About the High Peaks Alliance

Our Mission

To ensure and enhance public access and opportunities for recreation in Maine’s High Peaks.

The High Peaks Alliance (HPA) recognizes that the region, which encompasses some 200,000 acres – much of it remote back-country in western Maine, is a special place that deserves active community stewardship in order to ensure and enhance public recreational access for present and future generations.

Toward that end, HPA works with the region’s diverse communities to

• Assist in the planning, promotion, maintenance and enhancement of the region’s backcountry trails, motorized and non-motorized, existing and new,
  • The Alliance has created the 45-mile Fly Rod Crosby Hiking Trail, facilitated the creation of the 138-mile Mooseloop ATV System and supported the creation of the West Saddleback Connector, which provides a multiple-use trail crossing of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail on Saddleback Mountain.
  • The Alliance and partners created planning maps for the use of the region’s emergency responders to ensure the efficiency of responders, and safety for those accessing the remote backcountry of the region.
• Support  land conservation initiatives that protect the region’s valuable working forests and rich natural habitats to ensure and promote the economic and recreational heritage of the region,
  • HPA supports public access to privately owned land by landowner permission; continuing a cooperative way of life which has existed in this region since its settlement.
  • HPA supports the establishment of Working Forest Conservation Easements to protect the region’s thousands of acres of working forests.
  • HPA is investigating new Conservation Alternatives, including the establishment of a National Wildlife Refuge.   
  • Support local economic initiatives in the heritage-rich region.