The 5 Best Hikes Around Portland, Maine

Portland, Maine's largest city, is known for its active harbor, unique and eclectic restaurants, and thriving bars.

But for visitors who want to stretch their legs and explore, this coastal destination also offers many trails where you can breathe in the icy ocean air with a pine scent.

Whether you have an hour or a day, there is a walk through the Portland area that will awaken your senses and increase your appreciation for New England's wildest state.

Here are five of the best hiking destinations to explore and find!

1. Mackworth Island State Park

Located less than four miles north of downtown Portland in Falmouth, Mackworth Island is connected to the mainland by a bridge.

Donated to the state in 1946 by Governor Percival P. Baxter, most of the 100-acre island is now a public park that serves as a sanctuary for wildlife and seabirds.

A family hike that takes about an hour at a leisurely pace, the 1.5-mile trail around the perimeter of the island offers photogenic views of Portland and bustling boat-filled Casco Bay.

Compacted soil path can be slippery after a storm, but is generally easy to navigate and wheelchair accessible.

The short trails down to the coast are steep and more challenging.

Your dog on a leash can accompany you on a walk, and dog lovers note: The island is also home to Baxter's Pet Cemetery, where 14 beloved dogs and a horse with delicately inscribed headstones are remembered. A small park entrance fee applies.

2. East sidewalk trail

If there is something "must" in Portland, it is the Eastern Promenade. At just over two miles long, the harborfront trail offers unbeatable views of Casco Bay (and an attractive dip at East End Beach on summer days).

Once you begin your tour of the Maine State Pier in the Old Port District, you'll discover that Eastern Prom is more than just a hiking trail - it's a 78-acre park, the largest in Portland.

Its graceful landscape was designed in 1905 by the Olmsted brothers, the landscape architects who continued the legacy of Central Park's creator, Frederick Law Olmsted.

Since 2006, Friends of the Eastern Promenade has been working with the city to preserve and enhance the park and all of its assets.

If you want to hike further, the Eastern Promenade Trail goes directly to the Bayside Trail, which connects to the Back Cove Trail.

3. Back Cove Trail

This 3.5-mile trail circles Back Cove, a 340-acre tidal basin smack in the middle of Portland, and is great for jogging, walking, or biking.

As you follow the route, enjoy panoramic views of the city skyline. Although one part hugs the highway (I-295), the trail is safe, scenic, and used by locals 365 days a year.

The trail is wheelchair and stroller accessible and is dog friendly too.

Park on Forest Avenue near Back Cove Park (across from Hannaford supermarket) for access.

Amenities along the trail include benches, seasonal water fountains, and portable toilets in the Payson Park and Preble Street Extension parking lots.

4. Gilsland Farm Audubon Center

From the heart of Portland, it's about a 10-minute drive to this 65-acre Falmouth Bird Sanctuary.

More than three kilometers of trails begin at the Education Center and traverse diverse habitats: forests, wildflower meadows, and, along the banks of the Presumpscot River, a nutrient-rich estuary.

Three mapped trails vary in length from 0.6 to 1.2 miles; all are gentle rides, suitable for families. In autumn, you can pick apples from old trees, and in winter, you can snowshoe.

In addition to providing a home for bobolinks, larks, red-tailed hawks, and Canadian geese, the property is inhabited by deer, red foxes, and other mammals (including a colony of rare black marmots).

Open from dusk to dawn year-round, admission is free, although donations are accepted.

5. Bradbury Mountain State Park

Bradbury Mountain is the centerpiece of an 800-acre state park open year-round for a variety of recreational activities including mountain biking, snowmobiling, and horseback riding (admission fee applies).

There are more than 21 miles of shared-use trails on both sides of Route 9, including several routes at the top of the mountain (these are rated in difficulty as easier, intermediate, or more difficult).

Take the Northern Loop Trail and you'll enjoy a gradual, easy, mile-long climb to the top for views of Casco Bay.

In spring, hikers can help with the annual Hawkwatch count.

To get here, drive about 30 minutes north of Portland to the town of Pownal.