs are allowed at the park on-leash, but are not allowed on the beach from April 1st through September 30th. Can't wait for you to explore this one.