After the snow, cold and gray that comes with the start of spring, it’s time to celebrate the sunshine and gentle warmth of May with some hikes in Cumberland and North Yarmouth. From peering at waterfalls, winding through dense trees and wandering by the beach, these local trails bring you through the wide variety of nature right in your community.

I asked some Cumberland and North Yarmouth outdoor leaders for their favorite trail areas, and found some sunny hours last week to check out the recommendations. Is there a trail area you love that I didn’t include in the list? I encourage you to share it in the comments down below!

CHANDLER BROOK PRESERVE

Location: 1409 North Road, North Yarmouth

The 2.9 miles of trails throughout Chandler Brook Preserve in North Yarmouth take you around two large hayfields and through both riverside brambles and a hemlock forest. The town-owned preserve borders Chandler Brook, a major tributary of the Royal River.

The trail area was recommended by North Yarmouth Parks Committee Chair Laurie Gilman and Chris Franklin, executive director of the Royal River Conservation Trust. Both told me that Chandler Brook Preserve is a favorite spot for birding.

While I’m not a birder myself, I did enjoy listening to a medley of chirps while walking along the river. A “hotspot” on birding apps, 69 species of birds have been spotted in the 65-acre preserve.

SKYLINE FARM

Location: 95 The Lane, North Yarmouth 

A walk on the trails at Skyline Farm might take you back in time, as a horse-drawn carriage may just pass you by. The nonprofit Skyline Farm is dedicated to animal-powered transportation and maintains both a historic carriage museum and trail network on its 54-acre historic farm property.

The 2-mile trail loop, open to hikers, bikers and horseback riders, crosses the farm’s hayfields and enters the woods, where you’ll pass over a brook and go up an incline into the trees before descending again. Even without the “white and drifted snow,” I found myself thinking of the song, “Over The River And Through The Woods” while pausing to watch the brook from the footbridge.

KNIGHT’S POND PRESERVE

Location: 477 Greely Road Extension, Cumberland Center

For trails that feel like you’re deep in the woods with tranquil views of a pond, check out Knight’s Pond Preserve. It is the largest undeveloped parcel in Cumberland at 163 acres, with another 50 acres in North Yarmouth.

The preserve has its namesake 46-acre Knight’s Pond, as well as two smaller ponds and surrounding wetlands. Walking on the small trail under the shade of trees, I could hear the pond frogs croaking.

One of the preserve’s trails on Blueberry Hill runs through an oak and hickory forest, a rarity in the region.

BROAD COVE RESERVE

Location: Spears Hill Lane, Cumberland Foreside

At Broad Cove Reserve, you may see more houses than the other spots on this list, but you’ll also have the chance to stick your toes in the sand. A 1.5-mile trail around the reserve’s perimeter takes you through woods, by a pier and along the sandy beach, which is also accessible at various points along the trail.

I wished I’d brought along my lunch to picnic overlooking the water. The reserve is a favorite spot for Chebeague and Cumberland Land Trust Executive Director Penny Asherman as well.

RINES FOREST

Location: 352-362 Range Road, Cumberland

Rines Forest offers tranquil trails through its 268-acre woods, bringing you past trickling waterfalls and dancing creeks.

Despite being the center of Cumberland, the plot of forest feels like deep wilderness. So much so that my imagination began to wander. A twig snapping behind me made me whirl around. Could it be a black bear, hungry after winter?

Nope, just a squirrel.