Presumpscot River Preserve and Oat Nuts Park, Portland

There is a great waterfall here — and a high vista down a sparkling river (well, sparkling when it’s sunny out. Atmospheric when it’s not?). The Presumpscot River Preserve is 48 acres, and has a great trail that follows the river, with boardwalks, bridges, and little loops to extend it. When I went in the spring of 2015, the trail under the highway was closed, but evidently you can walk another 3/4 mile to the north, to Route 100. This walk is fairly popular and has several access points. If you do all the little loops and go from Oat Nuts to the falls to Hope Ave., and do all the little loops, you can get in a roughly four-mile walk.

Directions: To reach the trailhead of the Presumpscot River Preserve, take Allen Avenue to Summit Street in Portland. Follow Summit to Curtis Road and turn right. Take another right at Overset Road. Overset is a dead end with parking available at the end, marked by Portland Trails signs. Some people park at Oat Nut park, on Summit Road, and there is another parking place off of Hope Ave

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