You can only carve out a couple of hours, but want some time outdoors doing what you love. Here are three ideas to get you outside when you’re short on time.
Conveneint Adventure #1: Kennebec Highlands
On Sunday my friend Mel and I hiked Round Top, in the Kennebec Highlands, part of the 7 Lakes Alliance Trail System. Equidistant from Kingfield and Cornville, we both drove a little under an hour from our homes to reach the trail head parking lot in Rome, Maine. The lot had room for about 15 cars, and when we arrived at 8:00 there was only one other car there.
Complete directions, trail description, and maps are on Maine Trail Finder. The Round Top trail is pet friendly, yet we saw no dogs. (Benno will be accompanying me next time!) Although the Kennebec Highlands are fairly close to several large communities, including Augusta, Waterville and Farmington, we only saw five other people. It took us about two hours to hike the full loop, including the spur. If you hike Round Top, hike to the spur. It only adds .3 miles and it is the best view you’ll get. You can do this hike as an up and back, but the loop is worth exploring. There are several side trails off the main trail, but the system is very well marked with ample blue blazes and clear signs at every intersection.
The hike meanders through the woods, with easy, rolling terrain. On one section granite slabs are piled up, an old foundation sinking into the soil. I like to see the Earth tucking human structures back under the blankets. Some people find old, forgotten cemeteries and dilapidated farm ruins depressing. I find them soothing in an odd way. Like we aren’t so important. It’s not all such a big deal. Once on the spur, you can see all of Great Pond and Long Pond. It was a lovely hike: nice weather, excellent trail conditions, great company, satisfying view.
And then I went grocery shopping.
Because we were back at the parking lot by 10:15, I was able to do all those things people with Mon-Fri jobs do on the weekend.
Don’t get me wrong, I love an all-day adventure, especially hiking or cross country skiing. But isn’t it nice to be able to go on a hike someplace new, even when you can’t take a full day?
Where I live, we’re surrounded by the Bigelows, Mt.Abram, Spaulding, Sugarloaf and Crocker. Short hikes with views are not plentiful in my back yard, but by driving South or East throughout the state, there are tons of them! We are incredibly lucky to live here and have access to such a variety of hiking options if we are willing to drive a bit.
Katie, my friend from college, lives in South Portland. I was wondering, what kind of hiking options do we have if each of us were to drive about an hour? Well, a quick search on Maine Trail Finder, entering a filter of moderate hikes, no more than 50 miles from Portland yielded these results:
Are you as amazed as I was? Adding a filter of hikes 5 miles long and under still yielded all these results:
Clearly, we have so many options for hiking in Maine, and it doesn’t have to be a 4000’ to make it a great hike.
Convenient Adventure Idea #2: Nordic Ski Fields
There are often times during the winter when fields make better skiing surfaces than trails. Trails can be hard, icy, or just too noisy. Right now, and many times throughout the winter, fields have enough crust to hold you up and enough powder or soft snow to give traction. It feels like being an artist with a huge, brand new canvas laid out before you. Ski anywhere, in any old direction, with free reign. There’s room to skate ski too without any troublesome grooves. Added bonus: no driving or buying passes at a Nordic ski center.
You can ski in fields alongside snowmobile trails, or at a park, golf course or farm with permission. To find out who owns any piece of land, go to your local town office and check out the tax maps. Of course, you can also knock on someone’s door and ask. Yes, people still do that. Ask any hunter and they’ll tell you.
Convenient Adventure Idea #3: Moonlight walking and hiking
Comfy clothes, PJs, sweatpants, my couch, Blacklist… yes to all these things on a cold winter night. But none of these comforts can compare to a moonlight hike with my ladies. All it takes is one person to get the idea going and before you know it, you’re hiking by 6:00 and back in your toasty home by 10:00. On a school night?! Yes, you can do it. Recently about ten of us hiked up to the Stratton Brook Hut on a night that the temp topped out at 5 degrees with the wind chill. We were dressed appropriately and kept moving except for short breaks to regroup or shed or add layers.
Have you ever seen your best friends’ faces lit up by the moon? It’s a beautiful thing. With the moonlight reflecting off the snow, everything glows. In fact, we rarely need headlamps for our night hikes, except in places with a thick canopy. It’s incredible how well your eyes can adjust to the lack of light, too.
At the top of the Stratton Brook Hut Trail, we huddled behind a bunkhouse (since the Huts are closed due to Covid-19) and had nips of whiskey and Everclear. (No thanks, Liz, I don’t care that it’s medicinal.) Then we made our rosy way back down, visiting, laughing and breathing in the fresh winter air, all of us feeling gratitude for life and friendship.
I’d love to hear about your short on time, week-night, soak-up-the-outdoors-when-you-can adventure ideas!