Preserving and Enhancing the Natural Resources and Visitor Experience of Fort Williams Park
Fort Williams Park—90 acres of rugged beauty on Casco Bay—is owned and operated by the Town of Cape Elizabeth. Here you can visit the iconic Portland Head Light and Museum, relish awe-inspiring ocean views, wander diverse natural environments, play on recreational sites, and discover ruins from a long maritime and military history. The Friends of Fort Williams Park, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, preserves and enhances the natural resources and visitor experience of Fort Williams Park by providing planning and stewardship for projects that support the Park’s ecology, accessibility, and open space.
Our success depends on your generous support. BE A FRIEND OF THE PARK by donating or by volunteering.
Upcoming & Ongoing
Let’s Go Gnome Around. The Friends are excited to be a community partner with the Cape Elizabeth Middle School (CEMS) 5th grade Gnome project. CEMS students created gnomes & gnome homes to place on various trails around Cape Elizabeth, including Fort Williams Park. The Friends visited classrooms to share information about the various habitats within Fort Williams Park so the students could learn and decide where their gnomes should reside. You can download a map to explore and find gnomes placed around the Park. Each home has a QR code to scan and read a story or poem unique to the gnome, written by a CEMS student. There are 11 gnomes that reside in Fort Williams. The Cape Elizabeth Land Trust also participated, and the project was funded by the Cape Elizabeth Education Foundation. Link below to maps and head out to the trails and explore!
Others maps around Cape Elizabeth
Great Pond Gnome Map, Nordic Loop, Turkey Hill, Willow Brook
Fridays with the Friends. Looking for a casual, volunteer activity a couple of hours a week? Join us Friday mornings to help transform and preserve beautiful Fort Williams Park. You’ll work side by side with our team helping to plant, weed, mulch or maintain invasives at one of our sites. There is no ongoing commitment, come every week or once a month. For more information, contact Andrea (asouthworth@fortwilliams.org).
Garden Tour 2025. Plans are in the works for the next Cape Elizabeth Garden Tour, planned for July 2025. This popular event wanders through seaside neighborhoods and highlights backyard wildlife habitats and native plants. As a primary fundraiser for the Friends of Fort Williams Park, the proceeds from the tour support stewardship efforts to preserve and enhance Fort Williams Park. For more information on committee work, garden selection or sponsorship opportunities, contact Jennifer at jscarpitti@fortwilliams.org. Click below to view a prior year tour.