By Sarah Marble The mountains in Western Maine have always been my family's stomping grounds. I have hiked many of the rugged peaks cooing to the sleeping baby on my husband's back, holding the tiny hands of our always inquisitive toddlers, or (now) trying my best to keep up with speedy Read More
Sledhead Stewards: Shiretown Riders
By Sarah Marble The Shiretown Riders, Farmington's snowmobile club, graciously welcomed the High Peaks Alliance into their February meeting, offering us pizza and stories of being on the trail. But the real reason we were there was to discuss exciting new business with them, as they will be the Read More
Gliding along the Center Hill trail in Weld
By Sarah Marble If you are looking for something new this winter, make the trip to little-known Center Hill in Weld. I took my family cross-country skiing recently, and it did not disappoint! First, you should know that the winter trails are different from the summer trails. The winter trails Read More
More Than $2 Million for Sandy River Bridge in Farmington Secured
336-foot multi-use bridge will be the longest bridge of its type in Maine. Farmington, ME – The High Peaks Alliance was recently awarded $2,041,000 through the federal Fiscal Year 2023 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development appropriations bill to rebuild a multi-use bridge over the Sandy Read More
Share your story with us! Submission Guidelines
We accept guest blog stories about experiences in the High Peaks region (Franklin/Oxford Counties). If you would like to share your story with us please read these guidelines and find submission information below! Sharing stories from supporters and other recreationists helps us connect others to Read More
Fly Rod Crosby Carving Event at IF&W Building Augusta Maine
Fly Rod Crosby Carving Event at IF&W Building Augusta Maine An exciting, new, life-sized carving of Fly Rod Crosby, a 2017 inductee to the Maine Women’s Hall of Fame, has found a home in Maine’s Inland Fisheries and Wildlife building in Augusta. Thanks to the High Peaks Alliance of Franklin Read More
Why hike ten of Maine’s High Peaks when you can do all fourteen?
By John B. Rogers, HPA Board Member In 2020 my good friend Dana Bowman from Strong, Maine, and a Board member of the High Peaks Alliance Board brought me to a couple of meetings of the High Peaks Alliance. I was very interested and eventually got elected to the Board in January 2021. I learned Read More
Double Your Adventure in the Maine Outdoors, High Peaks style!
*Please note that some areas specifically listed are not accessible in the winter due to plowing--specifically Mud Pond Rd.* By Darryl Wood Any time of year in Maine offers an abundance of choices to the outdoor enthusiast. Of course, the challenge is choosing one activity over another in what Read More
High Peaks Alliance to host talk at UMF on best foliage hikes
High Peaks Alliance to host talk on popular foliage hikes at UMF The public is invited to attend FARMINGTON - On Wednesday, September 21st, Sam Shirley of the High Peaks Alliance will host a presentation on some of his favorite easy, moderate and strenuous foliage hikes in western Maine’s High Read More
High Peaks Alliance Closes on Perham Stream Birding Trail
MADRID TWP: High Peaks Alliance recently closed on an 80-acre parcel called the Perham Stream Birding Trail in Madrid Township. The parcel, which includes half a mile of frontage on Perham Stream and spectacular views of Saddleback Mountain and Mount Abraham, is the first property held in Read More
Ribbon Cutting on New Accessible Trail
Trail Ribbon Cutting Farmington, Maine — The High Peaks Alliance and University of Maine at Farmington invite the public to a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Friday, October 15th, celebrating the official opening of the fully accessible trail within the Prescott Field Trail System. The Read More
Maine town creates ‘community forest’ to permanently protect public access to land
KINGFIELD, Maine — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qgqc9wY85WM The town of Kingfield in Franklin County is home to the state’s newest “community forest.” Picturesque and popular Shiloh Pond is now permanently protected. “We're surrounded by a lot of privately owned Read More
How to Save a Maine Pond
How to Save a Maine Pond A conservation group and like-minded residents banded together to protect Shiloh Pond in Kingfield. Maine Magazine: June 2021 By: Catie Joyce Bulay Photography: Adam and Laura Casey You get the sense you’re heading somewhere special when the road turns to Read More
Interview in Daily Bulldog
Fresh Air Fun: High Peaks region BY DARRYL WOOD MAY 15, 2021 Mt. Blue from Cape Cod Hill in New Sharon. People that know me understand that I am passionate about the outdoors. I love it all, hunting, fishing, hiking, boating, snowmobiling, Read More
High Peaks Alliance Awarded $50,000 for Accessible Trail
Excerpted from from Maine Biz : "https://www.mainebiz.biz/article/franklin-county-outdoor-recreation-projects-get-financial-boost-from-northern-forest-center" The High Peaks Alliance received a portion of the $317,526 awarded this month as part of the Northern Forest Center’s Read More
Fly Rod Crosby Trail Work Days — Summer 2021
Time to get out those clippers, paint brushes and trail saws! There is lots to be done this summer, all ages and abilities are welcome and we could use some help. Come for a couple of hours or more. We usually end around midday. Trail work days will be on the following dates. Dates Read More
Shiloh Pond Conserved!
New Community Forest to Benefit Kingfield Area KINGFIELD, Maine – High Peaks Alliance, The Trust for Public Land, and Town of Kingfield announce today the creation of the Kingfield Community Forest. This new 215-acre forest, now owned by the Town of Kingfield, will protect Shiloh Pond, a popular Read More
2020 Fly Rod Crosby Trail Update
2020 was a busy season for rediscovering hiking all over Maine and the newly completed Fly Rod Crosby Trail was no exception. There was a dramatic increase in trail use, volunteers and supporters. The Trail was mostly completed in October 2019 but some finishing touches and ongoing maintenance Read More
The Great Maine Moose Hunt
Our Board member, Roger Lambert, has written a new book about moose hunting in Maine. Check it out: STRONG - In the spring of 1980, the first year of the modern Maine moose hunt lottery, Roger Lambert's father, Elbert Lambert, received a permit. The Lamberts borrowed a pickup truck Read More
Cocktails and Consversation – Rangeley, ME
Join Backcountry Hunters and Anglers, Big Woods Bucks, and High Peaks Alliance along with other public land supporters for Cocktails and Conservation at The Furbish Brew House and Eats (outdoor seating with indoor space for 30 if needed). BWB will be recording a live podcast that will sound like Read More
MeatEater, Inc. Holds Nationwide Auction to Closeout Fundraising on High Peaks Alliance’s Shiloh Pond Conservation Project
MeatEater, Inc. Holds Nationwide Auction to Closeout Fundraising on High Peaks Alliance’s Shiloh Pond Conservation Project High Peaks Alliance Selected as First Ever Recipient of MeatEater’s Land Access Initiative Grant MeatEater, Inc., a media company based in Montana, Read More
High Peaks Alliance Hires Executive Director
FARMINGTON- The High Peaks Alliance, a nonprofit servicing western Maine’s High Peaks region, recently hired Brent West of Readfield to lead the organization. Brent is starting full time after a year of part-time consulting for the Alliance. Originally from New Portland, Maine, West is a Read More
Fly Rod Crosby Trail Work Days — Summer 2020
Time to get out those clippers, paint brushes and trail saws! There is lots to be done this summer, all ages and abilities are welcome and we could use some help. Come for a couple of hours or more. We usually end around lunch. Trail work days will be on the following dates. Dates Meeting Read More
Maine Trail Finder Supports Local Businesses
The Center for Community GIS is a partner of the High Peaks Initiative and we are happy to help promote their new Trailside Services. Maine Trail Finder, the premier online resource for finding people-powered trails in Maine, is offering free “trailside services” listings to businesses that cater Read More
Shiloh Pond: Preserving a Community gem
The conservation of Shiloh pond started when concerned citizens noticed that the 215-acre parcel was for sale. People began asking if there was any way to preserve this property. That’s when the High Peaks Alliance (HPA) reached out to our partner, The Trust for Public Land (TPL), to see Read More