Did you know this Saturday, November 17, 2018 is National Take a Hike Day?  Well luckily for you, we at Living with a Golden have you covered!  From easy scenic strolls, to hiking adventures, and everything in between, we have over 100 recommendations for Dog Friendly Places around New England for you to enjoy this weekend and throughout the year.  The following are just a few of our favorite places you may want to visit on National Take a Hike Day.  Just click on the highlighted name for more information to plan your visit.  Also, please note that many of the trails and scenic walks we recommend do allow hunting.  So be sure you and your dog wear blaze-orange, and be aware of your surroundings.  Or skip the trails altogether, and take a long walk with your pup on one of the many beaches we’ve visited.  We’ve got something for everyone!

Straight Forward: The Kennebunk to Biddeford section of the Eastern Trail in Maine offers 6 miles of scenic easy walking.  Winding along former sections of the Eastern Railroad, this trail takes you past wooded vistas, over rivers, and interestingly enough over the Maine Turnpike on a footbridge!

Dogs are allowed on-leash

Difficulty: Easy

Admission: Free

Dare Devil: For seasoned hikers looking for more of an adventure, there’s the Anvil Trail on Schoodic Peninsula in Winter Harbor, Maine.   Part of Acadia National Park, the Anvil Trail is a difficult hike with rocky and steep sections up the southeastern side of Schoodic Head.  This in and out trail is approximately 1.1 miles, and leads to a scenic overlook at a rock outcropping known as “the anvil,” and the 440-foot Schoodic Head.

Dogs are allowed on-leash

Difficulty: Difficult. Please be aware the Anvil Trail is very challenging and should only be attempted with dogs accustomed to hiking, weather permitting.

Admission: Acadia National Park Passes required May through October.  Off-season free.

Choose Your Own Adventure: The extensive grounds of Maudslay State Park in Newburyport, MA with its 480 acres of historic landscapes including an extensive network of carriage roads, open meadows and scenic overlooks of the Merrimack River, offers something for everyone to enjoy a dog friendly day out.  There are miles of hiking trails that crisscross the park.  Or for a more leisurely dog walk, we recommend the formal English gardens and sculpture park.

Dogs are allowed on-leash

Difficulty: Easy to Moderate

Admission: There is a normal fee at the parking lot.

Quintessential Maine: Portland Head Light at Fort Williams Park in Cape Elizabeth, Maine has everything you need for a scenic dog friendly day out including cliff walk with lighthouse views, historic fort to explore, and even an off-leash dog area!

Dogs are allowed on-leash throughout most of the park.  There is also an off-leash area.

Difficulty: Easy

Admission: Free

Looks Can Be Deceiving: Stratham Hill Park in Stratham, New Hampshire is very deceiving.  From the parking lot it looks like your average recreational area with designated sports fields and playground.  But follow the trail to the woods, and you’ll find a variety of dog friendly hiking trails to explore.  The trails range from wide smooth paths for easy walking through stonewall lined woods; to more diverse narrow paths that wind up hills through the town’s forest, past ponds and meadows; to privately owned trails abutting the park.  Please note that the trails on the private properties are not maintained by the town, and hikers need to respect the owners’ privacy who allow them to be used.

Dogs are allowed off-leash, under voice control in the wooded areas.  Dogs must be leashed in the area of the athletic fields, playgrounds, and open lawn.

Difficulty: Easy to moderate.

Admission: Free