Dog-Friendly – Hiking in Maine

Reid State Park Loop

October 7, 2026October 7, 2026Undercover Hiker7 Comments

East Beach, Reid State Park, Georgetown, ME

Reid State Park in Georgetown, Maine is at the southeast corner of the long coastal peninsula formed by the Kennebec River to the west and the Sheepscot River to the east. In 2015, Reid’s popular beaches were named #1 in New England for surfing by the Boston Globe. The fee for day use of Reid State Park, payable at a box the entry gate (not usually manned in non-summer months, is $6 for Maine residents, $8 for non-residents, and $2 for non-resident seniors (veterans are free with a Maine Veteran State Park Pass). Dogs are allowed, but not on the beach April 1st – September 30 (to protect nesting plover), and must be leashed at all times. We have visited in fall and at the tail-end of the winter season, enjoying the peace and quiet (and no bugs).

As the parking lot at Todd’s Point was not yet open, in the fall and winter we park by the East Beach or at Griffith Head (bathrooms there), and begin our hike from either of those lots, moving in an easy clockwise loop of about 4.6 to 4.8 miles, covering Reid State Park’s best features in about two hours. The park does have a map, accessible from a link on the state park website. This map, though no doubt made available by a dedicated public servant, is terrible for hiking. First, know that the official map is upside-down, meaning north is at the bottom. Additionally, no trails are listed. Above is a screenshot of the correctly-oriented All Trails route we took, with helpful labels added by daughter. The East Beach has a group picnic site overlooking the ocean, with a large shelter from the sun or inclement weather.

Picnic table at Griffith Head, Reid State Park, Georgetown, ME.

Paths connect picnic sites, but to start our hike, we walked south on a footpath alongside Griffith’s Head Road, crossing a small tidal inlet of the Sheepscot, where a red-breasted merganser rode the current foraging for food. We quickly arrived at Griffith Head, where buildings are sometimes shuttered for the winter (note: a pit toilet can sometimes be the only open winter bathroom). Picnic tables overlook the water, a perfect quiet stop to eat and watch the waves for seals.

Mile Beach from Todd’s Point, Reid State Park, Georgetown, ME

We walked down a stone staircase to Mile Beach, and the sun, sea air, and the sound of the waves filled the next mile of our walk along the sand. The rocky promentory of Todd’s Point rises above the water, with a short climb yielding great views in all directions. Here, the bathing facilities were shuttered, as well, with the empty parking lots between Mile Beach and Half Mile Beach roped off until the summer season.

Half Mile Beach, Reid State Park, Georgetown, ME

We looked briefly at Half Mile Beach, then walked behind the dunes on a spur trail between the beach and the Little River, which can be closed in winter to protect the dunes. When open, this trail emerges with a long view towards Popham Beach. Returning through birdsong, we found the trailhead for the Little River Trail, unmarked but for a small wooden sign, on the northwest side of the lower (south) parking lot, past a series of picnic tables. This trail wound along the salt marsh alongside the Little River, with long ridges between the trail and water, and small boardwalks over streams.

Salt Marsh, Little River, Reid State Park, Georgetown, ME

We heard woodpeckers and a bald eagle patrolling the open woods to the east. A large hill with a water tower, crossed by power lines, marked the highest point. A trail labeled as the Loop Trail divides at a woods road, with right taking you east to Todd’s Point Road and the park entrance, and left towards North Boundary Road and Seguinland Road. We turned left to make a longer loop.

Little River Trailhead from Todd’s Point, Reid State Park, Georgetown, ME

This trail skirted the edge of Ice Pond, along Seguinland Road, before turning back into the woods. We explored a spur on this small pond, where a prominent beaver lodge commanded the lagoon. A hermit thrush sang close to the path, and I played a thrush song from my phone, causing the curious bird to walk towards us with its chest puffed out and its mouth open. In October, we saw a large number of garter snakes enjoying the sunlight on the path. We continued through the woods until reaching the park entrance again, and then turned onto Griffith’s Head Road to return to the car. What to do post-hike? The center of Georgetown is at the end of Route 127, and in the summer months, Five Islands Lobster, adjacent to an ice cream shack, presides over unrivaled ocean views.

Beaver lodge on Ice Pond, Reid State Park, Georgetown, ME

Rockland Bog Overlook Trail

September 27, 2026October 4, 2026Undercover HikerLeave a comment

The Rockland Bog Overlook Trail is a short lollipop loop trail on land owned by the town of Rockland and maintained by the Georges River Land Trust (GRLT), both of whom have maps on their websites. The trail begins at a small gravel lot off Bog Road, where there were three other cars when I went there midday in late August. This parking lot is plowed in the winter, allowing for winter use. The trail is open from sunrise to sunset, and according to AllTrails, dogs are allowed on-leash. The narrow, blue-blazed path started with a variety of wildflowers, which give way to ferns and forest as you cross a small wooden bridge.

Rockland Bog Overlook Trail, Rockland, Maine

Apple trees off to the right and a stonewall to the left indicated what appeared to be a former orchard. Now, the quantity of insects was consistent with the proximity to a bog. Just past a dry creek, shortly after crossing over the stonewall, the trail split at about a quarter mile into the lollipop loop portion, which I took counterclockwise.

Stone wall, Rockland Bog Overlook Trail, Rockland, Maine

I heard plenty of birds, including the loud cawing of crows and eastern wood pee-wees. At the end of the trail, a massive mushroom sat by a tree marking the end of the trail, which appears to be under construction to continue longer.

Viewpoint of bog, Rockland Bog Overlook Trail, Rockland, Maine

About halfway down the return loop, an overlook is available of the bog, which was impressive. A beaver lodge was visible even through the tall grass, through which birds moved back and forth. From here, it was a short walk back to the parking lot, a total of just under 3/4 of a mile, easily completed in under 20 minutes.

Tower Hill Trail (Grand Lake Stream, ME)

August 17, 2026Undercover Hiker1 Comment

The Tower Hill Trail is part of the great trails maintained by the Downeast Lakes Land Trust (DLLT), centered in Grand Lake Stream. The parking lot for the trail (well-marked with a wooden sign) is on Tower Road, just past its namesake cellular tower (physical address is 86 Canal Street, Grand Lake Stream). The road is a bit bumpy, and if you’re driving a vehicle with low clearance, you want to either take it very slow, or just park at the public boat launch, which will only add another .6 miles to your hike. This is the same spot from which you can access the Little Mayberry Cove Trail. Dogs are allowed, under control, and you must clean up after them.

The trail itself is a little over a tenth of a mile up Tower Road, clearly marked with another wooden sign and a sign-in kiosk. The well-maintained trail, marked alternately by blue paint blazes and the attractive blue DLLT placards, begins through a mixed forest. The path, while carpeted with pine needles, contains a fair amount of rocks and roots underfoot throughout. The relatively open forest allowed for the sound of a hermit thrush to echo through it (and about 3/4 mile in, I ended up seeing a hermit thrush alight from the trail and land on a tree branch).

Lightning-burnt hollow tree, Tower Hill Trail, Grand Lake Stream, ME

A low green area to the right of the path appeared to be a bog or a stream during times with a little more rain, but due to drought, I didn’t see any water. About 4/10 of a mile in, there are wooden signs offering the destinations Bonney Brook Lake (forward) and Town (back to the start) as well as a turnoff for the Storybook Trail which was listed as closed. The trees continued to shade the path which was appreciated on this sunny August day, and a breeze off the lake kept the worst of the bugs in check. The trail was very quiet, despite it being a summer Sunday, with no other cars in the parking lot, and only one other party, a family with children, on the trail.

A gentle climb takes you to the top of a hill and then a series of switchbacks back down to its base as the trail parallels Bonney Brook Road, then eventually crosses it. A wooden sign on the opposite side marks its new path. Shortly after the road crossing, an unmarked footpath down to the right through the grass leads to views of Bonney Brook, but more importantly in August, a high stand of ripe blueberries.

Bonney Brook Lake, Tower Hill Trail, Grand Lake Stream, ME

Bonney Brook Lake appeared off to the right, overlooked by a sturdy deer stand. A more traditional view was available at about one and a half miles in, via a side trail down to the lake, even equipped with a bench for sitting. The lake is impressive, covered in green pads and white lilies. The path itself is lined with huckleberry bushes, with a few tall wild blueberries poking their way through, as well. At a second viewpoint, a large rock jutted into the lake and next to it on a smaller rock, a turtle performatively splayed one back leg in the air.

View through trees of Bonney Brook Lake, Tower Hill Trail, Grand Lake Stream, ME

The trail, narrowed by blueberry growth winds a little bit higher before letting out again on Bonney Brook Road at a little over 2 miles, and then a brief walk to the on the road reconnected to Tower Hill Trail on the left. From here, it’s about a mile to complete the 3.2 mile loop. After a wooded section, a wooden sign turns you left to the trailhead down a road listed on the map as Pappy‘s Way. It’s a quiet gravel road, allowing room for a breeze, and follow the DLLT signs uphill until about 3/4 of a mile to the left, (you’ll be breathing a little heavier), you will turn onto Tower Road again to complete the loop.

My All Trails app clocked it at about 3.3 miles, which Pig and I did easily in less than an hour and a half on a hot August afternoon. Need something to eat or drink? Sometimes the lack of choices in a place are a good thing, and Grand Lake Stream’s Pine Tree Store is a full service outdoor and food stop.

Pig negotiating plank bridge, Tower Hill Trail, Grand Lake Stream, ME

Moxie Falls

May 31, 2026Undercover HikerLeave a comment

Moxie Falls, located in The Forks, Maine, has a drop of about 80 feet, making it one of the biggest in New England, and a truly impressive spectacle. The easy, well-traveled trail is about 2 miles north of Route 201, which follows the path of the Kennebec River in this area. There is a large, well-marked parking area (“Moxie Falls Scenic Area”) on the left side of Lake Moxie Road. The trail itself is about 2 miles, depending on how many diversions you take. On a sunny late May day, we followed the trail in a Y-shape to the upper falls, then the main event, Moxie Falls, totaling about 2.4 miles, and taking about an hour. Dogs under control are allowed, there is no camping or fires, and carry-in/carry-out policy is in effect. We used AllTrails to navigate (download beforehand, as very little cell service in the valley through which the falls run). A full description and map is also available in the great Hiking Waterfalls Maine book.

Moxie Stream Upper Falls, Moxie Falls Trail, The Forks, Maine

The path itself is wide and easy, starting as a gravel woods road, bounded by hobblebush, cedar, and wildflowers. An aged wooden sign documents the gift of 217 acres, the land for the scenic area, by the Coburn Lands Trust and agreement with Central Maine Power. We saw white and red trillium, lady slipper, jack-in-the-pulpit, blue-bead lilies, and many other flowering plants. Birds abounded, with the calls of robins, vireos, jays, and the least flycatcher. Bugs can be a problem here, and we saw at least one group wearing headnets, but likely due to some cold nights and a stiff breeze, the mosquitoes and black flies were not a factor.

Moxie Stream, Moxie Falls Trail, The Forks, Maine

We first turned right to make our way to the Upper Falls, and the presence of spiderwebs on the trail indicated that most people bypassed it to head to Moxie Falls. These smaller falls were quietly beautiful, and we turned toward the slow downhill, with steps, that leads to Moxie Falls, and its viewing platforms. Serviceberry flowered next to Moxie Stream, with birds flying back and forth, searching for insects and small fish.

Moxie Falls, Moxie Falls Trail, The Forks, Maine

Moxie Falls are impressive, and recent rains made for a crashing spectacle, viewable from a series of platforms and breaks in the trees along the trail. We took our photos, felt the spray, and turned toward the parking lot. On this occasion, we had packed some sandwiches that we enjoyed at The Forks Rest Area, a quiet spot with picnic tables and a pit toilet at the intersection of Route 201 and Lake Moxie Road. Previously, we have eaten at The Hawk’s Nest Restaurant and Pub, which has tables overlooking the Kennebec.

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Stroudwater River Trail

May 9, 2026May 31, 2026Undercover HikerLeave a comment

Stroudwater River Trail, part of Portland Trails’ extensive Forest City Trail network, is a 3.3 mile one-way (6.6 mile out-and-back) path beginning at Rivers’ Edge Drive, off outer Congress Street, that primarily follows the slow, muddy, meandering Stroudwater River where Portland meets Westbrook, crosses Spring Street, and ends at Smiling Hill Farm. This trail is popular with mountain bikers, trail runners and dog walkers.

The full trail (see Portland Trails’ page) is unavailable from November 1 to April 1, as the area west from Portland’s Blueberry Road to Westbrook’s Cardinal Street is closed in the winter as a deeryard to provide a winter habitat for these animals. Stroudwater Trail is an island of green in a fairly developed area of Maine, and the sounds and smells of industry and transit permeate much of the walk.

USMC Osprey flying over Stroudwater Trail, Portland, ME

The trail crosses underneath noisy I-95, and is flown over by thundering Jetport air traffic, but still maintains intervals of peace and quiet. On one late June day, we saw a U.S. Marine Corps Osprey vertical takeoff/landing plane doing test flights overhead.

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Day Ridges Preserve (Gouldsboro, ME)

May 3, 2026May 31, 2026Undercover HikerLeave a comment

Plank bridge, Day Ridges Preserve, Gouldsboro, Maine

Day Ridges Preserve, off Route One in Gouldsboro, is maintained by the Frenchman Bay Conservancy. Their site includes a trail map, as well as a paddling map, as the Preserve has access to West Bay Pond, as well as a suggested canoe route (and a canoe to borrow, if you plan ahead). Hunting is not allowed at Day Ridges. Dogs are allowed at Frenchman Bay Conservancy Preserves, off-leash if under voice control, unless otherwise posted.

The parking area is well-marked, and just off Route One, with an information kiosk. To reach the trails or the canoe launch, use the woods road. On the sunny August day that Pig the dog and I checked out the Preserve, the road was under construction. It was hot and sandy, lined with sweet fern, and birds popping out of the tree line. At a little under a quarter mile in, a marsh lined the road, and beavers had obviously been busy fortifying their watery territory.

Cedar swamp, Day Ridges Preserve, Gouldsboro, Maine

We ended up turning around at about 3.4 of a mile, due to the heavy machinery on the road, and decided to take the wooded trails instead of going all the way to West Bay Pond. We turned off onto the white trail marked with its namesake blazes. The White Trail started with a plank walkway over moss and ferns, a much more pleasant experience than the dust-choked road in progress. After winding through winterberry, blueberry, and sweet fern, we took a left on the white trail to make a somewhat longer loop. This trail had just a slight elevation to it, a climb up hills and next to big, bruising boulders. The mixed forest was full of birds, including northern flicker, chickadee, and the unmistakable call of a hermit thrush through the mixed forest. We continued on the outer loop, taking a left onto the blue trail.

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Schoodic Mountain

April 25, 2026May 9, 2026Undercover Hiker2 Comments

Schoodic Mountain (1,069 ft) is a relatively low mountain with excellent views due to its open summit and prime coastal location in Hancock County’s Donnell Pond Public Reserved Land, just south of the Blackwoods Scenic Byway (Rte 182). This is about a 2.8 mile loop, and it took about an hour and a half, with plenty of stops to enjoy. Consider adding more time to take a swim at Schoodic Beach. Full description and maps are available in the excellent books Dog-Friendly Hikes in Maine or the AMC Maine Mountain Guide, or free/printable from Maine’s DPPRL site. Dogs are allowed off-leash on the trails, if under strict control, but must be on-leash at beaches and campsites, and cleaned up after at all places.

Schoodic Mountain Trail, Donnell Pond Public Reserved Land

Prior to 7 AM on a Monday morning in August, the parking lot on Schoodic Beach Road was almost entirely full, mostly with people staying overnight at the camping areas. Pig (the dog) and I found a parking spot and then the trailhead for the Schoodic Mountain Trail, which is right next to the outhouse. This path starts downhill, marked by blue blazes, and crosses over a small bubbling stream. After this, the trail shifts uphill over rocks and roots.

Up the hill there’s a field of massive boulders, with the trail weaving its way through them. Pig and I continued winding up the gentle ridges on switchbacks over rocks and roots through moss, boulders and ferns. At just under half a mile, the view to the right begins to open up as the trail climbs up the ridge, taking on a more rolling (up and down) aspect, following some obstructed views.

View from Schoodic Mountain summit, Donnell Pond Public Reserved Land

Low wild, blueberry bushes line both sides of the trail, and in this mid-August heat, the leaves were still green, but the fruit had since gone by. A few dry powder-blue berries remained. Higher up, there were a few more huckleberries. The trees were lower and scrubbier as the climb continued.

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Peaks Island Loop

November 30, 2025April 11, 2026Undercover HikerLeave a comment

Casco Bay Lines Ferry Terminal, Portland, Maine

What is a hike, really, but a long walk, preferably in the countryside? Sometimes the sense of getting away can be amplified by the journey to get to the hike’s starting point, whether it be a long drive through strange places, a bus ride, or in this case, a boat trip. While it may seem hard to escape the (relative) bustle of Maine’s largest city, a 4-mile loop with birds, flowers, and ocean vistas is only seventeen minutes away via Casco Bay Lines. Like Moosehead’s Mount Kineo, this hike begins after a short ferry ride, a trip across Portland Harbor to Peaks Island, part of the city of Portland.

Rugosa roses and view of Cushing Island from Peaks Island, Maine

The Casco Bay Lines Terminal is located at 56 Commercial Street, Portland, Maine, and the ferry schedule is posted here. As of November 2025, round-trip tickets are $7.20 for adults (14 and over), $3.60 for kids/seniors/disabled, and free for children under 5. These typically double in peak season, mid-April to mid-October. Dogs can go on the ferry, they must be leashed, and their tickets are $4.50. You can bring bikes for a small fee, or rent them on-island (golf carts can also be rented, but that’s not hiking). The voyage from Portland to Peaks allows views of Fort Gorges, the harbor, seabirds, and occasional seals.

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Oak Point Trail (Sunkhaze NWR)

October 19, 2025Undercover HikerLeave a comment

Birch Stream in morning light, Oak Point Trail, Sunkhaze Meadows NWR, Milford, ME

The Oak Point Trail is a 2.8 mile out-and-back trail at Sunkhaze Meadows National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) in Milford, Maine, a town on the Penobscot just north of Bangor. Sunkhaze NWR is a 11,485 acre refuge that protects the Sunkhaze Meadows peat bog, as well as a large concentration of migratory birds. I navigated using the AllTrails app, but the best description and map are hosted by the Friends of Sunkhaze Meadows. Oak Point Trail is in the middle of the three trails on the south side of the NWR, next to Johnson Brook and Carter Meadow Trails, and directly across from The Nature Conservancy’s Bradley-Sunkhaze Preserve. As with all these trails at Sunkhaze NWR, they can be oppressively buggy and wet in late spring and early summer. I enjoyed the brisk, bug-free chill of mid-September. Dogs are allowed, but must be leashed at all times. Hunting is allowed, so wear blaze orange during hunting seasons.

Oak Point Trail, Sunkhaze Meadows NWR, Milford, ME

There’s a clearing between the trail and County Road that does not appear designed for parking. It’s better to park in the lot across County Road by Birch Stream. Small side trails to the right shortly after the hike’s beginning the hike have views from the banks of slow-moving Birch Stream. The surrounding forest rang with the morning calls of many large, loud jays. This trail is grassy and a bit overgrown, but easy to walk and to navigate. The light behind the forest to the right (east) slowly begins to open up to the large open marshy meadow behind it.

Viewpoint, Oak Point Trail, Sunkhaze Meadows NWR, Milford, ME

The marsh itself is visible through short spur trails to the right close to the end of the trail, and then at the end of the trail. I could see small songbirds hiding in the bushes surrounding the marsh, with many jays calling again. The tracks and flattened and trampled grass left behind by deer and moose were passive evidence of the recent presence of these larger animals. At the trail’s end there were more limited views, but several yellow-rumped warblers, hovering and moving around, waiting impatiently for me to leave. The easy, flat path was about an hour.

Morning light on Oak Point Trail, Sunkhaze Meadows NWR, Milford, ME

Johnson Brook Trail (Sunkhaze NWR)

September 26, 2025Undercover Hiker3 Comments

Johnson Brook Trail, Sunkhaze National Wildlife Refuge, Milford, Maine

Johnson Brook Trail is a 3.3 mile loop trail at Sunkhaze Meadows National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) in Milford, Maine, a town on the Penobscot by Orono/Old Town. Sunkhaze is a 11,485 acre refuge that protects the Sunkhaze Meadows peat bog, as well as a large concentration of migratory birds. I navigated using the AllTrails app, but the best description and map are hosted by the Friends of Sunkhaze Meadows. Johnson Brook is the farthest east of the three trails on the south side of the NWR, next to Oak Point and Carter Meadow Trails. Dogs are allowed, but must be leashed at all times. Hunting is allowed, so wear blaze orange during hunting seasons. I started early (right at sunrise) on a mid-September morning from the small parking lot, with a definite chill in the air. From experience, Sunkhaze much earlier in the season can be pretty wet and buggy. I started along the flat, easy trail, with the sound of barking dogs at a nearby residence giving way to jays and chattering red squirrels.

Beaver pond spur on Johnson Brook Trail, Sunkhaze National Wildlife Refuge, Milford, Maine

The righthand spur heads east off the loop trail at about 4/10 of a mile, and I took this to see the beaver pond. The changing colors of the ferns and the deciduous trees, as well as the mist rising from the pond in the cool morning made this trip (less than a third of a mile) well worthwhile. At a little over a mile on the loop trail, you will reach a couple of raised boardwalks over the marsh, just before the second spur trail, which goes off to the right. At the time I came through, this spur was clearly marked off by a sign with a red line through a hiker, so it’s closed for now.

After another boardwalk, the trail turns left to return to the east side of the loop. At this turn, there is a path back to County Road and there are two interpretive displays on vernal pools and songbirds. The trail and a bench on this part of the loop are dedicated to Janice Beckett, a former president of the Friends of Sunkhaze Meadows. I visited on a dry fall day, but the many boardwalks and plank bridges, the moss, and the dense cedar speak to how marshy this area is, typically. In mid-September, this was a nice, easy loop, taking about an hour, for late summer wildflowers and wildlife sightings.