Danielle Tourigny Explorer

This kayaking adventure begins at East End Beach at the Eastern Promenade in Portland. There is an easy boat launch zone if you have your own sea kayaks, but if you need to rent, Portland Paddle is right at the launch zone! It is $45 for 2 hours with a tandem sea kayak, which is what we opted for.If you are not familiar with sea kayaking or how to a recover a capsized kayak, it is best to stay ...

There are several short trails within the park that loop upon each other, so there are several different routes you could take. We chose the Houghton's Hill trail (which is a total of ~1 mile) and looped up with Pond Cove trail (also ~1 mile) by taking Millhill trail. The entire loop ended up being just over 2 miles. The trail is fairly flat and winds through several birch groves and pine fores...

The Hancock trailhead is located at the infamous hairpin turn of the Kancamagus Highway in the White Mountains. The trail itself crosses the road and starts at 2000 feet of elevation on the Hancock Notch trail. It remains fairly flat for the first 3 miles of the trail. After 1.8 miles you will hit the first junction with the Cedar Brook Trail where you will take a left. Continue for another 0.7...

Park in the Jamaica Pond parking area. You can go either direction on this loop trail, which is highly trafficked and dog-friendly. Keep a lookout for (and a respectful distance from) the wildlife that live here. The loop around Jamaica Pond itself is 1.5 miles. The best part about running in this area is that it links up to so many other running trails. It is a part of the Emerald Necklace whi...

Harris Farm is a great place for beginner cross country skiing or to hone in on already developed skills. They provide rentals ($15pp) and the network of trails is several miles long. The trails range from green (easy) to red/black (more difficult). I personally love hanging out on the blue trails that are moderately difficult and have plenty of hills winding through forest and meadows. The ent...

After parking in the allotted parking area at screw auger, make your way down to the falls to explore! There are several "smaller waterfalls" that the river flows over before making its way to the 27 foot main attraction. Going in April, the falls were at their most powerful. It made taking pictures a little difficult because I was being nailed with water the whole time, but it was also incredi...

Park in the lot off of Arborway to access the trail. This place is gorgeous year round. The winter offers a quiet solitude, fall boasts bright colors, spring is the most beautiful as the flowers start to burst and cherry blossoms take over, and summer is overwhelmingly green. There are dozens of spots around the arboretum where you can just nestle under some trees and have a private picnic or m...

To keep the hike as short as possible, the hike can be an out and back at 5.6 miles, but if you wanted to make it a loop that is possible and adds only an additional 2 miles or so. We took the Brook Trail up to the summit (which passes by the alpine lake) and then followed it back down. To hike the loop, continue driving down Byron Rd to the second parking area to take the Loop Trail up. You wo...

The hike starts out at the Starr King trailhead because you will summit Starr King Mountain (3,907 ft - so close to being a 4000 footer!) before moving on to Waumbek. The 2.6 miles that it takes to get to the first summit are gradual and forgiving. The majority of the total elevation is completed during that time. The first 1.5 miles is through tall spaced out trees that let the sun shine throu...

To get to the trailhead, take the 25N, turn right onto High Street and continue along this road until it comes to an end. The Mt Moosiulauke Glencliff Trail takes you through seven miles of forest and mountain scenery. The trail features impressive vistas and eye-catching wildflowers, which might even help you take your mind off the elevation gain. This particular trail is lightly trafficked, m...

Start out at the Greeley Pond trailhead off of the Kancamagus Highway. After 1.3 miles the trail splits--bear right to get onto the Mt. Osceola Trail. Continue 1.5 miles to the summit. This summit hike offers a different kind of reward. Views are limited from the peak of Mt. Osceoloa, which allows you to focus on your immediate surroundings. Enjoy the fresh mountain air and the gorgeous trees r...

We started our adventure in this area by backpacking the Cutler Coast (adventure to come on this)! After our night in the backcountry we drove 20 minutes to the adorable town of Lubec. At West Quoddy State Park, you are able to walk around the cliffs to get views of the Canadian border and see the brightly colored lighthouse that is a photographer's dream against a cloudy backdrop.  We stopped...

Park along the trail and then hop on. The Freedom Trail allows you to not only see the most beautiful parts of Boston (which is an absolutely gorgeous city) but you can learn some history too! Head off the trail a bit to explore the Charles River, the waterfront near the aquarium and picturesque Beacon Hill. If you have a nice day and want an easy way to see the best parts of Boston, this is de...

Fore River Sanctuary is 85 acres in the heart of Portland right off of Congress Street. It is a unique place where the river meets the ocean and creates a marshland landscape, which provides a plethora of opportunities to see wildlife (especially a great diversity of birds - waterfowl, herons, egrets, etc). Upon entering the south entrance near the MaineOrtho parking lot, you are hiking on what...

Hopewell Rocks (otherwise known as the flowerpot rocks) are in the Bay of Fundy, New Brunswick. Not only does the Bay of Fundy boast the highest tides in the world, but the 40-70 ft rock formations formed by the tide are incredibly unique. At low tide, you can walk on the sea floor that is four stories under water at high tide. High tide has its own benefits because you can kayak around the roc...

The first time I attempted this trail was in mid April, and the slush and mud I encountered was absolutely unbelievable. Snowshoes were useless. Crampons were useless. Boots alone meant dirty, wet, muddy feet. So, I had to bail. But I came back in October and I’m so glad I did because the views of the foliage were amazing! The Old Speck Trail very quickly hits an intersection with the Eyebro...

After driving in to Camden Hills State Park, there is a fork where you can go straight (to the campgrounds) or left (to head up Mount Battie). Take a left and then park in the parking lot immediately on your right. That is the trailhead to Mount Megunticook! The trail itself winds through the trees, slowly gaining elevation. There is a point where the trail forks into two. Both options will get...

The hike starts across the street from the AMC Highland Center on route 302, which means there is plenty of parking and when you finish there is a fireplace and snacks to warm up with! It starts at the Webster Jackson trailhead and after 1.4 miles breaks off onto the Jackson trail. At that point you could take the Webster trail to create a loop that summits Webster and Jackson, but after the 3 ...

Important notes about this hike: REQUIRES A FEE: $6 per adult, $3 per student - they don't collect the fee until you get to the visitor center about a mile in, so don't get caught like I did without cash!Does NOT allow dogs.  Drive towards the Audubon Sanctuary and come to a parking lot just outside the gate. The Base Trail begins just beyond the gate at the trailhead next to a kiosk. The trail...

Find the trailhead by turning left at the Brownville junction and then turning left onto Katahdin Ironworks Rd. This is a well maintained dirt road (had no trouble getting down it with a Corolla). There is a checkpoint where you need to pay a day use fee. When I went summer 2018 it was $9 per person for Maine residents and $14 per person for out-of-staters. It seems steep, but I promise on a ni...

When we saw that the weather in Acadia was going to be mid 40's and sunny in March, we decided we had to go. However, when you go in March there are a lot of different things about Acadia National Park that are helpful to know.First of all, it is recommended that you camp at Blackwoods Campground if you are planning on camping. The road into the campground is closed though, so plan on backpacki...

The hike begins at Timberline Lodge, which sits on Mount Hood at 6,000 feet of elevation. Find the Timberline trail behind the lodge by following any of the maze of trails heading east and you will be on your way! After 1.2 miles, you reach Little Zigzag Canyon where you will descend approximately 1000 feet to reach the bottom before heading straight back up again. This portion of the trail is ...

The interpretive trail offers several different vantage points of the falls, and they are all equally beautiful. It was pouring rain while we were there, but it didn't stop me from running around for almost 45 minutes taking pictures and enjoying the views because these falls are so beautiful. There is a daytime picnic area near the water that is nice, and there is also an option for overnight ...

To find the trail head, drive out of Bar Harbor down Route 3. There are no signs for the trailhead or for parking, so as soon as you pass Tarn Lake on the right, you can pull off and park on the side of the road. Elevation on the ladder trail starts immediately and doesn't let up until you reach the summit, which is the downside of summiting a 1200ft mountain in one mile. The trail is 90% rock...