Skip to content

Best Forest Hikes near Portland

The directory currently contains 5 quality-checked routes matching this guide near Portland. Their average mapped distance is 1.3 km and average recorded ascent is 7 m (23 ft); the longest route in the set is 2.5 km.

This subset represents 13% of the 38 quality-checked routes near Portland. Its average distance is 1.3 km, compared with 4.6 km across the full local set. Average recorded ascent is 7 m (23 ft), versus 48 m (157 ft) for all quality-checked routes in the same area.

These routes carry the forest tag. The data does not quantify canopy cover or guarantee shade along every section. Within this set, 4 routes (80%) are rated easy, 0 (0%) are rated hard or expert, and 2 (40%) are recorded as loops. Ratings are computed from available distance and elevation data and do not establish current terrain or access.

Data refreshed September 2026

Choose by the details

How do these routes differ?

A closer look at the first 5 routes in this page’s default ordering. These comparisons describe this sample, not the entire destination or a field-tested recommendation.

Shortest mapped distance in this sample

0.9 km

Spruce-Fir Forest Trail

Compare the climbing too; shortest does not necessarily mean easiest.

Lowest recorded ascent in this sample

0 m

Canco Woods

5 of 5 have ascent data. Missing measurements are excluded.

Return logistics

2 recorded loops

Check start and finish for every option. An unknown shape does not mean a loop, and a loop does not establish access to its start.

Plan the return journey →

Distances follow stored route lines; ascent and time are estimates. Current access, surface and technical difficulty need separate checks. How to turn a comparison into a shortlist.

Trails

Easy

Maine · United States

Distance
0.9 km
/ 0.6 mi
Typical duration
11 min
  • Forest
Moderate

Maine · United States

Distance
0.9 km
/ 0.6 mi
Elevation gain
19 m
Typical duration
13 min
  • Coastal
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
Easy

Maine · United States

Distance
1.1 km
/ 0.7 mi
Elevation gain
14 m
Typical duration
16 min
  • Forest
Easy

Maine · United States

Distance
2.5 km
/ 1.5 mi
Typical duration
31 min
  • Forest

The shortlist, side by side

The ten highest scoring routes on this page, so you can compare effort before opening any of them.

Distance, ascent, walking time and difficulty for the top routes
RouteDistanceAscentTimeDifficultyBest season
Canco WoodsMaine0.9 km0 m11 minEasyApril to October
Spruce-Fir Forest TrailMaine0.9 km19 m13 minModerateApril to October
Forest City TrailMaine1.1 km14 m16 minEasyApril to October
Virginia WoodsMaine2.5 km0 m31 minEasyApril to October
Hobstone Woods TrailMaine1.1 km0 m14 minEasyApril to October

Canco Woods, Spruce-Fir Forest Trail, Forest City Trail currently rank highest in this filtered set according to the directory score. Open an individual route to inspect its mapped line, elevation profile, data source and planning caveats. Check live access, conditions and local rules with an official source before travelling.

Frequently asked questions

Plan with more confidence

All planning articles →

Related guides

Other shortlists covering the same area or the same kind of terrain.

People also search for