When we think of hiking or nature, rarely does Augusta, Maine come to mind. For most of us in central Maine, Augusta is a place to work or to shop at big-box chain stores, but not a place to enjoy the outdoors. For our outdoor adventures we hop in the car and head to Tumbledown, or Baxter, or the Camden Hills, rarely giving a second thought to the hiking possibilities in our own backyards.

But believe it or not, those possibities are out there! Augusta and the surrounding communities boast numerous hiking and walking trails. Some, like the rail trail, are fairly new and well-known. Others have been hiding in quiet anonymity for years. I can't tell you how many times I've heard a long-term resident excalim of a newly-discovered hiking area, "I never even knew this was here!" This blog is a place where I hope to make these hidden little treasures of our capital more well-known, so that hikers and nature lovers can enjoy them, without spending hours in the car getting there.

Over the last few weeks I've rambled over a number of these trails, and the words that most often come to my mind to describe them are "pleasant" and "peaceful." Although many of the trails run near urban, suburban and industrial areas, never far removed from roads, they almost always give me a sense of peace and quiet. It is my hope that as more people become familiar--dare I say in love--with these areas, the support for preserving open space and developing and linking trails will overwhelm the forces in favor of more of the sprawl-mall-style development that seems to be taking over our capital.

I plan on posting at least one hike each week over the next several months. Come back often and get out on the trail!