I know this might sound cheesy, but this 20-acre Royal River Conservation Trust preserve—which has a beautiful 3.5-acre meadow—seems to memorialize love. The name, pronounced deda-boon-sock, comes from a Penobscot word that translates to “they walk side by side.” And that is what the property owners who donated the land did here for decades! Plus,
The town has created a pleasant park and walking trail at the point where the Piscataquis River flows into the Penobscot River. From the main parking area at the end of King’s Bridge, you can follow a short paved section of trail across a mown area adjacent to the river. It has lights, picnic tables,
Parsons Family Preserve trails in orange. Wesserunsett Stream Preserve trails in blue. From the pullover on the street at the trailhead, two narrow mowed trails head off in different directions through a beautiful meadow cultivated as a pollinator habitat. Both trails continue past the edge of the field into the woods, including into the protected
This park is a little oasis at the top of Robbins Hill, with a couple of wheelchair-accessible loops made of crushed stone that wind through fields of wildflowers. In August, crickets might jump on and off the trail all around you, as if celebrating your progress. There are picnic tables with shelters and westward views
This little town park is small but enchanting, especially on a summer day when you can look over its meadow of bright wildflowers to the dark Medomak River. To the south of the park, the river runs down a small waterfall and then curves around and underneath the bridge. The short trails through the field
McKeon Reserve trails in green; Sanford Forest in red; Hall Environmental Reserve in orange; Rail Trail in blue. The trails at this Mousam Way Land Trust preserve connect to the long, delightful Sanford-Springvale Rail Trail and are almost directly opposite the Sanford Forest, so you can go for a substantial expedition here. But if you
The Portland trail system (the PATHS Trail, also part of Forest City Trail) that sprawls over 40 acres behind two high schools—Casco Bay and Portland Arts and Technology—is an excellent spot for getting outside. It includes wheelchair-accessible trails, a meadow with benches and bird boxes, well-maintained trails through woods, and a long, straight path (the
The town of Veazie protects and manages this 64-acre preserve, with help from volunteers. The access road through Greystone Trailer Park on Mutton Lane, when I visited, was not in great shape — there were a lot of potholes, so take care if you have a low-clearance car. Once you get to the preserve, you start
Cascade and Saxl are two parks with two different characters attached by a short trail. Cascade is small (7.4 acres) and situated on a hill that makes some of its trails quite steep. Its highlight is a pool and fountain surrounded by flat pathways, gardens and benches. There is a manmade waterfall and stream. If
Though the trail system at Dorothea Dix Park could have used a bit of caretaking — and more blazes! — when I visited, it is worth trying to figure out the trail system to make it down to the view of the Penobscot River. From the trail head off Route 1A, it’s about 0.6 miles to the