Land trust completes first phase of Great Pond Mountain improvements

New parking for horse trailers and buses

Great Pond Mountain offers trails to access 5,200 acres of its wildlands. Photo by Emily Baer.

By Emily Baer

ORLAND—The first phase of improvements for Great Pond Mountain Conservation Trust’s South Trailhead has been completed. The new entrance lot offers additional parking spaces, increased accessibility at the trailhead, and two designated areas for buses or horse trailers.

The work, which was completed by Ellsworth’s R.F. Jordan & Sons Construction, Inc, is part of the trust’s ongoing efforts to improve trail access to the mountain’s 5,200 acres in Orland. The project is funded in part by a federal Highway Recreational Trails Program grant and individual donors.

This first phase included preparation for ongoing improvements, including for an outhouse and much needed maintenance building. Additional trails may be added in the future as well.

“Every time we're out in the woods we find new opportunities,” said Derek Cole, the trust’s communications director. “ A lot of folks don’t know what’s out here. There’s so much to explore.”

To encourage that kind of exploration, the trust has partnered with the Maine Outdoor School to bring fourth and fifth graders from RSU 25 into the wildlands. In addition to building practical skills and exploring the land, these opportunities foster teamwork and foster problem solving abilities.

“The South Trailhead is one of their preferred places to go when they’re working with local students,” Cole said. “And these recent improvements will greatly expand opportunities to bring in other school groups or community organizations.”

The trust has also partnered with local students on trail maintenance improvements, like the construction and installation of barred owl nesting boxes which are placed throughout the preserve.

“We try to be involved in the community as much as we can,” Cole said, adding that school partnerships, author talks, and free events are key to getting the public excited about conservation and land access.

“We’re also looking to our community to help focus our efforts right now” he says. That includes events like the upcoming ‘Smore Lounge on Dec. 13. Part of the Bucksport Festival of Lights, the lounge is a pop-up ‘smore shack where community members can gather for free snacks and hot cocoa after the parade. In past years, the trust has used the opportunity to raise funds and promote the mission of the organization. This year, their focus is on collecting non-perishable food donations.

“We’re calling it the fill-a-canoe drive, and all the food we collect will go to the Community Concerns Food Pantry,” Cole said.

The trust also is also hosting monthly meet-ups throughout the winter months.

“These are great opportunities for people to get out with volunteers and local experts,” he said.

This spring the trust will bring back its annual speaker series and continue into the next phase of South Trailhead improvements. 

“The only thing that this work really changes is that we’re able to get more people out there,” Cole said. “And we’re so happy to be able to do that.”