A form of wilderness therapy developed in Japan, Shinrin-yoku or “forest bathing” has caught on in the United States in recent years as more people are turning to the outdoors to bolster their health and overall well being. To clarify, forest bathing has nothing to do with soaking in water. (Though you certainly can add […]
Difficulty: Easy to moderate. The trail network is made up of over 2 miles of trails that travel over small hills and across several footbridges. How to get there: The preserve has two parking lots. The largest parking lot is on Route 1, about 100 yards south of the Belfast-Northport town line. If driving from […]
Last week, spring had arrived in full force at my home in the woods of Maine. The sun had melted away the many layers of snow that had encased my yard for months, and the dirt road leading uphill to my house had turned into a soupy mess that could only be navigated by a […]
Difficulty: The 1-mile trail has a smooth paved surface. Change in elevation is minimal, and benches and picnic tables are spaced throughout the trail for people to rest and picnic. How to get there: Several large parking lots for the trail are located on Front Street in Downtown Bangor, and where Front Street and Railroad […]
Difficulty: Easy. The 1.1-mile loop trail is wide and travels up and down a hill for a total change in elevation of just over 100 feet. The surface of the trail is fairly smooth forest floor, much of it covered in grass. How to get there: From I-95 Exit 174 for Newburgh, drive South on […]
In recent years, I’ve given slideshow presentations and talks throughout Maine about my outdoor adventures, and more specifically, the many hikes I’ve been on for this blog. I usually end these talks by opening it up for the audience to ask me questions, and as one might expect, there are a few questions that pop […]
Difficulty: Easy. The preserve trails travel over a fairly smooth forest floor and altogether total about 1.5 miles. Expect a gradual uphill climb from the shore to the parking area on both loop trails. How to get there: From the intersection of Route 1 and Route 186 in Gouldsboro, take Route 186 (South Gouldsboro Road) […]
For an upcoming presentation I’m giving at a local school about outdoor writing, I decided to create a slideshow of wildlife photos, just to make things a bit more interesting for the children. After all, who doesn’t enjoy looking at photos of swimming moose, baby bears and soaring eagles? And as I dug through about […]
Difficulty: Easy to strenuous, depending on which trails you ski and how far you go. Altogether, the trails total over 15 miles. The Long Logan Loop, which is located near the visitor center, is hilly and more challenging, while the trails leading to the warming huts are easier, with just a few small hills. Parallel […]
Difficulty: Moderate. The 1-mile North Ridge Trail on Champlain Mountain is fairly gradual climb with just a few steep sections and staircases. The trail does not feature ladders and requires no hand-over-foot climbing. If you park at the parking area near the trailhead, the out and back hike is 2 miles. In the winter, the […]
