Maine Trails Coalition

08/14/2026

It looks like another strong year for the MTP program! Adam Fisher of BPL said the state received more than 65 applications from all 16 counties and more than $10.5 million in requests.

The maximum grant is $250,000, and the state requires that all projects have a local match of 10% in cash or in-kind donations. An advisory committee is now reviewing the second round of applications, which due July 17. He expects that winners will be announced in September.

“We’ll be out of funding by the end of four years,” said Adam Fisher, who manages the program. “That’s coming up soon.”

Read the full Portland Press Herald story here:
https://www.pressherald.com/2026/08/11/demand-for-maine-trails-grants-remains-high-in-second-round-of-funding/

Outdoor Sport Institute Maine Coast Heritage Trust Natural Resources Council of Maine

Stakeholders have started talking about more sustainable funding sources for trail design and development.

08/07/2026

If your organization or club is considering applying for a Maine Trails Program grant in the next two years, please take a few minutes to complete our quick questionnaire. Doing so will help us plan what to offer to help the next round of applicants.

It's also very helpful to share this post or the survey link with others.

Thanks!

📍Here's the link to the survey and more information:
https://www.mainetrailscoalition.org/blog/help-shape-maine-trails-program-support-take-our-quick-survey

Whether your organization applied in the recent round of the Maine Trails Program (MTP) or you are planning for future trail projects, we want to hear from you! ​ The Maine Trails Coalition (MTC)...

08/06/2026

The new Friends of the Camden Hills State Park group is picking up steam and invites more volunteers! Incorporated in April, the group includes dozens of volunteers dedicated to supporting the park.

Camden Hills State Park includes more than 30 miles of hiking trails, 100 campsites, mountains, shoreline, cliffs, and the auto road to the summit of Mount Battie. It is funded through the Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands, and all of the park staff are state employees.

The Friends plan to augment the normal operational budget and coordinate volunteer labor. This extra boost can take the park from running efficiently to supporting new projects that improve the visitor experience.

"The main goal is to help on projects that the park does not have staff or funding for," said the parks manager. In addition, the group will be able to help in dealing with the routine maintenance and constant cares such as fending off invasive species and providing trail improvements.

The Friends of the Camden Hills State Park are actively seeking more board members and volunteers - check out their page to connect!



https://www.midcoastvillager.com/news/new-group-forms-to-support-camden-hills-state-park/article_1c82d999-26cd-4b1f-bf22-ef5b187d812f.html?shem=isphe,

Friends of Camden Hills State Park is a newly formed nonprofit that seeks to support and improve one of the Midcoast's most well-known state parks.

08/03/2026

Whether your organization applied in the recent round of the Maine Trails Program (MTP) or you are planning for future trail projects, we want to hear from you!

Please take the 5-min survey: https://forms.gle/wQZyikvEVSPpTKNh7

This survey was developed collaboratively by the Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands and the Maine Trails Coalition to better understand the experiences of current and prospective Maine Trails Program applicants.

The deadline is August 21.

08/02/2026

Still MORE great news from High Peaks Alliance: it has finalized conservation of Walrath Woods, a 124‑acre riverside property in Strong that protects public access to the Sandy River.

The High Peaks Recreation Rangers will reestablish the footpath on the property, creating an approximately 0.8-mile out-and-back trail featuring river access and views with kiosks and benches.

The trail will be named in honor of Sherry Walrath (1937–2025), who loved to walk the land, and will restore the first formal public access to this stretch of river in Strong.

Walrath Woods was supported by funding from the Maine Trails Program, Davis Family Foundation, The Nature Conservancy, the Atlantic Salmon Federation, the Maine Mountain Collaboration, The Davis Foundation, the Horizon Foundation, private supporters and partner organizations. The Alliance continues to pursue additional funding to complete stewardship work.

STRONG — High Peaks Alliance is proud to announce the conservation of Walrath Woods, a 124‑acre riverside property in Strong that protects public access

07/31/2026

Patten, Millinocket, and Island Falls have miles of new, interconnected trails to look forward to thanks to Outdoor Sport Institute! After a decade+ of planning work and robust community engagement, last year OSI secured a $250K Maine Trails Program grant and a $1.25M dollar Northern Borders Regional Commission grant (plus other grants and local support) to significantly advance the project.

Says Mike Smith, OSI's ED, ""This is it - these kids are going to grow up with these trails right in their backyard as a standard expectation. Nobody sits around and questions why a town has a baseball diamond - it’s just a given. I want trails to be so embedded in the fabric of our communities that the people who live here simply demand them."

Read more about the planning and funding process, and how MTP fits into the mix, in our new blog post:
https://www.mainetrailscoalition.org/blog/built-on-trust-the-long-game-behind-the-katahdin-regions-emerging-trail-networks

Major trail networks aren’t built on single windfalls - they are built over time with stacked capital investments and deep community trust. Outdoor Sport Institute ’s (OSI) recent success in...

07/28/2026

Congratulations to the City of Rockland, Maine, which has begun construction of its MTP-funded Benner Hill Trail Development!

The project will form an important part of the City's long-term Waterfront to Wilderness initiative, a decade-long vision to connect Rockland Harbor in the east to the Rockland Bog in the west. When finished, the regional patchwork will span five to six miles of interconnected trails.

And thanks to this project on Benner Hill, these trails will be readily accessible from Rockland - no need for a lengthy car ride for Rockland residents to reach trails for hiking, dog walking, and even technical mountain biking!

Read more: https://www.mainetrailscoalition.org/blog/mtp-grant-helps-rockland-residents-reach-forest-trails

07/27/2026

Congratulations to the City of Calais, which has secured $590,580 to extend the Calais Waterfront Walkway! Adjacent to the St. Croix River (separating Maine and Canada), the trail follows the former Maine Central RR bed. The city will use the Northern Borders Regional Commission Catalyst Grant to extend the trail, repair a retaining wall, and add a number of amenities. The Calais Waterfront Walkway is used by pedestrians and cyclists as well as a snowmobile access trail in winter.

07/15/2026

The volunteer-led South Portland Land Trust has broken ground on its MTP project! The organization is using its $139,000 MTP grant to reshape its Long Creek Trail. The project will transform an established, urban hillside trail into a more inclusive community resource designed to welcome visitors of various interests, backgrounds, and physical abilities.

The trail snakes along a wooded hillside overlooking a scenic estuary where visitors can spot deer and native birds just steps from their front doors. However, despite being a major neighborhood amenity, the trail was not seeing extensive use.

"People in the community told us they weren’t using it because it felt inaccessible and too steep," SPLT Board President Tex Haeuser explained. “Through this grant, we won’t be able to make the trail fully ADA-accessible, but we can make it a lot more accessible for everyday people."

They expect to finish the project in August. Read more about the work and the Long Creek Trail in the story on MTC's new website (MaineTrailsCoalition.org) 👉 https://tinyurl.com/kjkahsu8

07/13/2026

Help us recognize someone doing important volunteer work for Maine's environment — nominate them for our 20th Annual People's Choice Award! Every year, this award honors a Mainer who has gone above and beyond to protect the environment. 🌲

📅 Deadline for submissions: July 13th.

The winner will be celebrated this fall alongside other inspiring Mainers at our annual event. Thank you, as always, for being part of this community! 🌱

https://act.nrcm.org/a/2026-peoples-choice-nominations