The best walks and hikes around Bath

Top of the Tide Park, also known as Head of Tide Park, is a scenic spot in Topsham, Maine, along the Cathance River. The park features trails, picnic areas, and a viewing area for a stunning fifteen-foot waterfall. Located at the site of an old mill dam, it offers access to both upstream and tidal portions of the river for activities like kayaking. The park also provides toilet facilities and parking, making it a convenient and beautiful location for outdoor recreation.

The Whiskeag Trail connects the conserved lands at Sewall Woods and Thorne Head Preserve to the YMCA, McMann Athletic Complex, Bath Middle School, and Oak Grove Cemetery in Bath, Maine. Named after an Abenaki word meaning "a creek that runs nearly dry at low tides," the trail follows Whiskeag Creek, which flows into the Kennebec River. The surrounding wetlands and waterways are crucial for flood control, erosion reduction, pollutant filtration, and wildlife habitat. The area supports a diverse range of species, including birds like Blue-winged Teal, Great Blue Heron, Bald Eagle, and Egret, as well as terrestrial animals like beaver, wild turkey, and coyote. Public use of the trail is free from dawn to dusk.

The Narrows Trail skirts around the edge of the peninsula and connects with many other trails in the preserve. This popular trail takes you through rocky pine forests with great views through the trees of the water.

Thorne Head Preserve is a 96-acre property managed by the Kennebec Estuary Land Trust, located at the confluence of Whiskeag Creek and the Kennebec River near Bath, Maine. The preserve features an extensive trail system, offering stunning views of the estuary, Lines Island, and surrounding waterways. The trails vary in difficulty, from the short and accessible Overlook Trail to longer, challenging routes like 5.1-mile Whiskeag Trail. Dogs are welcome on the trails if leashed and well-mannered. Open daily from dawn to dusk, Thorne Head Preserve is free to the public.

The Butler Head Preserve is a 141-acre wooded area along Merrymeeting Bay. This quiet preserve offers a small network of walking and hiking trails that provide scenic waterfront views and opportunities to observe local wildlife like Ospreys and Eagles. Open for running, hiking, and snowshoeing, the trails are ideal for families and pets. The trails can get a little overgrown and muddy in the spring and are not well-marked so you must pay attention as you hike. Regardless, it is a really nice area that takes you through meadows, woodlands, and along the cove's edge, with occasional access to the shoreline and views of salt marshes.

The Blue Trail is one of the most popular trails here. It is a loop that follows the peninsula’s eastern shore, providing great views at Back Cove Point. The Yellow Trail weaves through the heart of the sanctuary connecting the northern and southern side of the Blue Trail. You can also link up with the Green Trail at the eastern end of the Blue Trail which adds an additional mile and a quarter loop around the eastern peninsula of the Hamilton Audubon Sanctuary.

The Hamilton Audubon Sanctuary spans 86 acres in West Bath, Maine, and is renowned for its valuable estuarine habitat and rich biodiversity. Established in 1987, the sanctuary lies on a peninsula in the New Meadows River. Its 2.75-mile trail system winds through coastal forests of pine, spruce, and fir, and offers access to rocky shorelines with panoramic views of Back Cove's inlets, salt marshes, and clam flats. The sanctuary is home to a diverse array of wildlife, including osprey, bald eagle, great blue heron, and a variety of migratory shorebirds and mammals. Maine Audubon sanctuaries are open to the public year-round from dawn to dusk, although dogs are not allowed to protect the diverse wildlife.