Prout’s Neck Cliff Walk, Scarborough, ME

My workplace does an annual Christmas Eve hike on the Cliff Walk around Prout’s Neck in Scarborough – a little over 4 miles, almost all of it right on the water. I couldn’t make it out on Christmas Eve last year, but I managed to squeeze in the hike last weekend. Thanks to the near-subzero temperatures, I seemed to have most of Prout’s Neck all to myself.

I’m consistently surprised and delighted by all the trails and green spaces around Portland. Portland Trails maintains a great network of trails within the city limits, while groups like Saco Bay Trails and Freeport Conservation Trust maintain trails in neighboring cities. The White Mountains National Forest is only about an hour from Portland, but it’s always good ro remember there are plenty of options for getting outside and taking in some scenery right in our backyard.