(Note: as of July 2025, ongoing construction affects accessibility and capacity at Wolfe’s Neck. You can receive park Park & Trail Conditions by sending a Text WOLF to 888-514-7527.)
For good reason, Wolfe’s Neck Woods State Park is a popular year-round destination for both Mainers and visitors. Close to the shopping mecca of Freeport and L.L. Bean’s adventure excursion launchpads, the state park can sometimes become crowded with people seeking an accessible outdoors spot (it’s listed as #1 of 21 things to do in Freeport by TripAdvisor). There are, however, quiet parts of this over 200-acre coastal sanctuary. A detailed map and description can be found in the worthwhile Falcon Guides’ Hiking Maine, or free, along with a calendar of activities, on the Wolfe’s Neck Woods State Park website. Entry to the park, which is open for day use, is $4 for Maine residents (free for veterans). Dogs must be leashed, and owners must pick up after their pets. No bicycles are allowed on the Wolfe’s Neck hiking trails. Restrooms are located near the parking area, and picnic areas are interspersed through the park nearby.
On a busy weekend at the beginning of July, we used the White Pines Trail, North Loop Trail, Casco Bay Trail, and Harraseeket Trail to make an easy 3 mile perimeter loop, taking about an hour and a half to enjoy, and as usual, navigating using the AllTrails app. As soon as we left the parking area via the White Pines Trail, we began to hear a variety of birds, including red-eyed vireo, dark-eyed junco, black-throated green warbler, and inland, a broad-winged hawk. On the shoreline, we heard and saw osprey, including one returning to the treeline with a large fish. Further along, on the Harraseeket Trail, we heard the distinctive song of a hermit thrush, chipping sparrows, blackburnian warbler, and a blue-headed vireo.
Hiking in Maine 