This 2-Mile Maine Trail Features The Cutest Hiking Companions Around
Picture a quiet woodland trail in Maine, where a herd of friendly, curious goats tags along as you walk. This unusual outdoor experience unfolds at a small working farm in Gray, where peaceful scenery meets playful animal encounters.
Guests join guided hikes through the woods while goats wander freely beside the group, creating a relaxed and memorable atmosphere. The experience blends fresh air, light adventure, and a closer look at farm life, all in a setting that feels welcoming and unhurried.
Designed to be family-friendly, the visits follow clear participation guidelines for younger children. Along the way, the goats’ personalities bring constant surprises, turning a simple walk into something far more engaging.
It is the kind of outing that leaves a lasting impression and draws visitors back to Maine’s countryside again and again.
From City Life To Goat Farm
Karl Schatz and Margaret Hathaway did not grow up as farmers. They made a deliberate choice to leave their city lives behind and build something rooted in the land, and the story of how Ten Apple Farm came to be is genuinely inspiring.
Karl has shared this backstory at the start of every goat hike, giving visitors a real sense of purpose and passion behind the property.
Margaret is also an accomplished author, and her writing about their transition to farm life has reached readers far beyond Maine.
The couple brought not just ambition but deep curiosity to everything they do on the farm. Their commitment shows in how carefully they have built a welcoming space for both animals and guests.
That combination of storytelling, farming knowledge, and hospitality creates an atmosphere unlike anything you find at a typical outdoor attraction. Visiting Ten Apple Farm feels less like a tourist stop and more like stepping into a living, breathing chapter of someone’s most meaningful adventure.
Hiking With Goats
Most hiking trails in Maine offer wildlife sightings if you are lucky. At Ten Apple Farm, the wildlife walks right next to you the entire time.
The goats are not led on leashes or kept at a distance. They simply roam alongside the group through approximately two miles of wooded trail on the farm property, behaving like the most sociable trail companions imaginable.
Goats are naturally curious and surprisingly sure-footed, which makes them wonderful partners on a woodland path.
They will stop to sniff things, nudge your hand, and occasionally race ahead before doubling back to check on the group. The whole experience has an organic, unscripted quality that makes every hike feel a little different.
Karl typically leads the group and keeps things moving at a comfortable pace, making sure no goat gets left behind. Watching the herd navigate roots and small slopes with total confidence is one of those small, joyful moments that sticks with you long after you have driven home.
An Easygoing Woodland Walk
Two miles might sound like a casual stroll to seasoned hikers, but the real appeal of this trail is how genuinely manageable it is for people who are not regular outdoor adventurers.
The path through the farm’s wooded property is described as a fairly easy hike, with regular rest stops built into the experience so the whole group stays together.
Families with young children have completed the hike comfortably, and visitors in their sixties and seventies have enjoyed it just as much as teenagers.
The terrain is generally manageable but includes some uneven and occasionally steep sections, so the focus stays on enjoying the animals and surroundings at a comfortable pace.
That accessibility is part of what makes Ten Apple Farm so broadly appealing. You do not need hiking boots or trail experience to feel at home here.
A comfortable pair of shoes, a willingness to move at a relaxed pace, and a fondness for four-legged company are really all you need to have a genuinely wonderful afternoon on this trail.
Meet The Baby Goats
There is something about a baby goat that turns even the most reserved visitor into an enthusiastic participant. At Ten Apple Farm, baby goats are sometimes present during certain seasonal hikes and farm visits, and some experiences may include opportunities to hold or bottle-feed them.
Baby goats, called kids, are extraordinarily playful and affectionate. They have that specific brand of wobbling, bounding energy that makes it nearly impossible not to smile.
Feeding one from a bottle creates an immediate bond that feels both tender and a little hilarious, since kids have strong opinions about mealtime.
The availability of baby goats depends on the time of year, since births happen seasonally on a working farm.
Spring visits tend to offer the best chance of meeting the youngest members of the herd. Even without babies present, the adult goats at Ten Apple Farm are social and interactive enough to steal the show entirely on their own.
Try Milking A Goat
Not every farm tour lets you participate in the actual work of the farm, but Ten Apple Farm has made hands-on involvement a central part of the experience.
Milking a goat is offered as part of select visit formats, separate from the standard goat hike, and is one of those activities that sounds intimidating until you try it.
Karl walks guests through the process with patience and good humor, making sure everyone feels comfortable before they give it a go. The goats themselves are calm and cooperative during milking, which helps nervous first-timers relax pretty quickly.
Successfully coaxing fresh milk from a dairy goat for the first time carries a quiet sense of accomplishment that is hard to describe but easy to feel.
The milk produced at Ten Apple Farm has earned genuine appreciation from visitors who were not expecting to enjoy it.
Fresh goat milk straight from the source has a clean, mild flavor that surprises people who have only tried the store-bought version. It pairs wonderfully with the homemade cookies waiting at the end of the hike.
Cookies And Milk At The Finish
Finishing a hike with a snack is satisfying enough on its own, but Ten Apple Farm takes the post-trail reward to a completely different level. Fresh goat milk and cookies are typically served at the end of the goat hike, and this simple combination has become one of the most talked-about parts of the visit.
There is something deeply comforting about sitting down after a woodland walk and being handed something baked from scratch.
The farm setting makes the whole thing feel unhurried and warm, like being welcomed into someone’s home rather than wrapping up a scheduled activity. Cookies are prepared on-site as part of the farm experience, adding a warm, homemade touch to the visit.
For visitors who are skeptical about goat milk, this is often the moment that changes their minds. Fresh, farm-direct milk has a richness and sweetness that bears little resemblance to what comes in a carton.
Paired with a still-warm cookie, it is a closing note that earns its own place in the memory of the day.
Don’t Skip The Farm Stand
Beyond the hike itself, Ten Apple Farm has a small farm stand where visitors can pick up products made right on the property.
Goat cheese and goat milk are available for purchase, and the quality of both reflects the care that goes into every aspect of the farm’s operation. It is the kind of stop where you end up buying more than you planned.
The stand also carries goat hike t-shirts, which make for a genuinely fun souvenir that actually gets worn. Books by Karl and Margaret are available as well, giving visitors a way to take a piece of the farm’s story home with them.
Margaret’s writing about their life in Maine and their journey into farming has attracted readers who discovered the farm through her work first.
Browsing the farm stand after a hike has a pleasant, unhurried quality that fits the overall pace of a visit here.
Nothing about Ten Apple Farm feels rushed or commercial, and the stand reflects that same sensibility. It is a thoughtful little collection of things made by people who clearly care about what they produce.
Join The Morning Chores
The goat hike is the signature experience at Ten Apple Farm, but it is not the only way to connect with the farm’s daily rhythm.
Morning chores sessions give visitors a chance to participate in the actual start-of-day routines that keep a working farm running, and the format is immersive in a way that the hike alone cannot replicate.
During a morning chores visit, guests have helped milk goats, fed the various farm animals, and gotten a close-up look at what farm life actually looks like before most people have finished their first cup of tea. The experience has included a farm-to-table breakfast as a finale, which is a remarkable way to end a morning that started in a barn.
Karl’s enthusiasm during these sessions is genuine and contagious. He approaches every task with the kind of energy that comes from truly loving what you do, and that feeling transfers to everyone around him.
For anyone curious about what sustainable small-farm life actually involves day to day, a morning chores session at Ten Apple Farm is about as honest and engaging an answer as you will find.
Other Animals Call This Farm Home Too
Goats get top billing at Ten Apple Farm, and they have absolutely earned it. But the farm is also home to sheep, pigs, and chickens, and spending time with the full cast of farm residents adds a lot of texture to a visit.
Philip the sheep has developed something of a fan following among guests who make a point of seeking him out during their time on the property.
The pigs at the farm have drawn their own share of admiring comments, described as amazing by visitors who were not expecting to be quite so charmed by them. Chickens round out the animal population and contribute to the farm-to-table philosophy that runs through everything Karl and Margaret do here.
Seeing all of these animals together in a working farm context gives visitors a more complete picture of what small-scale sustainable agriculture actually looks like. It is not a petting zoo or a curated display.
These animals are part of a functioning farm, and that authenticity makes interacting with them feel meaningful rather than performative. Every creature here has a role and a personality to match.
Worth Visiting Year-Round
Some farm experiences slow down once the weather turns cold, but this one keeps going all year, even through a Maine winter.
A January hike has its own kind of magic, with snow underfoot and that crisp air that makes everything feel a little quieter and more peaceful. The goats don’t seem to mind the cold at all, they just keep trotting along like it’s any other day.
What’s nice is how the experience changes with the seasons. Spring brings baby goats and that slightly messy, lively energy.
Summer feels green and open, with long, easy evenings. Fall is all color, with the woods turning bright and dramatic.
No matter when you go, it still feels like the same core experience, just with a different mood. It’s worth planning ahead, though, since spots tend to fill up pretty quickly.