I took that as a cue to unstrap my skis and walk. Staff photo by Doug Jones Chris Robinson of Cape Elizabeth cleans his cross country skis after a morning on the shores of Crescent Beach State Park in Cape Elizabeth. Another place groomed for skiers is Smiling Hill Farm in Westbrook. One of the closest places to ski just minutes from downtown Portland is also one of my favorite places to get away from it all. It's on the back side of Evergreen Cemetery, behind the Westbrook College campus on Brighton Avenue.
People walk their dogs here because they can be off leash once on the wooded path.
But if the sun has broken through to pavement, you'll want to stick to the wooded paths beyond the duck pond. The path is wide and well-packed thanks to the dogs and their people. And you usually will bump into at least a couple of dog walkers while you are there. The trail reminds me of the paths we used to explore behind my grandmother's farm when we were growing up. You know you are only moments from civilization, but it's still easy to imagine being deep in the woods.