This is a really fun run with great water views and a variety of sights and terrain. It includes a tour of Peirce Island (not a typo!), and then the Memorial Bridge over to Kittery, ME.
Start at the Portsmouth Memorial, and run along the pleasant paths of Prescott Park to Peirce Island Rd. You’ll then do a ~2 mile tour of Pierce Island, using Peirce Island Rd. and the gentle S. End Loop Trail and N. Shoreline Trail. Back at the parking lot, take a quick jaunt out to Four Tree Island. After returning to Prescott Park, it’s easy to run over to Maine, just 0.5 miles over the Memorial Bridge. Turn around at Water St. and head back to Portsmouth. Bonus: There’s a public pool on Pierce Island.
Add-Ons: Enjoy some of the lovely, historic streets around the center of Portsmouth and the grounds of the Strawbery Banke Museum. Can also connect to our Newcastle Island route. It’s a spectacular 1.5 miles from Prescott Park along Marcy St. to Rt. 1B, over to New Castle, passing Shapleigh Island and Goat Island.
This is a really fun run with great water views and a variety of sights and terrain. It includes a tour of Peirce Island (not a typo!), and then the Memorial Bridge over to Kittery, ME.
Start at the Portsmouth Memorial, and run along the pleasant paths of Prescott Park to Peirce Island Rd. You’ll then do a ~2 mile tour of Pierce Island, using Peirce Island Rd. and the gentle S. End Loop Trail and N. Shoreline Trail. Back at the parking lot, take a quick jaunt out to Four Tree Island. After returning to Prescott Park, it’s easy to run over to Maine, just 0.5 miles over the Memorial Bridge. Turn around at Water St. and head back to Portsmouth. Bonus: There’s a public pool on Pierce Island.
Add-Ons: Enjoy some of the lovely, historic streets around the center of Portsmouth and the grounds of the Strawbery Banke Museum. Can also connect to our Newcastle Island route. It’s a spectacular 1.5 miles from Prescott Park along Marcy St. to Rt. 1B, over to New Castle, passing Shapleigh Island and Goat Island.
There's more to Kittery than outlet stores! We've put together a route map that mainly follows Rt. 103 and then Chauncy Creek Rd north toward York. This is the best spot in the area for water views. Up to 3.4 miles one-way.
One of our favorite runs in southern Maine. Scenic beachfront running, gorgeous homes with ocean views, and a historic lighthouse -- all one run! Run these separately or combine for a 10k loop. The beach is also runnable.
This is a lovely run incorporating the best of historic York Village and the seaport town of York Harbor. Much of the route is along waterside roads, including Wiggly Bridge over the York River, Fishermans's Walk, and the Cliff Walk in York Harbor.
One of our favorite beach runs in New England. The 2.4 miles on the beach between Ogunquit and Wells are wide, flat, open, and offer consistently good “beach running” conditions. Numerous access points.
Fantastic ocean views along the 1-mile shoreline path between Ogunquit and Perkins Cove. 2.2 mile loop with a run back along Shore Rd. For a longer run, enjoy the side streets off Shore Rd. or a section along Ogunquit Beach.
Great running options in Wells: The Wells Reserve at Laudholm, with offers 7 miles of gorgeous trails through marshes and grasslands; 4+ miles of beach is perfect for running; and our scenic route though the neighborhood, passing nice homes.
Wonderful waterside running in this popular summer report area. In Kennebunk, run for nearly 2 miles along Beach Rd., paralleling Kennebunk Beach. In Kennebunkport, the run along Ocean Ave. is one of our favorites in Maine.
A fantastic beach for running. It’s nearly 7 miles from the southern end at Camp Ellis to the northern end at Pine Point, with great views of Saco Bay and Prouts Beck. Flat and wide, with firm sand.
Wonderful rail-trail between Kennebunk and Portland. Mainly inland, through woods, marshes, & farms. Completed section is 28 miles (15% on-road). A 37-mile on-road section from Kittery to Kennebunk is also marked & mainly on low-trafficked roads.
Share your feedback on this route and see that of other Great Runs users. Click on the image icon to upload a photo. And please let us know if there are notes or changes we should incorporate!
Review or Comment on This Route/Share a Photo!
Share your feedback on this route and see that of other Great Runs users. Click on the image icon to upload a photo. And please let us know if there are notes or changes we should incorporate!