We are glad to be able to provide trails and preserves for both people and their four-footed friends.

If you are a dog owner, we ask that you please respect others’ enjoyment of our beautiful trails and shoreline. Please understand that some people don’t like dogs and some are afraid of dogs. Please keep your dogs under control so they do not approach or bother others.

Some trails and preserves in Harpswell do not allow dogs, others require dogs to be on leash at all times and others allow well-behaved dogs to be off leash during certain times of year or times of day. Please check the rules for each trail before you go.

Please always clean up all dog waste.

Town of Harpswell trails

Please note that the Town of Harpswell has updated its dog rules. Dogs must be on leash on all town-owned trails, except if they are swimming at Mitchell Field.

The following trails are owned and managed by the town:

• Cliff Trail
• Devil’s Back Trail Area
• Giant’s Stairs Trail
• Mitchell Field

Harpswell Heritage Land Trust trails and preserves

This trail does not allow dogs:

• Skolfield Shores Preserve

These trails and preserves require dogs to be on leash at all times:

• Otter Brook Preserve
• Widgeon Cove Trail
• Wilson’s Cove Trail

These trails and preserves require dogs to be on leash during bird nesting season (April 15-July 31) and under owner control (voice or leash) the rest of the year:

• Curtis Farm Preserve
• Hackett and Minot Trails
• Little Ponds Preserve
• Long Reach Preserve

These trails and preserves require dogs to be under owner control (voice or leash):

• Houghton Graves Park
• Johnson Field Preserve
• Pott’s Point Preserve (though dogs must be on leash while on private Pott’s Point Road)
• Stover’s Point Preserve (dogs must be on leash between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. Memorial Day to Labor Day and under owner control all other times)

Other trails

Bowdoin College’s Schiller Coastal Studies Center requires dogs to be on leash at all times.