Rines Forest

Activities: Walking, Hiking, Snowshoeing, Cross Country Skiing, Biking, Fishing, Observing Nature.

Trail Length & Difficulty: Rines Forest contains 5.4 miles of trails varying from EASY to MODERATE in difficulty.

Location & Parking: The main entrances to Rines Forest are located on Range Road.  A 10-car parking lot is located at 363 Range Road with parking also available along roadway at 131 Range Road.

Property Description: Rines Forest is a magnificent 272-acre woodland in the heart of Cumberland. This beautiful and tranquil setting provides visitors with cascading waterfalls, popular recreational trails, and places of solitude. The Rines Forest contains a diversity of plant and animal life. There are also beautiful cascading streams; the largest stream is the Mill Stream which eventually flows into the Presumpscot River and then into Casco Bay.

History: Cumberland purchased 216 acres of the property in 2003 from the Rines family, and in 2005 signed a conservation easement with Chebeague & Cumberland Land Trust (CCLT) to ensure that the forest would remain a natural area managed for wildlife habitat and public enjoyment forever. In November 2019, the Rines family sold an additional lot to the Town, which CCLT protected with a conservation easement, bringing the total area up to 268 acres. The purchase of the additional acreage was funded in part by a grant from the U.S. Forest Service’s Community Forest Program. 

The Rines Family purchased the property in 1918 to be used as pasture for their cattle, which they walked to Cumberland each spring from their farm in Gorham for grazing. In 1941, they decided to return the property to a forested area.  Today, few signs of human intrusion are evident apart from an occasional rock wall or logging road. Here it is easy to feel as though one has escaped to a remote wilderness far removed from Maine's largest city.

Other information: Dogs are allowed under owner voice, electronic, or whistle control.  Hunting is allowed.  Snowmobiles are permitted on approved snowmobile trails.