Rachel Carson Trail, Wells

Less than a mile north of the Wells Reserve at Laudholm, is an easy and accessible trail that's also dog-friendly (on-leash). The wide, gravel path follows a 1-mile loop that winds through coastal forest and along the salt marsh, with distant views of the ocean. You'll find benches, boardwalks, and viewing platforms along the way, plus 11 interpretive signs for a self-guided tour of the ecosystem.

It's always exciting to find a trail available to all ages and abilities, but when that trail also allows dogs, it's a real gem.

Although reviews list limited parking, I had no trouble finding a space in their ample sized, dirt lot, located at 321 Port Rd in Wells. And there's no fee to park either.

If you haven't heard of Rachel Carson, I'll give you the short and sweet summary. She was a marine biologist, conservationist, writer, and a bad-ass woman. Her groundbreaking book, Silent Spring, inspired a global environmental movement and is credited for the ban of the pesticide DDT in the United States.

The Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1966 to protect Maine's salt marshes and estuaries for migratory birds. It's located along 50 miles of the southern Maine coastline with its main headquarters and primary trails located in Wells.

If you're looking for a longer Rachel Carson hike, the Timber Point Trail in Biddeford is one of my all-time favorites. It features rocky coastline, sheltered coves, tidepools, island access, and historic buildings. Dogs aren't allowed, but even if you love hiking with your pup, I'd make this your one, dog-free exception...it's gorgeous and well worth it.

"If I had influence with the good fairy who is supposed to preside over the christening of all children, I should ask that her gift to each child in the world be a sense of wonder so indestructible that it would last throughout life, as an unfailing antidote against the boredom and disenchantments of later years, the sterile preoccupation with things that are artificial, the alienation from the sources of our strength."

-Rachel Carson The Sense of Wonder