Fort Foster State Park (Kittery Point, ME)

Date Of Visit: January 21, 2017

Location: Pocahontas Rd, Gerrish Island, Kittery Point, ME

Cost: $10 per vehicle; pedestrians or bicyclists $5 adults/$1 under 12 (free during the off season)

Hours: Dawn to dusk for pedestrians; gates open 10 a.m.-8 p.m. (presently closed for the season, opens in May)

Parking: The gate was up during my visit so everyone parked along the road in front of the entrance.  When the parking is officially open, there are parking areas available.

Park Size/Trail Difficulty: 88 acres, easy trail difficulty

Handicapped Accessible: Yes

Dog Friendly: Yes

Highlights: fort, trails, family friendly, play area for children, jetty, views of Kittery, lighthouse

Web Site: Fort Foster State Park

As a disclaimer, since it had previously snowed in Maine and the weather turned much warmer, the trails were slushy and muddy and I didn’t have my boots on.  So, I wasn’t able to walk the entire trail system at the park.  However, the trails I did walk were pretty even and easy to navigate with a few slight inclines.

Named after John Gray Foster, a Major-General in the United States Army, Fort Foster Park has so much to offer the entire family.  Kids (and a few adults) will love plating at the playground area, especially the playhouse with the tree growing out of it.

Or, if you’re a military history buff,you will enjoy the various military installations.  This is one of the forts at the park.

The trees at Fort Foster State Park are particularly majestic.

The southernmost park in Maine, Foster Park also has a pier with wonderful views of the Piscataqua River and the Whaleback Lighthouse.  To the right of the lighthouse isWood Island Life Saving Station on Wood Island.  It looks like a bridge or perhaps another pier in the water to the left of the pier on the way to Eood Island.  I loved how the clouds played with the landscape and gaave an ominous yet beautiful backdrop to the river.   .

The tide was low and the sand was surprisingly firm,.  So I was able to walk out pretty far and get some shots of the water and the landscape across the water.  The Portsmouth Harbor Lighthouse can be viewed across the river in the final photo.

The Piscataqua River, which flows into Portsmouth (NH), is a busy waterway for birds and boats.  I saw quite a few of both in or above the river.

It’s funny how you see so many funny things on the trails at parks.  Anyone lose a shoe or croc?

Fort Foster State Park is a dog friendly park.  I saw many cute dogs at the park during my visit.  But, as one visitor told me, during the spring and summer the park is packed with dogs.  Since it was an unseasonably mild January day, I ran into a fair share of them.

While I was walking the path to the park, I saw a man throwing a ball to a cute dog.  So, of course, I had to ask for a photo.  Charlie, a 1 and a half year old Feist, is looking so intently at his dad because he wanted him to throw the ball to him.

As I walked along the park, I saw another beautiful dog in a beautiful setting.  Omar, an 8 year old Greyhound, is a rescue who used to race.  He is now retired but he still likes to run and play.  And, as you can see by the photos, he loves his mom.

Missy, a Golden Retriever, and Ruby, a Flatcoat Retriever, (from left to right) both 6 months, are sisters.  Because of the sharp, dark color of Ruby’s fur and the shadows from the sun, it was hard to pick up her features.  But, trust me she is beautiful.

Java The Pup is an 8 year old (almost 9) Poodle.  Not only is he cute, he also does tricks!

Below is a video (360 degrees no less) of the low tide at Fort Foster.

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