alltrails.com/douglas-mountain-sebago | Google maps
Located near the town of Sebago, a stone tower at the summit of Douglas Mountain offers an expansive view of Sebago Lake that can’t be found elsewhere. In the other direction, see spectacular views of the White Mountains when the weather is clear.
Shawn Patrick Ouellette/Staff Photographer
Aimsel Ponti
Staff Writer
Aimsel Ponti is a music writer and content producer for the Portland Press Herald. She has been obsessed with – and inspired by – music since she listened to Monkees records borrowed from the town library when she was 6 years old. She bought her first Rolling Stones record at a flea market when she was in 7th grade and discovered David Bowie a year later. She's a huge fan of the local music scene and covers it along with national musical happenings in her column. You'll also find her out and about absorbing live music and shopping for vinyl at local record shops and flea markets. Aimsel regularly appears on the News Center Maine TV show “207” to preview upcoming concerts.
Baxter State Park
baxterstateparkauthority.com | Google map
More than 200,000 acres of wilderness and public forest make up this scenic park, which is home to Mt. Katahdin. Hikers will encounter plenty of wildlife and lush vegetation on more than 200 miles of trails. At 5,258 feet, Katahdin is Maine’s highest peak and the northern terminus of the Appalachian Trail.
Photo by Karen Beaudoin
Portland Head Light
www.portlandheadlight.com | Google map
Towering over Casco Bay in Fort Williams Park, Portland Head Light has long attracted tourists to Cape Elizabeth. The iconic lighthouse is Maine’s oldest and is recognized near and far. The park is open year-round with a small beach, rocky ledges and plenty of grassy recreation areas.
Shawn Patrick Ouelette/Staff Photographer
Mt. Megunticook
www.maine.gov | Google map
The highest of the Camden Hills offers plenty of hiking opportunities that lead to views similar to those atop Mt. Battie. Lake Megunticook sprawls below the peak, which is the highest on the mainland. The spot is particularly popular during leaf-peeping season when the surrounding hillsides are awash in fall colors.
Doug Jones/Staff Photographer
Mt. Kineo
www.mooseheadlake.org | Google map
Looming beside Moosehead Lake in Piscataquis County, Mt. Kineo features 700-foot cliffs rising dramatically from the water. The mountain is made of hornstone and is the largest known mass of this rock in the nation. Find a viewing tower at the summit, where hikers can get spectacular views of the lake.
Fred Field/Staff Photographer
Otter Cliff
www.acadianationalpark.com/ottercliffs | Google map
The rocky shoreline of Monument Cove is nestled in just before Acadia National Park’s Otter Cliff, making the headland seem even higher than its 110 feet. Walk the Ocean Path and pass by powerful Thunder Hole on your way to the cliff where the views are unmatched.
Michael G. Seamans/Staff Photographer
Cranberry Isles
www.cranberryisles.com | Google map
See the Cranberry Isles from Acadia National Park or visit them on a 30-minute ferry ride and look back on Mount Desert Island. Great Cranberry and Little Cranberry welcome visitors, but Bear, Sutton and Baker islands do not.
Fred Field/Staff Photographer
Crescent Beach State Park
www.maine.gov | Google map
This Cape Elizabeth location has a little bit of everything – sandy beach, salty coves, grassy dunes, rocky ledges and shady wooded areas. It earned its name from the shape of the mile-long beach and is a perfect spot to watch for sea birds and fishing boats.
Ben McCanna/Staff Photographer
Moxie Falls, The Forks
www.mainetrailfinder.com | Google map
Moxie Stream flows from Lake Moxie to the Kennebec River and the falls, one of the highest in the state, drop more than 90 feet into a deep pool. You’ll find several plunges, cascades and pools along the way during the 20-minute hike in. Several wooden observation platforms give visitors a variety of looks at the powerful plunging water. Derek Davis/Staff Photographer
Mt. Battie
www.maine.gov | Google map
Located in Camden Hills State Park, a drive up the Mt. Battie Auto Road reveals sweeping views of Camden, Penobscot Bay and surrounding islands. (Hike instead of drive and enjoy some nature along the way.) When the weather is clear, visitors can see all the way to Cadillac Mountain in Acadia National Park.
Photo by Scott Andrews