QUICK TRAIL FACTS
- Preserve Size: NA
- Trail Mileage: ~4 miles one way
- Pets: yes
- Difficulty: easy
- Sights: Stroudwater River, Clark Brook
You can walk a good many miles on this Portland Trails path. If you start at the parking lot off of Congress Street, you can walk about four miles to Smiling Hill Farm, where it connects to their x-c ski trails. The trail attracts mountain bikers and follows Stroudwater River, passing UNUM and EcoMaine, among other industrial landmarks you don’t often see on a nature walk!
In June, 2023, Portland Trails added a new segment called Clark Brook Trail, a very well-made, accessible trail — “six feet wide with a stone dust surface” — that stretches about 0.6 miles between the Idexx parking lot and the intersection with the Smiling Hill Farm trails and Stroudwater Trail. All these trails meet on the power lines. Additionally, there are two short spurs — one a small loop — that bring you to benches.
Directions: There are four trailheads. From outer Congress Street look for Portland Trails’ sign 1/10-mile west of Westbrook Street at River’s Edge Drive. Other parking areas are at Blueberry Road and Hutchins Drive, further along Congress Street. The trailhead kiosk for Clark Brook is off a small industrial side street called Calpine Drive, which is off Eisenhower Drive. I think you can park at the far ends of the Idexx parking lot, at one of the spots closest to the trail.
