The best walks and hikes in Sagadahoc County

Top of the Tide Park, also known as Head of Tide Park, is a scenic spot in Topsham, Maine, along the Cathance River. The park features trails, picnic areas, and a viewing area for a stunning fifteen-foot waterfall. Located at the site of an old mill dam, it offers access to both upstream and tidal portions of the river for activities like kayaking. The park also provides toilet facilities and parking, making it a convenient and beautiful location for outdoor recreation.

Mile Beach in Reid State Park, Georgetown, Maine, is a scenic, sandy beach that offers a classic New England coastal experience. As the name indicates, the beach spans a mile and its southern end it marked by a rocky promontory known as Todd's Point, which provides stunning ocean views.

Kennebec River Lookout Trail is a short (.33 miles one way) extension trail off of the main Gamble Trail and Gamble Loop Trail to a viewpoint of the Kennebec River. This is a lovely spot where you get nice views over the river to Lamb and Marr Islands.

The 377-acre Berry Woods Preserve is part of a larger network of conserved lands totaling over 2,000 acres, which includes Reid State Park and Maine Audubon’s Josephine Newman Sanctuary, spanning across Georgetown Island. The preserve offers a small trail system with generally easy, level terrain, perfect for hiking and bird-watching, and snowshoeing, and cross-country skiing in the winter. Trails meander through oak-pine forests from the shores of the Kennebec River to Robinhood Cove, passing by notable features like an old mica mine and natural blowdowns. Visitors are encouraged to follow preserve policies, including day use only, foot traffic only, staying on trails to protect the ecosystem, and carrying out all litter. Pets, fires, smoking, and camping are not permitted.

The Whiskeag Trail connects the conserved lands at Sewall Woods and Thorne Head Preserve to the YMCA, McMann Athletic Complex, Bath Middle School, and Oak Grove Cemetery in Bath, Maine. Named after an Abenaki word meaning "a creek that runs nearly dry at low tides," the trail follows Whiskeag Creek, which flows into the Kennebec River. The surrounding wetlands and waterways are crucial for flood control, erosion reduction, pollutant filtration, and wildlife habitat. The area supports a diverse range of species, including birds like Blue-winged Teal, Great Blue Heron, Bald Eagle, and Egret, as well as terrestrial animals like beaver, wild turkey, and coyote. Public use of the trail is free from dawn to dusk.

The Narrows Trail skirts around the edge of the peninsula and connects with many other trails in the preserve. This popular trail takes you through rocky pine forests with great views through the trees of the water.

Thorne Head Preserve is a 96-acre property managed by the Kennebec Estuary Land Trust, located at the confluence of Whiskeag Creek and the Kennebec River near Bath, Maine. The preserve features an extensive trail system, offering stunning views of the estuary, Lines Island, and surrounding waterways. The trails vary in difficulty, from the short and accessible Overlook Trail to longer, challenging routes like 5.1-mile Whiskeag Trail. Dogs are welcome on the trails if leashed and well-mannered. Open daily from dawn to dusk, Thorne Head Preserve is free to the public.

The Blue Trail is one of the most popular trails here. It is a loop that follows the peninsula’s eastern shore, providing great views at Back Cove Point. The Yellow Trail weaves through the heart of the sanctuary connecting the northern and southern side of the Blue Trail. You can also link up with the Green Trail at the eastern end of the Blue Trail which adds an additional mile and a quarter loop around the eastern peninsula of the Hamilton Audubon Sanctuary.