2,620 Acres Now Permanently Protected Along Maine AT
If you have ever hiked, fished, paddled around or just took in the amazing natural beauty around Bald Mountain Pond in Northern Maine, you know that it is a place like no other when it comes to pristine "Maine nature". The pond is just so cold and clear you can almost see the three pound brook trout before you even catch them.
The Trust For Public Land made a wonderful announcement on their website:
"Today we’re proud to announce the permanent protection of 2,620 acres of remote and rugged forest along a stretch of the Appalachian Trail in northern Maine.Visitors have long had to rely on permission from timber companies to access Bald Mountain Pond—an arrangement that was more tradition than guarantee."
When you head up north it's pretty common to find many of the large tracks of land owned or previously owned by timber companies that was the case for Bald Mountain pond and the surrounding forest, and even though it had historically allowed recreational access to the area, as the Trust indicated that arrangement was more of a tradition than a guarantee. This move makes it solid that "maybe-maybe not" scenerio was no longer an issue.
The Trust For Public Land went on to say:
"When a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity emerged to protect this extraordinary place, we teamed up with more than a dozen partners to permanently open access to this spectacular stretch of the Appalachian Trail. Now, a locked gate will never stop future visitors. The 2,620 acres surrounding Bald Mountain Pond’s rugged shoreline, and an iconic stretch of the Appalachian Trail, will remain protected from development and open to the public forever."
It took several groups to make this happen but, what a great feeling to know that my grand children and beyond will be able to experience and embrace this great stretch of land south of Moosehead for many years to come.