Bald Mountain Pond was acquired by the Maine Appalachian Trail Land Trust in 2019, as part of a larger project that saw the adjacent ridge move into National Park Service ownership. Located in the middle section of Maine’s A.T., in an area largely with fewer high mountain peaks and trails to ascend them, Bald Mountain Pond is an oasis of nature and solitude available for those who make the trip.

MATLT staff and Board Vice President Pete McKinley recently took a trip to the pond in order to inspect three camps that the organization continues to lease to long-term tenants who have had the camps in their families for multiple generations. The organization now deploys multiple technology platforms to monitor land holdings, including near-real time remote satellite imagery, a drone, and even airplane flights over properties. But there is something special about getting a sense of place to form a connection to the land.

Bald Mountain Pond and all of the landscapes you see here are fully accessible to the public as well. There is a boat launch at the southern tip of the pond and over 1100 acres of water to explore by canoe, kayak, or other watercraft. On the north shore of the pond, the Appalachian Trail descends from Moxie Bald Mountain to a lean-to where thru-hikers stop for the night. It’s a relatively quick hike to the summit, which has views in all directions from the High Peaks in the southwest to Katahdin in the northeast, so it’s possible to do a dual paddle/hike trip in one day.

MATLT encourages visitors to Bald Mountain Pond and if you are interested in making the trip, poke around online and reach out to us at info@matlt.org.

This season’s #WEOUTSIDE Youth Program is focused on getting these New Mainer outdoor adventurers skills for the future, and to get them to give back in the process. Some of the trips this season so far have been to the Niweskok Farm to learn about Wabanaki culture and agricultural practices (while chipping in with farm work), hitting up Songo Lock for some fishing (while also helping to operate America’s last manual lock), and taking in the trails at Camden Hills State Park (while doing some trail maintenance). We’ll have plenty more trips this summer so check back for the next update.

The #WEOUTSIDE Elders program kicked off in amazing fashion with a trip to the great old standby location, the Perham Stream Birding Trail. The Elders program focuses on the other end of our age spectrum – those New Mainers who are most senior in age. While many of their needs are different, everybody in Maine wants to experience nature and all that the state has to offer for outdoor recreation.

Where the youth are focused on careers, kinetic energy, and physically demanding work, the elders tend towards more mature themes: peace and quiet, the wonder in small details, the sheer joy in doing new things. Our first trip to the PSBT was deliberately chosen because of its lovely setting which reminded many of the group of the mountains in their home countries (Burundi and Rwanda). There were other reminders: the continuity of generations visible in the homes and landscape; the presence of agriculture from a bygone era.

But the elders are interested in new things too! They loved riding on ATVs to go check out the blueberries and the wildlife. They loved the cold water streams for relief from the heat. And most of all, they loved being able to visit a protected space that is open for their enjoyment.

The Maine Appalachian Trail Land Trust received a big boost in trail maintenance work with some help from the High Peaks Recreation Rangers. A project of High Peaks Alliance with funding from the High Peaks Initiative and the Community Outdoor Recreation Assistance Recovery Program, the Rangers have spent the summer maintaining over 100 miles of trails, working with dozens of volunteers, and leading training programs to help protect the environment.

The Berry Picker’s Trail has been inaccessible to regular vehicles since storms knocked out the Orbeton Stream bridge in 2024, but can be reached on foot or ATV. We used ATVs to get there with the Rangers and tackle the annual maintenance of the trail in preparation for the replacement bridge which should be installed in September. The crew removed blowdowns, cleared accumulated brush and other debris, and made sure that the trail will be ready to go late this fall.

Thank you Rangers!!!

The #WEOUTSIDE program wrapped up another successful season with a visit to Mahoosuc Guide Service. Proprietors Kevin and Polly have been great friends of #WEOUTSIDE right from the start, and they are one of the most renowned and respected guiding outfits in Maine. They lead wilderness canoe trips in Maine (and Canada), lead workshops, host trainings, and, most importantly for teenagers – run sled dogs!

These kids had a great day with Polly and Kevin and Helen, learning about making wooden canoes, enjoying a meal by the fire, taking in the scenery of the A.T. and Mahoosuc Range, and meeting the dogs. Many of the dogs Mahoosuc Guide Service has retire but they stick around so there are many furry friends to meet and enjoy. Guiding is a great profession and one day these kids might have dogs of their own!

The Winter #WEOUTSIDE program hosted a graduation lunch for the participants and their families recently, in order to celebrate their accomplishment in completing the program. The program was started in 2023 by the Maine Association for New Americans, with assistance from the Maine Appalachian Trail Land Trust, and has continued across four cohorts of kids through all seasons. (MANA has also started several adjacent programs for moms, elders, and academic achievers.)

It is important to celebrate the accomplishments of the kids in the program – sometimes it can be hard to step outside our own experiences and not just think “well, they were outside having fun”. These kids have braved trying circumstances to arrive in Maine, have lived in unstable housing situations (at best), are learning a new language and culture, and then we took them out in the cold and snow to learn about the outdoors in Maine. They could have stayed home but made a choice to head out with the #WEOUTSIDE program to learn so many new things – from what to wear in the cold and snow to how to be safe in remote areas of Maine. They had tons of fun along the way but have learned skills that can get them ready for their lives and futures in Maine.

The Maine Appalachian Trail Land Trust is proud to participate in this great program with MANA!