Pine Grove Preserve and Tidewater Farm

This is a lovely and, for me, surprising urban walk of about 3 or so miles if you connect both preserves. It was not on my radar at all.

You can start at the 27-acres of wooded Pine Grove Preserve (which has a lot of crisscrossing paths, but the official trails are well marked, so stick with them!) and if you follow the 0.75-mile-loop perimeter trail, you’ll come to a path that crosses Route 1. From there, Portland Trails has done a great job marking and maintaining the trail (including pointing out what plants are invasive). The path carries on by marshes and below people’s stately homes all the way to the lovely old Tidewater Farm property (a former saltwater farm), which has a point with a view over the cove. Brickyard Point is accessible by boat.

More trails are available at Tidewater. You can also start your walk here, where there’s limited parking.

Directions: Pine Grove Preserve is on the west side of Route 88 (Foreside Road), just beyond the intersection of US Route 1. It is across from the Pine Grove Cemetery and St. Mary’s Church. Parking for Tidewater is at 200 Presumpscot Point Rd, Falmouth, where there’s an unpaved lot with four parking spaces at the end of Presumpscot Point Road. Parking is also available on the grass along Presumpscot Point Road.