Running trails in Wells, ME
Wells has 7 trails in the directory — 1 boardwalk, 2 loops that return to the trailhead, 1 with a stated distance, and 1 open 24 hours. 4 of them post opening hours, so you can check the gate before an early start. They're ranked here by rating weighted by review volume, across 3,029 Google reviews. Filter by surface, loop, distance, shade or lighting to get to the run you're actually planning — no made-up difficulty score, just the facts you'd check before driving out.
Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge
4.7 ★★★★★ 2,034 reviews
This large salt marsh & estuary features hiking trails, trees & many bird-watching opportunities.
Wells Reserve at Laudholm
4.8 ★★★★★ 362 reviews
Conservation center featuring trails through woodlands & wetlands, plus historic farm buildings.
Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve
4.8 ★★★★★ 310 reviews
Nature preserve with coastal walking paths, boardwalks, and benches, plus a visitor center.
Wells Harbor Community Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 296 reviews
Park with a beach and a playground, plus a gazebo for concerts.
Tatnic Hills Preserve
4.6 ★★★★★ 7 reviews
Ghost Meadow Wildlife Commons
3.9 ★★★★☆ 7 reviews
No trails match those filters.
How to pick a trail in Wells
- Match the surface to your legs. Wells gives you a choice: 2 mixed and 1 boardwalk. Asphalt and concrete are fast, predictable and runnable year-round but the least forgiving; crushed limestone and dirt take the sting out of high mileage; boardwalk is flat and scenic but slick in the wet. If your shins or knees are complaining, the fix that actually works is varying the surface you run on rather than chasing one "best" one. More mixed trails →
- Loop or out-and-back? 2 trails here are loops, so you finish back at the car with no backtracking — the easiest way to run a set distance without thinking about it. On an out-and-back you turn round at half your target distance, which makes any trail fit any run. The longest stated distance in Wells is Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve at 1 mi.
- Check the hours before a 6am run. 1 trail in Wells is open 24 hours — the rest can sit inside a park that gates at dusk and doesn't unlock until well after sunrise. 4 of the 7 listings carry posted opening hours — worth a look before you set an alarm.
- Long run? Check water and restrooms first. 6 have trailhead parking, 2 have restrooms, and 1 has a water fountain in Wells. Anything over an hour and those stop being nice-to-haves — and in summer, shade counts double.
- The small things that decide it. 2 that runners describe as quiet, 3 dog-friendly, and 3 smooth and wide enough for a stroller or a wheelchair. Busy or quiet isn't a good-or-bad thing here: a busy path is the safer choice for a solo run at dawn, a quiet one is better for intervals.
More on all of this in the trail-running guides.
Browse Wells trails by type
Running trails near Wells
Worth the short drive — the closest towns with trails in the directory.