QUICK TRAIL FACTS
- Preserve Size: +27 acres
- Trail Mileage: 1.5 miles one way, perimeter trail in Pine Grove is .75 miles
- Pets: yes
- Difficulty: easy
- Sights: former saltwater farm, Presumpscot Estuary
This is a lovely and, for me, surprising urban walk of about 3 or so miles if you do the whole thing. It was not on my radar at all.
You start out in 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.
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.
