The Awesome Hike In Maine That Will Take You Straight To An Abandoned Castle

Today we take you to popular Cape Elizabeth to do one of the easiest and most beautiful coastal hikes in Southern Maine. While there are many things to see throughout the easy walk, the destination is a often forgotten mansion that dates back to 1858.

Fort Williams Park, home to this beautiful cliffside hike, is located in Cape Elizabeth.

The easily navigable cliff walk is made of crushed stone making it easy on the feet.

It follows the the beautiful cliffs and takes visitors past the historic remnants of Fort Williams.

This walk also features Maine's oldest lighthouse, Portland Head Light, which is located right on the path.

The cliff walk begins above from the Fort Williams Park beach near the entrance of the park.The path leads to the other side of the park, passing old batteries and the lighthouse while also providing an opportunity to see across Casco Bay.

You'll even be able to see Ram Island Lighthouse as well as some of the islands on a clear day.

While most people come to Fort Williams Park for the views, the fort and the lighthouse, there's actually a lesser-known castle hiding in the area!

We recommend starting at the lighthouse and taking the trail headed North.

The mansion can be found at the end of the cliff walk, by continuing past the Ship Cove beach area after the Battery Hobart.

The castle mansion was built for John Goddard, a local businessman who was also a volunteer army colonel in the Civil War for a short time in 1861.

About 50 years later, the castle came into the ownership of the army in 1900. It was used as living quarters for non-commissioned officers and later became a club for these officers and sergeants.

Over time, the walls greatly deteriorated and in the 1980s, a controlled fire gutted it.

Today it is fenced off so you won't be able to go inside, but the stonework still shows the detail and craftsmanship that was original to the structure.

You'll be using your imagination, but it's incredible to look inside the mansion and imagine women in fine dresses and fires roaring in the still-visible fireplaces.

It's truly a part of local and American history!

Fort Williams Park is free to visit and is open all year from sunrise to sunset. You can bring dogs, but they're required to be on a leash except in specific "off-leash" sanctioned areas. For directions, click here and enter your own starting point. You can reach the Community Services office for the park by calling: 207-700-2868.

For more abandoned sites to see in Maine, check out these incredible ruins you can explore throughout the state.