High Peaks Alliance

The Local Voice in Land Conservation | High Peaks Region Maine

Fly Rod Crosby Trail

Construction starts on the Fly Rod Crosby Trail

Construction of the new Fly Rod Crosby Heritage trail is finally under way! The first segment of this proposed 35 mile trail linking communities from Strong to Oquossoc in western Maine will stretch approximately 2.5 miles along Orbeton Stream in Madrid TWP. The Fly Rod Crosby Trail is a project of the High Peaks Alliance, a group of local people from the “High Peaks Region”, in the western mountains of Maine. A path along the Orbeton stream was chosen as the first segment in the Fly Rod Crosby Trail to be built because it complements the existing motorized multi-use trail along the river, giving users several options for loops and different experiences. Our volunteer of the month Devin Littlefield, a recent graduate of Mt. Abram high school and aspiring Maine Guide has been instrumental to laying out and now building this segment of footpath.

The Fly Rod Crosby Trail will eventually be a heritage trail thematically linking communities in the Western Maine Mountains through the life and times of Cornelia “Fly Rod” Crosby. Crosby was the first registered Maine Guide and an early promoter of Western Maine as a tourism destination in the early 20th century. The trail itself will incorporate many pre-existing multi-use trails and also serve to link the communities of people managing those trails, as well as area historical societies, museums and points of interest. Trail users will be able to learn about local history and culture as well as access the back country which contributes to the quality of life we all enjoy in this part of western Maine.

The High Peaks Alliance and Sandy River Land Trust have provided a small youth stipend for a volunteer to help build the first segment on the Fly Rod Crosby Trail this summer. Devin Littlefield, of Freeman, is a recent graduate of Mt Abram high school and an aspiring Maine Guide. He is off to college next year in Anchorage Alaska to pursue studies revolving around the outdoors. Devin volunteered to do 60+ hours of work this summer in the month of July to help plan and build the Fly Rod Crosby Trail. He was a tremendous help and we wish him well on his future exploits and adventures in Alaska.

Would you like to do some trail work this summer? We would love to have you! If you are interested in working on the trail, either at one of our upcoming volunteer work days or other times, please contact Ben Godsoe (Maine Conservation Corps) at [email protected] or (207)578-0306.

Vision for the Fly Rod Crosby Footpath

A Vision for the Fly Rod Crosby Footpath  

by Bud Godsoe

The High Peaks Alliance proposes the construction of a footpath to commemorate the life and accomplishments of Cornelia T. Crosby, known to sports enthusiasts as Fly Rod Crosby. The southern tip of the path is Strong Maine, where she was buried, and continues north to Phillips where she was born in 1854, and from there to Rangeley, ending in Oquossoc where she learned her outdoor skills. Her legacy extends beyond hunting and fishing and has significance for recognizing the High Peaks’ potential for tourism, economic development, and conservation.

Fly Rod Crosby was known first for her hunting and fishing abilities. Her competence in the woods earned her local and national respect. She was interested not just as she claimed in catching more fish than any other woman in Maine, but also in making sure hunting and fishing would last into perpetuity. She worked with others to establish the Maine guides. Fly Rod was Maine Guide number one.

Fly Rod Crosby became interested in the outdoors largely for health reasons. She combined her writing skills with her interests in the outdoors to market Maine for “sports”. She wrote articles about hunting and fishing for the Phillips Phonograph and the Maine Woods. Her newspaper articles and travels made her one of the early promoters of Maine tourism. She attended sportsman’s shows out of state, demonstrating fly-tying and casting. She traveled widely and met other famous people even touring with Annie Oakley of Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show. She promoted the Central Maine Railway as a way to get to Maine including the Narrow Gauge Railway of Franklin County.

Today, we feel the efforts of Fly Rod Crosby are not only important for supporting the development of outdoor recreation, tourism, and health awareness but also for uniting communities in the High Peaks area. Her life connects town and townships along the Sandy River from Strong to the Lady of the Lakes Chapel in Oquossoc, where Fly Rod had a hand in fundraising.

We can acknowledge her contributions to history and cultural events by highlighting the history of the towns along the footpath, the sportsman’s camps, small-town newspapers, the early railroad system in Maine, and unsung Maine women. In keeping with Fly Rod’s legacy we propose a footpath that ties the Strong, Phillips, and Rangeley communities to share a common history, and culture and to promote outdoor activities.

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