Rines Forest is a 268-acre woodland owned by the Town of Cumberland, and preserved through a conservation easement with the Chebeague & Cumberland Land Trust (CCLT). I have hiked this in icy mid-March, using the Loop, Perimeter, and Waterfall Trails in Rines Forest in Cumberland, as a part of a longer loop including Hadlock Forest (Falmouth), connected through the Rines Trail, as well as more recently in sunny late May. Rines Forest has a network of about 3 miles of trails open for hiking, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, fishing, hunting, picnicking, horseback riding, and snowmobiling as designated (some trails are winter-only). Dogs are allowed on-leash or under voice command at all times (Hadlock is different Apr – Oct, requiring leash due to sensitive habitats, so check before you do both). As hunting is allowed, blaze orange is recommended during hunting seasons.

Parking is available on Range Road, on the south side of the Forest, about 1.2 miles from the intersection with Winn Road. Next to the parking area is a Frog Pond & Salamander Swamp. CCLT’s website includes a trail map and a printable scavenger hunt for kids. The extended loop at Rines is about 2.77 mi, easily doable in an hour and change. In winter and early spring, micro spikes are probably advisable for the duration of the hike, and in the ice and snow, you can see the frozen tracks of deer and other animals. In warmer seasons, the green canopy provides great shade.

The trail traverses a high esker above a stream, and I took a right onto the red-blazed Perimeter Trail, then an immediate right onto the blue-blazed Waterfall Trail. This descends to a series of waterfalls, where in early summer, Pig the dog splashed around, and we avoided a larger concentration of biting insects. For a longer spur, the Waterfall Trail extends across Saw Mill Brook all the way to Blanchard Road. The loop described continues on the Perimeter Trail around the edges of Rines Forest.

In spring, the margins of the trail are punctuated by wildflowers. The interior of the Forest has the Fox, Raccoon, and Fisher Trails, which I left for another visit. After completing the Perimeter Trail, if continuing the long loop, you can cross back over Range Road toward the Rines Trail and Hadlock Forest.