Cliff Trail
Managed by Town of Harpswell
186 acres2 mi of trail
Cliff Trail
Dogs allowed
Directionsto the trailhead
Photo: Troy R. Bennett · CC BY-SA 4.0A−Outdoors
Outdoors in Harpswell
18% of Harpswell’s land is conserved: 2,793 acres
25 miles of mapped trail cross Harpswell, 1.0 per square mile of land. The biggest trail networks: Cliff Trail (2 mi), Mitchell Field (2 mi), Devil's Back Trail Area (1.9 mi). 114 acres are parks and preserves, 23 per 1,000 residents.
Ahead of 75% of U.S. towns · #29 of 143 in Maine. What drives it
Conserved land
18%
2,793 acres · of 24.1 sq mi of land
Trails
25 mi
1.0 per sq mi of land
Park land
114 ac
23 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
32%
of residents within ½ mile
Highest peak
184 ft
Long Reach Mountain
Lakes & rivers
3
20 beaches · 11 boat launches
What kind of outdoors town is Harpswell?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Harpswell have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Harpswell is ahead of 75% of U.S. towns, #29 of 143 in Maine. Conserved land holds the grade up; the share of residents near a park pulls it down.
A−
OutdoorsA character grade: shown, never part of Harpswell’s overall grade.
Conserved land18% of the land · typical ME town 6% · U.S. 4%ATrails1.0 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (25 mi) · ME 0.7 · U.S. 0.4A−Park land23 acres of park per 1,000 residents (114 acres) · ME 15 · U.S. 13B+Parks close to home32% 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 75%
LessMore
Maine towns of 2,500+ (143)Ahead of 80%
Water is more than half of Harpswell’s area (104 of 128 square miles), so every share here is of land; over land and water together, the conserved share would read 3%.
How sure. Graded on any three of the four inputs instead, the letter would range from B 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 Cliff Trail, with 2 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Mitchell Field
Managed by Town of Harpswell
105 acres2 mi of trail
Mitchell Field Loop Trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yetWebsite ↗
Devil's Back Trail Area
Managed by Town of Harpswell
38 acres1.9 mi of trail
Byles Point LoopGun Point Cove Loop Trail
Dogs allowed
Directionsto the trailheadWebsite ↗
Long Reach Preserve
Managed by Harpswell Heritage Land Trust
102 acres1.8 mi of trail
Fales Hill Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Curtis Farm Preserve
Managed by Harpswell Heritage Land Trust
85 acres1.6 mi of trail
Curtis Loop TrailField TrailBasin Cove Spur
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the trailhead
Otter Brook Preserve
Managed by Harpswell Heritage Land Trust
68 acres1.5 mi of trail
South LoopNorth Loop
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Anna M. Tondreau Preserve
Managed by Harpswell Heritage Land Trust
52 acres1.3 mi of trail
Loop TrailCove TrailAccess trail
Dogs allowed
Directionsto the trailhead
Hackett and Minot Trails
Managed by Harpswell Heritage Land Trust
75 acres1 mi of trail
Hackett and Minot Trails
Dogs allowed
Directionsto the trailheadWebsite ↗
All 36 parks & preserves
Cliff Trail186 acres · 2 mi of trail · Town of Harpswell
DirectionsMitchell Field105 acres · 2 mi of trail · Town of Harpswell
Devil's Back Trail Area38 acres · 1.9 mi of trail · Town of Harpswell
DirectionsLong Reach Preserve102 acres · 1.8 mi of trail · Harpswell Heritage Land Trust
DirectionsCurtis Farm Preserve85 acres · 1.6 mi of trail · Harpswell Heritage Land Trust
DirectionsOtter Brook Preserve68 acres · 1.5 mi of trail · Harpswell Heritage Land Trust
Anna M. Tondreau Preserve52 acres · 1.3 mi of trail · Harpswell Heritage Land Trust
DirectionsHackett and Minot Trails75 acres · 1 mi of trail · Harpswell Heritage Land Trust
DirectionsSkolfield Shores Preserve32 acres · 0.9 mi of trail
DirectionsHelen and Walter Norton Preserve45 acres · 0.7 mi of trail · Harpswell Heritage Land Trust
Austin Cary Tree Farm224 acres · 0.5 mi of trail · Baxter State Park Authority
DirectionsWidgeon Cove Trail Conservation Easement53 acres · 0.5 mi of trail
DirectionsLittle Ponds Preserve22 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
DirectionsEagle Island State Historic Site13 acres · 0.4 mi of trail · Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands
Wilson’s Cove Trail Conservation Easement19 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsStover’s Point Preserve17 acres · 0.3 mi of trail · Harpswell Heritage Land Trust
DirectionsHoughton Graves Park3 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Harpswell Heritage Land Trust
DirectionsGiant’s Stairs Trail3 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Town of Harpswell
DirectionsPott's Point Preserve2 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Harpswell Heritage Land Trust
McIntosh Lot Preserve1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Harpswell Heritage Land Trust
DirectionsWhaleboat Island122 acres · Maine Coast Heritage Trust
Alan E. Hutchinson Wildlife Management Area99 acres · Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife
Doughty Point and Island Preserve43 acres · Harpswell Heritage Land Trust
Shorewood Conservation Easement41 acres · Harpswell Heritage Land Trust
Birch Island South Preserve40 acres · Harpswell Heritage Land Trust
Maine Coastal Islands National Wildlife Refuge37 acres · United States Fish and Wildlife Service
Little Whaleboat Island Preserve22 acres · Maine Coast Heritage Trust
White Island Preserve19 acres · Harpswell Heritage Land Trust
Little Yarmouth Island Preserve16 acres · Harpswell Heritage Land Trust
East Gosling Island8 acres · Maine Coast Heritage Trust
Trufant-Summerton Ballfield5 acres
DirectionsWest Gosling Island3 acres · Maine Coast Heritage Trust
Johnson Field Preserve3 acres · Harpswell Heritage Land Trust
DirectionsStrawberry Creek Preserve3 acres · Harpswell Heritage Land Trust
Crow Island Preserve1 acres · Harpswell Heritage Land Trust
Mackerel Cove Lot1 acres · Town of Harpswell
DirectionsWho protects it
2,793 conserved acres
18% of Harpswell’s land. Water is left out: Harpswell has 24.1 square miles of land and 103.6 of water, so the share counts land only. Who manages Harpswell’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Land trusts & nonprofits3,445 ac
State parks391 ac
Regional agency320 ac
State fish & wildlife285 ac
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service154 ac
Other state land124 ac
State conservation87 ac
Conservation Easement · 1,505 acUnknown Easement · 1,328 acState Conservation Area · 409 acPrivate Other or Unknown · 373 acPrivate Conservation · 324 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 1,252 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. Public access isn’t recorded for 66 of 151 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Austin Cary Tree Farm State Resource Management Area | State parks | 224 | Restricted |
| Upper Goose Island Preserve State Conservation Area | Land trusts & nonprofits | 187 | Restricted |
| Cliff Trail Local Other or Unknown | Regional agency | 187 | Restricted |
| Petit Manan National Wildlife Refuge National Wildlife Refuge | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service | 154 | Restricted |
| Curtis Farm State Conservation Area | Land trusts & nonprofits | 142 | Closed |
| Whaleboat Island State Conservation Area | State conservation | 132 | Restricted |
| George J. Mitchell Field Local Other or Unknown | Regional agency | 105 | Restricted |
| Long Reach Preserve Private Other or Unknown | Land trusts & nonprofits | 103 | Restricted |
| Alan E. Hutchinson Wildlife Management Area State Conservation Area | State fish & wildlife | 98 | Restricted |
| Haskell Island State Conservation Area | State fish & wildlife | 70 | Closed |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
42 places to go in Harpswell
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Beaches in Harpswell
Sea Cove Beach
DirectionsPlus 19 beaches without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Playgrounds in Harpswell
Harpswell Community School Playground
DirectionsHarpswell community school playground
DirectionsBoat launches in Harpswell
Bethel Point Town Landing
DirectionsGarrison Cove Town Landing
DirectionsHildreth Road Landing
DirectionsHolbrook Street Landing
DirectionsMackerel Cove
DirectionsPotts Point Town Landing
DirectionsPublic
DirectionsStovers Cove Boat Launch
Directions2 more boat launches
Town Landing
DirectionsTown Landing
DirectionsPlus 1 boat launch without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Peaks in Harpswell
Long Reach Mountain184 ft elevation
DirectionsOrrs Hill164 ft elevation
DirectionsCranberryhorn Hill161 ft elevation
DirectionsFales Hill118 ft elevation
DirectionsMisery Hill56 ft elevation
DirectionsCommunity gardens in Harpswell
1 community garden without a name on the map.
Trails & water
25 named trails and 3 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Unpaved · 8.1 mi
Cliff Trail1.8 mi
Loop Trail1.6 mi
Mitchell Field Loop Trail1.6 mi
Fales Hill Trail1.5 mi
Byles Point Loop1.1 mi
South Loop1.0 mi
Long Cove Loop1.0 mi
Gun Point Cove Loop Trail1.0 mi
Hackett and Minot Trails1.0 mi
Curtis Loop Trail0.9 mi
15 more trails
Brewer Cove Trail
0.9 miNorth Loop
0.8 miWidgeon Cove Trail
0.6 miMerrucoonegan Loop
0.4 miHemlock Loop
0.4 miSpruce-Fir Forest Trail
0.4 miField Trail
0.4 miStone Wall Walk
0.4 miCove Trail
0.3 miDipper Cove Path
0.3 miWilson Cove Trail
0.3 miStovers Point
0.3 miGiant's Stairs Trail
0.3 miPine Needle Path
0.2 miOsbourne Row
0.2 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
8Tennis
2Basketball
2Baseball
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →18 places on the National Register, 2 of them National Historic Landmarks
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service).
Bailey Island Cobwork BridgeStructure · listed 1975
About itElijah Kellogg HouseBuilding · listed 1975
About itMerriconegan FarmBuilding · listed 1979
About itKellogg, Elijah, ChurchBuilding · listed 1979
About itAuburn-Harpswell Association Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 1985
About itUnion HotelBuilding · listed 1985
About itEast Harpswell Free Will Baptist ChurchBuilding · listed 1988
About itUnion ChurchBuilding · listed 1988
About itDeacon Andrew Dunning HouseDistrict · listed 1999
About itTarr-Eaton HouseBuilding · listed 2001
About it6 more on the History page.
When to get out
The best walking months in Harpswell: 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 | 8.9 |
| High (°F) | 31 | 34 | 41 | 52 | 63 | 72 | 78 | 77 | 70 | 58 | 47 | 37 |
| Rain (in) | 3.6 | 3.4 | 4.2 | 4.4 | 3.7 | 4.4 | 3.5 | 3.4 | 4.1 | 5.2 | 4.6 | 4.5 |
August is the driest month (3.4 in) and July the warmest (highs of 78 °F). 5.2 inches fall in October, the wettest month. The climate in Harpswell →
Next door
Harpswell and its neighbors
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harpswell | 18% | 1.0 | 23 | 32% | A− |
| Brunswick | 14% | 1.6 | 53 | 76% | A |
| Freeport | 14% | 1.5 | 46 | 34% | A− |
| West Bath | 7% | 1.4 | under 1 | 5% | C+ |
| Phippsburg | 29% | 1.3 | 153 | 19% | A− |
| Chebeague Island | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Harpswell
Where can I hike in Harpswell?
The longest trail networks: Cliff Trail, 2 miles; Mitchell Field, 2 miles; Devil's Back Trail Area, 1.9 miles; Long Reach Preserve, 1.8 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Harpswell 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 Harpswell’s trails?
OpenStreetMap records dogs as welcome at Cliff Trail, Devil's Back Trail Area, Anna M. Tondreau Preserve and Hackett and Minot Trails. For the rest, check the signs at the trailhead.
Is there public land near Harpswell?
4,757 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Harpswell or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 114 of them inside the town line.
How much outdoors does Harpswell have?
Ahead of 75% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #29 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 Harpswell 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 →