A Very Late Update!

Well, school started and we still hadn’t reached our goal of walking all of the Portland Trails, so we forged ahead and decided that hiking in the fall is a great activity. On September 4th we zipped over to Westbrook after work and walked the Westbrook River Walk. Parking our car in a lot off of Bridge Street, we traveled the paved gentle trail from our car into Westbrook’s Riverbank Park. There were other walkers and bikers along the way. This trail was a great choice for an after work walk to clear our heads.

On September 25th we headed to Falmouth to locate the Falmouth Nature Preserve. The hardest part of our day was locating the entrance to the trail. There is a small white sign with FNP painted in black. Keep your eyes open. Once you park your car in the small lot, you will be extremely pleased that you have found this trail system. This system is well marked and provides an opportunity for a long hike if you complete all of the trails. We will return to this area later in the fall to view the foliage.

October began and we decided to head to South Portland to hike the South Portland Greenbelt Walkway. It begins at the Wainwright Recreation Center, which is located on outer Highland Avenue, on the right. Parking was a bit tricky, since there were many soccer games going on at the time. At the center we picked up the paved trail that meandered through a wooded area, across Broadway, through neighborhoods near the water, through the Mill Creek Shopping Center area, and finally along the water to the Bug Light Park. What a great trail this is!!! It is almost 6 miles long and the park at Bug Light provides hikers with fabulous views of Portland Harbor. Plus, it is a longer hike for those who want to burn a few extra calories.

Back Out There!

While our pace has slowed, we still have every intention of reaching our goal of walking all of the Portland Trails. And while we may run a couple of weeks beyond the end of summer (following the calendar), we are determined to complete our goal. Fall is such a nice time for hiking and this challenge it is a great excuse to get out there!

Over Labor Day weekend, we walked the Fore River Trail and the connecting Thompson’s Point section. The total mileage was 1.3 miles. We parked on Hobart Street to pick up the trail and were very pleased to see signage which explained about the Julie N oil spill and the damage it caused. The trail offers some beautiful views of the Fore River and was an easy jaunt.

The Thompson Point section was fun to walk. The view towards the water is great, but to one side of the trail there are warehouses, scrap metal, and assorted vehicles which appear to be neglected. It will be great if they can eventually connect this trail to the Fore River Parkway Trail.

This past Wednesday we headed over to Westbrook to complete the Westbrook River Walk. This area of the city has certainly enjoyed quite a revitalization over the last few years, and the trail adds a pleasant, easy walking path from which to enjoy the river view.

A Return to the Trails

View from the Spring Point Shore Trail

Trail Meets Willard Beach

After a long absence from the trails, due to family medical issues, we returned to our hiking this week and headed to South Portland to walk the Spring Point Shore Trail, a 1.6 mile trek along the shore. Parking was available at the Bug Light Park, so we started there and headed down the trail to Willard Beach. There are many reasons to walk this trail.  The view is amazing, and it was a good reminder that the islands (House and Peaks) are close to this point. The trail can include a hike along Willard Beach and a visit to a beach is always on our list of things to do. Finally, the trail can be combined with a visit to Scratch Bakery, one of the best bakeries in the area. We finished our hike with a stop there, and then hiked back through the neighborhood to our car, thus creating a walk that surpassed two miles. Put this trail on your list for sure!!!  

As the calendar flipped from July to August, Kathleen planned a weekend of hiking for us in North Deering.  We focused on the Presumpscot River area, one section of the Portland trails we both had never visited.  What an amazing surprise awaited us!  

Saturday, we drove to the trail head at the end of Overset Road and hiked into the Presumpscot River Preserve. The day was a perfect Maine Day-clear, crisp and about 75 degrees.  When you arrive at the river, you can choose to travel up river or down river, and either way you will enjoy this beautiful spot.  Is this really the Portland area?  We hiked downstream first, which is where you find the Presumpscot Falls.  This part of the trail ends at private property, although the day we hiked there was no sign indicating we had entered this property.  You should probably stop when you reach the falls.  The path headed upstream hugs the river’s edge, as well, although there are small “loop” paths off to the left.  The trail continues under the highway overpass. When we finished in the Presumpscot River Preserve, we tried to find the trail head for the Oat Nuts Park Trail because the write-up on our map intrigued us.  According to the Portland Trails, this land “was originally an old subdivision of very small lots, the deeds of which could be found in boxes of Oat Nuts cereal.”  A brief search of the web unearthed some additional information about these land plots.  At outdoor travels.com they shared that “the name of the trails came from a cereal company that ran a promotion in the 1930’s where they parceled out 10’ x 10’ plots of land ‘in the Maine woods’ for those who ate enough Oat Nuts cereal and sent in the box tops. Largely unused and unclaimed, the city eventually used imminent domain to claim the land and build a park.”  What a great piece of Portland history!

So on Sunday, we returned to North Deering to hike the Oat Nuts trail.  We parked at the trail head on Summit Street and walked into the woods.  Once again we found a well-maintained trail that was being used and enjoyed by local residents.  The length of the trail is about a half a mile, and when you walk it you can connect directly to the Presumpscot River Preserve, allowing you to put together a substantial hike for yourself.  These will be gorgeous trails in the fall, and we will definitely return.  

Trail head behind the Lyseth playground

The cathedral pines of Pine Grove Park. 

Next we headed to the back of Lyseth School to walk the Lyseth/Moore/Pine Grove Trail.  We started at the back of the playground behind Lyseth, and the trailhead is well-marked.  This is a short hike across Allen Avenue into the Pine Grove Park. 

The mowed path in the meadow behind PATHS High School. 

One thing we have learned this summer is that the Portland Trails “list” has been evolving.  We have been using our 2nd edition map of the Portland Trails, but it is now clear that this does not exactly match the list on the Portland Trails website.  Our assumption is that the website is the most accurate, and that is how we found ourselves walking the “PATHS” trail even though this trail is not currently featured on the web.  Of course, after hiking the trail we can see that it is not well-maintained, a sure signed that it had “disappeared” from the “official” list.  We picked up this trail at the end of Sky Lark Road, and it took us awhile to figure out the correct trail to PATHS.  When we finally made our way to the Portland School, we had many thoughts including: 

-Why aren’t the students of PATHS involved in maintaining this trail?  (Although someone is clearly mowing the section that goes through a large field.)  

-Who owns all of the land behind the school? 

-Why does it not appear that this is part of the Portland Trails anymore? 

This is a trail we would not revisit soon, but we hope that the students and teachers of PATHS notice the great treasure behind the school. 

Our final stop of last weekend was the Presumpscot River Trail and again we found a stunning local spot.  This trail takes you along the north shore of the river and is quite a steep and challenging hike, but well worth the effort.  

This busy weekend was filled with four trails on the list and one that appears to have been removed from the list.  The trails of the Portland waterfront and South Portland await!

A Weekend on the Trails

During weekend walks throughout the year, but particularly in the fall and spring, we regularly include the Capisic Pond Trail as part of our personal walking route, but we wanted to walk it again as part of our official "walk all of the Portland Trails" summer adventure. A recent Press Herald article featured a timely nature talk sponsored by Portland Trails, since the trail will soon disappear while work on the sewer line is completed. Participants on the walk echoed what we noticed-where is Capisic Pond? The cattails are definitely taking over as this picture shows, filling in the area on both sides of Capisic Street.

We will certainly miss this trail over the next few months but hope that this project succeeds in improving the water quality of the area.

Today we stopped at the trail at Martin’s Point. As teachers in the Portland Public Schools, we spent many hours at the old Marine Hospital, which served as the headquarters for the school district until recently. We were amazed at the building that is going on in this area, but confused about the trail. In most of the areas we have hiked, the trailhead is marked with a Portland Trails sign, but this was not the case at Martin’s Point. After walking the paved trail on the water side of the building and checking the Portland Trails map, we concluded that we had indeed walked the trail even though there was no official signage. The memorial to the USS Reuben James (the first Navy ship lost during WWII) and to all the Mainers lost in World War II in sea related duty was a surprise to us and would provide a “teachable moment” for youngsters walking the trail. The highlight of this trail is the gorgeous view.

Finally, we headed to Mackworth Island, where we had spent many hours when our children were young. It’s a great mile plus, gentle trail, hugging the perimeter of Mackworth Island. Parking is easy, although sometimes the lot is full. A new addition to the island is the request for the payment of an entrance fee, which is at the trailhead.

Our memories traveled back to the days of packing a light snack and heading to Mackworth with preschoolers in tow. I think the island provided us with a few moments of sanity and relaxation that we were so grateful for at the time. We know they would have loved the fairy house activity that is now a part of the trail.

Well, maybe we can bring our grandchildren to build a house someday!!!

Walking a New Trail

The work of Portland Trails continues daily.  As we are working our way through the list of 30 trails on the website, we have discovered that there are trails on the 2nd edition map that are not on the list of 30 trails AND that there are new trails being added, as well.  One example is the new Bayside Trail which was recently celebrated at the July Greendrinks.

So instead of heading to Fox Street and Greendrinks, we headed directly to the Bayside Trail after dinner yesterday.  What a great addition to this neighborhood! From reading the history of the trail it is clear that the neighborhood is supporting this joint effort between Portland Trails and the Trust for Public Land.  The trail follows the old Union Branch railroad easement and connects the Back Cove and Eastern Prom trails to Elm Street.  Signs marking the trail and the supporters of the decade long trail planning help walkers who are not familiar with this area locate the trail.  This was one trail we could walk without changing into our sneakers and it is generally flat and bricked.  Fundraising for this project continues as the vision for this area includes landscaping, public art and benches.  As trail advocates have boasted, when it is completed, this trail will have provided an “extreme makeover” for this area of Bayside.  Photos from the trail:
 

Gisland Farm, Maine Audubon

Gisland Farm is a great sanctuary in the Greater Portland area. It is 65 acres that include the headquarters for the Maine Audubon and a nice selection of hiking trails.  The parking lot is right next to the headquarter, with easy access from the parking lot to the three major trails: North Meadow, West Meadow and Pond Trail. At the trail head there is a helpful map of the trails at the farm. Behind one section of the parking lot is a gorgeous peony garden, so if you are there when the peonies are blooming make sure to bring your camera.

We made two visits to Gisland Farm. The first time we stopped we walked the North Meadow Trail. One things we noticed immediately were the sculptures of Wendy Klemperer. This artist uses industrial materials to construct species in steel including wolves, elk, and deer. Art curator June Lacombe brings the sculptures to this setting and other artists featured include LIse Becu and Ray Carbone. The sculptures and the beautiful vistas along this trail would make a great destination for children and adults alike.

On our return visit to Gisland Farm, we walked the Pond Trail and the West Meadow Trail. The water lilies in the pond were beautiful and it would be another nice spot for a picnic lunch.
All of the trails are gentle and peaceful. Cameras are recommended!! You never know when you might see a wild turkey.

According to the Maine Audubon website, snowshoes are available for rent in the winter, so we will put this activity on our “bucket list” for January and we look forward to returning any time of year.

Holiday Hiking-2

Our second hike of the long holiday weekend was at the old Riverton Trolley Park, near the boundary of Portland and Westbrook.

The beginning of the trail on the Forest Avenue side. 

According to the Portland Trails website, and information from Kathleen’s grandmother, the park was the last stop on the Portland trolley system. When you arrived here, you felt like you were “waaay” out of town. The park was a recreational site for residents and included boat rides, an outdoor amphitheater and a croquet court. If you visit the Maine Memory Net website you can see pictures of the area in its heyday.

Parking for this trails is available on Riverside Street, next to the ball field. We entered from Forest Avenue, and found parking across the street from the entrance.

This trail had more hills that we had found on previous trails. The walk was beautiful and much of the trail takes you along side the Presumpscot River. You can see some evidence of the beautiful stone work that marked the entrance to this fun destination of the early 1900s.

Stone work at the old entrance to the Trolley Park

Again, we enjoyed most of this walk in the woods and we spent about thirty minutes exploring this area. It would be a great place to take a picnic lunch on a hot day and we found one spot with some sturdy benches and a great view!

What a great spot in Portland!

Holiday Weekend Hikes

Well, the heat is on in Portland and we thought it would be a good time to visit a couple of trails in wooded areas. So yesterday we got an early start at Evergreen Cemetery in Portland.

A View of Evergreen Cemetery

While some of the trail is on the paved roads of the cemetery, there are some lovely wooded trails up behind the pond in the back. These trails are narrow at times and take you behind Warren Avenue and near the field by UNE that is used by Lincoln students. It was a lovely hike back in there, especially on a sweltering day. We kept our eyes out for moose, but no luck!

A section of the wooded trails behind the pond area

There is a great deal of history in this area. There are many notable interments including: Nathan Clifford, James Phinney Baxter and Percival P. Baxter. The Baxter gravesite is noted on the Portland Trails map, but it actually took us some time to find it, so here is a picture to help you.

The Baxter gravesite

There is an office at the cemetery, but since we walked it on a federal holiday (July 5th) the office was closed. Maps of the cemetery are available in the office on weekdays, which we have been very helpful.

We entered the trail area from the end of Brentwood, but you can also gain access from Stevens Avenue and the end of Woodvale.

The entrance at the end of Brentwood Street.  We parked the car right here. 

If you were up for 2 hours of hiking, you could combine all of the cemetery with the trail at Baxter Woods, which is directly across the street on Stevens Avenue.

This is a great area for leisurely hiking, and you can set an aggressive pace, as well. On a July day it offers more shade than Back Cove, so this is a hike you should consider this summer!

What a Gorgeous Day!!!

Today was one of those perfect Maine days-lots of sunshine and clear air. We took advantage of the day by walking the Fore River Sanctuary trail.

There are many ways to enter this trail. We happened to enter at the end of Rowe Avenue, near Nasson’s Corner (our entrance is pictured here),


but you can also pick up the trail at the end of Starbird, and through the entrance on outer Congress Street. According to the website, parking is available on Hobart Street.

The Fore River Trail offers residents and tourists alike the opportunity to take a nice, long hike right in Portland. If you were to explore all of the trails smaller trails, as well as the main trail, you would probably spend a couple of hours in the area; this would include time to photograph the wildlife and beautiful vistas from the trail.

One exciting bonus to this trail is Jewel Falls, Portland’s only waterfall. When we passed the falls, there were several people resting in the area and enjoying the view. It would be a great destination for a picnic lunch!


Overall, the trails are well marked, although we felt there were places where additional markings were needed.
The Portland Trails map does not show all of the smaller trails that are off-shoots of the main trail.

Finally, a lesson in history along with a walk along the trail would be the perfect day activity for middle school students and their parents. In 1996 the Julie N, an oil tanker, was involved in an oil spill in this area. Young people could read about the oil spill online and then hike the trail to see what has happened to this area in the last 15 years. A very appropriate lesson given our daily news.

Enjoy the beautiful views at the Fore River Trail!

Baxter Woods

Off to Baxter Woods!


It is very typical that when you live near a special area, you often overlook it. That is the case with Baxter Woods! We had never walked the trails in this area. So, on Monday we set off to find the trail head behind the old Baxter School. The new school being built in this area is now called the Ocean Avenue School and will be finished soon.

We found one entry point directly behind the school, although there are other ways to enter in this area, including the end of Irving Street. The part of the trail behind the new Ocean Avenue School is not particularly well-maintained. One example is this bridge on the trail:



You want to follow the trail over the railroad track and between two businesses until you come to Forest Avenue. Carefully cross Forest Avenue and at that point you officially enter the Baxter Woods Trail.


This trail is well maintained and has very wide paths-reminding us of the Carriage Trails in Acadia. The large trails make a big loop in the woods. At the Stevens Avenue entry, there is a nice description of the history of the woods at this entry, and some tips regarding the wildlife in the woods.




If you follow the Portland Trails map, you can follow the trail from Stevens Avenue, to the trail behind the Ocean Avenue School and all the way to Back Cove. This would be a nice city hike!

And We're Off......

June 23, 2010 Today we started out on our "quest" to walk all of the Portland Trails this summer. The day was gloomy, but when the rain stopped we headed to Falmouth to the site of many fond memories-The Maze Craze Playground. The playground structure has been replaced and moved, but in the woods nearby a trail has been created for hiking, with several exercise stations scattered throughout.   We thought this trail would be a good place to start because it didn't look lengthy and we were familiar with the area, or so we thought.  Twenty five minutes after finding the sign that we thought would lead us to the trail head, we finally found it. So beware! We have also added a photo of the trail head, which is before and to the left of the sign.   Photo of the Trail Head We learned a lot on our journey today: 1)  Don't assume the trail is well marked.  This one was not.2)  Bring a small notebook and a pencil in our pack.  We would love to give our readers accurate information about the trails.  3)Bring a phone.  That way we can receive texts about the US Soccer team while we are walking.4)There are more than the 30 trails on the map.There are 30 trails that are numbered and described on the map, but then there are several trails which are shown on the map, but not described or numbered. This was one of them.   This trail head is located between the Lunt School and the Plummer-Motz School in Falmouth, at the site which once held the fabulously famous Maze Craze playground.  The pictures included are of the sign, the trail head and a view of the trail as we were walking.  Since we are just beginning with our blogging skills as well, we apologize that they are not labeled. Overall,this was a nice walk but we were disappointed with the markings on the trail and the general maintenance.

Summer Begins!

Our goal this summer is to explore all of the trails of the Portland Trails system and post our experiences/thoughts.  Check back to read our thoughts and see the pictures of this local treasure!
Signed, K and K