Hiking Ovens Mouth Preserve in Boothbay

Sometimes, a hike with my family is just a pleasant walk through the woods, a time to simply enjoy a sunny day and reconnect with one another. A recent trip to Ovens Mouth Preserve gave my kids and me a chance to take in some beautiful scenery while doing just that.

There are two main looping trails at the preserve, one on the east peninsula and the other on the west. The peninsulas are connected by a bridge at what locals refer to as "Ice House Cove." The preserve has an interesting history that includes a former shipyard and ice house. And, we learned from the Boothbay Region Land Trust Web site (www.bbrlt.org), the waters in this area hid both British and American vessels during the Revolutionary War.

We started our hike at the east peninsula's trailhead and saw views of Ovens Mouth River and people clamming during low tide. Just before crossing the bridge to loop around the west peninsula, we spotted a lobster boat and stopped to watch the crew pull up some traps. The kids enjoyed the maritime activity, which included several pleasure craft, too.

There were several vista points on both peninsula trail loops with benches, and we took advantage of one to eat our lunch. We spotted signs of wildlife on the trail (in the form of droppings), but we didn't actually see any wildlife beyond chipmunks and squirrels. That's not unusual for us, though. We rarely spot any wildlife while hiking, because we generally scare most creatures off with our voices and (sometimes) boisterous laughter.

Over the years, I have had some of the best conversations with my kids while hiking. The chatting during this particular adventure included a reflection on what life in this area might have been like during the late 1700s, and where large ships might have chosen to hide during the Revolution.

Then we moved on to a revelation about my unusually flexible fingers. (I honestly have no idea how that segue actually happened.) Apparently, the girls didn't realize that I can touch my thumb to my wrist and bend my fingers backwards unaided. After multiple failed attempts by the girls to do the same, there was some discussion about the unfairness of my "freaky" ability before moving on to who could roll their tongue and other tricks. It did not take long to digress to talk of burping and other bodily functions, none of which are particularly unique – but oh-so-entertaining to an 11-year-old.

Our conversations on this trail were random (obviously), but part of the appeal of hiking with kids for me is listening to what is on my girls' minds. They know I am interested in what they have to say, because they have my undivided attention out on the trail. I think this is particularly important now that they are in their tween and early teen years. Making the effort to take a break from everyday life to spend some quality time with my kids has been worth the occasional eye roll I sometimes face now when suggesting a day out on the trail with mom.

So if you're looking for an easy trail where you might reconnect with your kids this month - while the weather is still warm and the homework hasn't yet started to pile up - Ovens Mouth Preserve is a nice family-friendly destination to explore.

Ovens Mouth Preserve