University of Maine Nature Trails

Tucked behind the university buildings (and a little difficult to find for a newcomer!) are roughly 3.0 miles of trails in woods and small fields. It’s a little hard to block out the roar of the highway at times.

The trails are mostly wide, smooth, and easy — albeit rolling. Two fields buttress the woods in the middle. A particularly nice section of the trail system is the loop through fields on the south side, around what looks like water retention pool.

While some of the trails have color-coded arrows pointing the way, the trails aren’t consistently marked, but they are easy to follow.

Directions: Drive along Community Drive toward the Augusta Civic Center. Look for signs for “Nature Trails.“ Turn left into the parking are for the Maine Municipal Association. A trailhead kiosk with a map is tucked into the woods behind the tennis courts, to the side of the baseball fields. You can also pick up the trail from several other points on campus on Jewett Drive near Jewett Hall and the Katz Library.