December 6, 2022

Grant to help care for Pleasant Mountain trails

Ninteen years ago this week LELT conserved 1,288 acres on Pleasant Mountain after many years of planning and fundraising. Over the next decade, and thanks to the generosity of local landowners and a community-backed fundraising effort, 790 more acres on the mountain were protected by LELT. Today, we own & protect over 2,000 acres on the mountain, encompassing the entire east side of the mountain that you see from Moose Pond & as seen in this picture.

Over the past decade we have constructed parking areas, improved signage & trails, and pursued formal access agreements to provide trail access over some private lands. Today, Pleasant Mountain and its extensive trail network hosts tens of thousands of people every year, in every season. It's a landmark of the region that we're so proud to steward and provide access to.

Pleasant Mountain is one of the most popular hikes in Maine. As the demand for access to the outdoors has hit an all-time high in recent years, the heavy use has taken a toll on the trails. While we have invested in the trail network best we can, there is more work to be done.

We're excited to announce we have been awarded a grant from the State of Maine's Recreational Trails Program that will allow us to make some much needed improvements to the trail network in 2023! Thank you to everyone who helped protect Pleasant Mountain two decades ago, and to the community of people who help us care for this beloved mountain today.

Loon echo land trust

Our Land is Your Land