Twin Brook Recreation Area

I finally returned to Twin Brook in winter to cross-country ski, and it lived up to its hype! The half of the park closest to Tuttle Road has sweeping groomed trails that take you across a large field and into a pocket of woods on the southeastern corner of the park. Dogs are not allowed on this park of the park in the winter. This means if you head over to the Greely Road side — a short walk or ski across Windle Brook — you will encounter many cute and possibly jacketed dogs on a nice winter day.

I also found that the trails on the Greely Road side are also not as well groomed as the gliding paradise you will (I hope) encounter on the Tuttle Road side, give or take a good storm or two.

During the rest of the year, you can walk the trails for cool respite in the woods and for meadow views. The trails are well signed, with distances attached. Most of the loops are under one mile, so you can do a short or long walk. Trails through the fields are mowed regularly. Be sure to keep your dogs on leashes during bird nesting season, April-May-June, as bobolinks breed in the tall grasses.

Additionally, one short loop near the Tuttle Road parking area is paved, making it wheelchair accessible. The path curves through the forest, and a few benches have been placed along the way. I’ve marked this 0.2-mile loop in orange on my map.

The parking lots are large and can accommodate many cars—which is necessary for this popular 246-acre town park.

Directions: From I-295, exit 15 to Yarmouth-Cumberland, then turn left onto Route 1. Go just over a mile. Following a sign that reads Cumberland and Route 88, turn left onto a short connector that takes you up to Tuttle Road. Turn right on Tuttle toward Cumberland Center, crossing over 295. Proceed 1.6 miles. Twin Brook will be on your right.