Maine is a state filled with some seriously good hikes. Many of them are quite impressive, including technical climbs with tons of elevation gain. But if you’re looking or some more family focused trails without a lot of the difficultly, Maine has those, too. There are hundreds of hikes that little legs can complete without too much hassle, with plenty of fun things to look at along the way. Here are some of our favorite kid friendly hikes in Maine. Spoiler Alert: They're actually great for grown-ups, too!

1. Barred Island Preserve, Deer Isle

Barred Island Preserve is located on the west side of Deer Isle. There are about 1.5 miles of trails in the preserve, but the best one is about a mile. It leads to visitors across a sandy path that's covered during high tide. So cool! And there's LOTS of areas for kids to comb through sea life and tide pools.

If you’re near Barred Island Preserve and looking for kid friendly hikes near me, this is a great place to explore with the family.

2. Jesup Path, Bar Harbor

You might want to save this trail for autumn because it has some of the best fall foliage views you'll find with an elevation gain that little enough for kids. Enjoy the views from close to sea level on this 1.5-mile hike through the wooded areas of Acadia National Park.

This scenic hike in Maine is the perfect place to bring the family out for a great day in the woods.

3. Wolfe’s Neck State Park, Freeport

The beauty of this trail network lies in the multitude of options! Walking through the Casco Bay Trails will take you from forest to Maine coastline. It's one of the best for kids and you can even plan to add an afternoon at the outlets in downtown Freeport. While there are 5 miles of trails, many are short and great for little legs!

We love this easy hike in Maine, especially with 244 nearby acres to explore!

4. Cascade Stream Gorge Trail, Sandy River Plantation

This fun and easy 1-mile hike is a simple loop. It follows the Cascade Stream gorge path and offers picnic spots to stop for a break. On a warm day, the stream is great for swimming, too! You'll find the trail within the 50-acre Cascade Stream Gorge Conservation Area, which is on the Maine Registry of Critical Areas. The route is about 1 mile and it should take 30-45 minutes round trip.

If you’re in the Coplin area, and looking for an easy hiking trail near me, make sure to head on over to this simple loop.

5. Higgins Mountain, Georgetown

This path is found in Reid State Park and it's great for a fun family day out. The trail itself is a little more than a mile, but the summit is beautiful. From the top, you'll be able to see Maine's coast from Robinhood Cove towards Sheepscot Bay.

This scenic hike in Maine offers plenty of great ways to enjoy Maine’s great outdoors, and this trail is especially beautiful in the fall.

6. Step Falls Trail, Newry

This trail is fairly easy at just 1-mile, but it's probably best for older kids since you'll find some rocky terrain. Although, we all know Maine kids are a hearty bunch! The trail will bring you directly to the base of the falls, which are among the highest in Maine. The 1 mile round trip route will take about 45 minutes to one hour depending on your pace.

This kid friendly hike in Maine is a fun one, especially with the waterfall at the end. It’s such a great family outing in Newry!

7. Ecotat Gardens and Arboretum, Hermon

The fact that this garden is completely free of charge, makes it great for big families! It features more than 80 acres of land provides 15 acres of gardens for exploring. The trail system meanders through wooded area, as well as the marshy area below. If you explore every path you'll walk about 1.3 miles. Plan on spending between 1 and 3 hours here.

Ecotat Gardens and Arboretum is a wonderful place to spend the day, especially with a family with small children.

8. Aroostook National Wildlife Refuge, Caribou

The refuge includes more than 5 miles of trails, which are all focused around Chapman Pond and Greenlaw Brook. There are three different trail heads from which to set off on adventure! All of them are routinely maintained and flat, lending to the kid-friendly nature! Hiking, running, snowshoeing and skiing are all allowed in the area. The 5 miles of trails are all easy-peasy! Plan for a full day here.

Not only stunning during the day, this scenic hike in Maine is also a great place to watch the northern lights in the colder months, too!

9. Lily Bay State Park Trails, Beaver Cove

The Scott Paper Company donated the land for this wonderful place. While the area is mainly used by campers and visitors to Moosehead Lake, the area is a nice getaway into the surrounding land. You'll find 2 main hiking trails that are fairly easy, family friendly and will take you along the shore of the lake.

If you're up for more than a mile, you can do both trails which are about 2 miles total.

This kid friendly hike in Maine offers stunning views, and plenty of areas to hang out around the lake.

10. Holden Community Learning Trails, Holden

This network of trails is near the elementary school in Holden and offers a great way to learn more about the outdoors. If you're looking to take it easy, take the Washburn Trail. Most of the trails are super easy and fun. There are markers throughout providing information on everything you'll see. The trails are approximately 1.2 miles if you do everything in the network. 1 to 3 hours should do it!

These kid friendly trails in Maine are a great way to explore the wooded area in Holden, and a beautiful adventure for smaller children.

11. Alewive Woods Preserve, Kennebunk

This forested preserve is comprised of approximately 625 acres and includes Alewife Pond. The looped trail goes to the pond and back, but we love that you can just do a portion with kids and still see all the beauty it has to offer. Kids will love the wildflowers in the spring, but they'll REALLY enjoy picking fresh Maine wild blueberries in the summer!

There are about 2.5 miles of trails making up the entire network. Plan on spending about 1 to 3 hours. In the summer time, this scenic trail in Maine explodes in wildflowers and is a ton of fun.

12. Mackworth Island, Casco Bay

This just might be the BEST trail for kids on this list, if not in all of Maine! Just North of Portland, in the town of Falmouth Mackworth Island offers a short, fun looped trail around the island. Though it's not actually an island at all - the small bit of land can be accessed via a causeway at the mouth of the Presumpscot River, just off of Route 1. Arrive and pass the gate house, and head into the parking lot. The trail begins just after that. But, while the trail is fun it's the Fairy village that we REALLY love! Kids of all ages are encouraged to use bits of nature to create houses for the local fairies. While the trail is short, plan on allowing for enough time to hatch some truly creative plans!

Mackworth Island is a wonderful family place to explore, and this easy hike in Maine is the perfect spot to a great day of tide pooling and swimming off the beach.

Do you love these kid friendly hikes in Maine? Any others you would add to the list? Let us know in the comments below!

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