Robinson Woods Preserve
Managed by Cape Elizabeth Land Trust
203 acres5.5 mi of trail
Outer Loop TrailPond TrailField TrailWildflower Trail+1
Dogs allowed
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Photo: Rapidfire · CC BY-SA 3.0AOutdoors
Outdoors in Cape Elizabeth
Cape Elizabeth has 57 miles of mapped trails, 3.9 for every square mile of land
18% of Cape Elizabeth’s land is conserved, about 1,761 acres. The biggest trail networks: Robinson Woods Preserve (5.5 mi), Gull Crest Trails (4.6 mi), Winnick Woods (2.7 mi). 313 acres are parks and preserves, 33 per 1,000 residents.
Ahead of 89% of U.S. towns · #8 of 143 in Maine. What drives it
Conserved land
18%
1,761 acres · of 14.9 sq mi of land
Trails
57 mi
3.9 per sq mi of land
Park land
313 ac
33 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
52%
of residents within ½ mile
Highest peak
141 ft
Barren Hill
Lakes & rivers
7
20 beaches · 2 boat launches
What kind of outdoors town is Cape Elizabeth?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Cape Elizabeth have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Cape Elizabeth is ahead of 89% of U.S. towns, #8 of 143 in Maine. Trail miles hold the grade up; the share of residents near a park pulls it down.
A
OutdoorsA character grade: shown, never part of Cape Elizabeth’s overall grade.
Conserved land18% of the land · typical ME town 6% · U.S. 4%ATrails3.9 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (57 mi) · ME 0.7 · U.S. 0.4A+Park land33 acres of park per 1,000 residents (313 acres) · ME 15 · U.S. 13B+Parks close to home52% of residents within a half mile of a park · ME 30% · U.S. 72%C+
All U.S. towns we grade (21,298)Ahead of 89%
LessMore
Maine towns of 2,500+ (143)Ahead of 95%
Water is more than half of Cape Elizabeth’s area (31 of 46 square miles), so every share here is of land; over land and water together, the conserved share would read 6%.
How sure. Graded on any three of the four inputs instead, the letter would range from A− to A. Trails and many small parks come from OpenStreetMap, mapped by volunteers, so coverage varies from town to town; the half mile is a straight line from each census block, so a river or highway in the way isn’t counted against it.
PAD-US, OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors), Census 2025 Gazetteer and 2020 blocks; details in Sources below. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →
The map
Conserved land, trails & bike routes
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it.
Easements protect land from building but are usually private.© OpenStreetMap contributors · USGS PAD-US
Places to walk
Pick a walk
The longest trail network is Robinson Woods Preserve, with 5.5 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Gull Crest Trails
Nature preserve
220 acres4.6 mi of trail
Cross Town Trail
Dogs on leash
Directionsto the trailhead
Winnick Woods
Managed by Cape Elizabeth Land Trust
96 acres2.7 mi of trail
Dogs allowed
Directionsto the trailhead
Crescent Beach State Park
Managed by Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands
172 acres2.6 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Cross Hill Trails
Nature preserve
92 acres2.6 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Stonegate
Nature preserve
102 acres2.1 mi of trail
Cross Town Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Two Lights State Park
Managed by Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands
45 acres1.6 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yetWebsite ↗
All 25 parks & preserves
Robinson Woods Preserve203 acres · 5.5 mi of trail · Cape Elizabeth Land Trust
DirectionsGull Crest Trails220 acres · 4.6 mi of trail
DirectionsWinnick Woods96 acres · 2.7 mi of trail · Cape Elizabeth Land Trust
DirectionsCrescent Beach State Park172 acres · 2.6 mi of trail · Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands
DirectionsCross Hill Trails92 acres · 2.6 mi of trail
Fort Williams Park91 acres · 2.3 mi of trail
DirectionsStonegate102 acres · 2.1 mi of trail
DirectionsTwo Lights State Park45 acres · 1.6 mi of trail · Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands
Runaway Farm51 acres · 1.3 mi of trail · Cape Elizabeth Land Trust
DirectionsTown Farm170 acres · 1.1 mi of trail
DirectionsDavis Forest Preserve48 acres · 1 mi of trail
Turkey Hill Farm26 acres · 0.9 mi of trail · Cape Elizabeth Land Trust
Kettle Cove State Park52 acres · 0.7 mi of trail · Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands
DirectionsGreat Pond II24 acres · 0.7 mi of trail · Cape Elizabeth Land Trust
DirectionsHobstone Woods Preserve21 acres · 0.7 mi of trail
Broad Cove/Two Lights Trust Land20 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
Willow Brook14 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
Great Pond I Trust Land6 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
Cape Elizabeth Common1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsRachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge34 acres · United States Fish and Wildlife Service;U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
DirectionsLions Field27 acres
DirectionsSawyer Marsh4 acres
Plaisted Park4 acres
Trundy Point2 acres · Cape Elizabeth Land Trust
Cliff House Beach1 acres · Town of Cape Elizabeth
Who protects it
1,761 conserved acres
18% of Cape Elizabeth’s land. Water is left out: Cape Elizabeth has 14.9 square miles of land and 31.1 of water, so the share counts land only. Who manages Cape Elizabeth’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Land trusts & nonprofits978 ac
Regional agency902 ac
State parks490 ac
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service116 ac
State conservation86 ac
USDA easements (NRCS)47 ac
Other state land43 ac
Local Other or Unknown · 1,244 acState Park · 408 acConservation Easement · 394 acAgricultural Easement · 281 acPrivate Other or Unknown · 267 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 232 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. Public access isn’t recorded for 38 of 80 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unknown Local Other or Unknown | Regional agency | 629 | Unknown |
| Town of Cape Elizabeth Local Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 592 | Unknown |
| Crescent Beach State Park State Park | State parks | 365 | Closed |
| Town Farm Local Park | Regional agency | 170 | Closed |
| Robinson Woods Private Other or Unknown | Land trusts & nonprofits | 169 | Restricted |
| Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge National Wildlife Refuge | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service | 98 | Restricted |
| Kettle Cove State Other or Unknown | State parks | 68 | Unknown |
| Robinson Woods II Private Other or Unknown | Land trusts & nonprofits | 63 | Closed |
| Robinson Pond South Private Other or Unknown | Land trusts & nonprofits | 56 | Closed |
| Fort Williams Local Other or Unknown | Regional agency | 54 | Closed |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
70 places to go in Cape Elizabeth
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Beaches in Cape Elizabeth
Cliff House Beach
DirectionsMaiden Cove Beach
DirectionsPlus 18 beaches without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Playgrounds in Cape Elizabeth
11 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Dog parks in Cape Elizabeth
Fort Williams Dog ParkIn Fort Williams Park
DirectionsBoat launches in Cape Elizabeth
2 boat launches without a name on the map.
Scenic views in Cape Elizabeth
2 scenic views without a name on the map.
Peaks in Cape Elizabeth
Barren Hill141 ft elevation
DirectionsShore Acres Hill141 ft elevation
DirectionsSpurwink Hill121 ft elevation
DirectionsCross Hill
DirectionsPicnic areas in Cape Elizabeth
24 picnic areas without a name on the map.
Campgrounds in Cape Elizabeth
Clam Cove CampsiteFee · Black Point Corporation
DirectionsWoods CampsiteBlack Point Corporation
DirectionsPlus 2 campgrounds without a name on the map.
Community gardens in Cape Elizabeth
The Cape Community Garden at Maxwell's Farm
DirectionsThe Garden at Gull CrestIn Gull Crest Trails
DirectionsTrails & water
17 named trails and 7 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 14.5 miUnpaved · 25.3 mi
Cross Town Trail3.2 mi
Perimeter Walking Path2.6 mi
Outer Loop Trail1.4 mi
w0.9 mi
Spurwink Trail0.8 mi
Pond Trail0.7 mi
Outer Loop0.7 mi
Davis Forest Trail0.6 mi
Canterbury Blue0.5 mi
Davis Parcel Trail0.5 mi
7 more trails
Dyer Hutchinson Trail
0.4 miField Trail
0.4 miWildflower Trail
0.3 miWhaleback Trail
0.2 miCanter Way Trail
0.2 miGreen Trail
0.1 miRed Trail
0.1 miLakes & rivers tap for directions
Biking & sports
0.0 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
Courts & fields
20Tennis
7Baseball
5Basketball
3Tracks
2Multi-sport
1Football
1Beach volleyball
1Equestrian
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →7 places on the National Register
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service). The map also marks 12 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
Spurwink Congregational ChurchBuilding · listed 1970
About itPortland HeadlightBuilding · listed 1973
About itC. A. Brown CottageBuilding · listed 1974
About itTwo LightsStructure · listed 1974
About itBeckett's CastleBuilding · listed 1974
About itDyer-Hutchinson FarmDistrict · listed 1997
About itCrescent LodgeBuilding · listed 2018
About itWhen to get out
The best walking months in Cape Elizabeth: May to September
NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals for the town and the daylight at its latitude. Outlined months have long days, highs of 59 to 86 °F and little rain for the place.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 9.3 | 10.4 | 11.8 | 13.4 | 14.7 | 15.4 | 15.1 | 14.0 | 12.4 | 10.9 | 9.6 | 9.0 |
| High (°F) | 32 | 35 | 42 | 53 | 63 | 73 | 79 | 78 | 70 | 59 | 48 | 38 |
| Rain (in) | 3.5 | 3.6 | 4.2 | 4.5 | 3.8 | 4.4 | 3.5 | 3.5 | 3.9 | 5.0 | 4.4 | 4.6 |
August is the driest month (3.5 in) and July the warmest (highs of 79 °F). 5.0 inches fall in October, the wettest month. The climate in Cape Elizabeth →
Next door
Cape Elizabeth and its neighbors
Cape Elizabeth has the second most mapped trails of the 4 towns around it. Tap a town to see its outdoors.
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cape Elizabeth | 18% | 3.9 | 33 | 52% | A |
| Scarborough | 20% | 1.0 | 28 | 32% | A− |
| South Portland | 3% | 1.3 | 11 | 92% | B+ |
| Portland | 15% | 3.2 | 20 | 97% | A |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Cape Elizabeth
Where can I hike in Cape Elizabeth?
The longest trail networks: Robinson Woods Preserve, 5.5 miles; Gull Crest Trails, 4.6 miles; Winnick Woods, 2.7 miles; Crescent Beach State Park, 2.6 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Cape Elizabeth is conserved land?
18% of its land, against a typical 6% for a Maine town and 4% nationally (PAD-US). Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors: easements are usually private land.
Are dogs allowed on Cape Elizabeth’s trails?
OpenStreetMap records dogs as welcome at Robinson Woods Preserve, Gull Crest Trails (on leash) and Winnick Woods. For the rest, check the signs at the trailhead.
Is there public land near Cape Elizabeth?
3,728 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Cape Elizabeth or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 313 of them inside the town line.
How much outdoors does Cape Elizabeth have?
Ahead of 89% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #8 of 143 in Maine. The grade combines the share of land that is conserved, miles of mapped trail per square mile of land, park acres per 1,000 residents and the share of residents within a half mile of a park. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Cape Elizabeth neighbors.
Share a tip
Sources
Where this page comes from
Conserved and public land: USGS Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US), service updated July 2026. Parks, trails, playgrounds, beaches and other places: OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), map data as of 2026-10-28. Land and water area: Census 2025 Gazetteer. Residents near a park: 2020 Census blocks. National Register: National Park Service. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →