ACTON – Three Rivers Land Trust is pleased to announce it is the recipient of an AARP Community Challenge grant, which has helped the land trust fund additional trail improvements at the unique Goat Hill Trail. With new signage, benches, and a newly beautified summit area, the land trust is inviting visitors of all abilities on a guided visit to the trail on Saturday, Nov. 4 beginning at 12:30 p.m. Land trust staff and volunteers will be on site to welcome visitors and provide aid if needed to help everyone feel comfortable exploring the trail.
The Goat Hill Trail, located at 1205 H Road in Acton, is a 0.7-mile route that winds its way to a scenic summit and picnic area overlooking Romac Orchard, with views of local lakes and the White Mountains. The main trail and picnic area meet Forest Service Outdoor Recreation Accessibility standards. The land is owned by the Town of Acton, and the town has partnered with Three Rivers to construct and maintain the trail.
The AARP Community Challenge is a grant program to make tangible improvements in communities that jump-start long-term change. It is part of AARP’s nationwide Livable Communities initiative, which supports the efforts of cities, towns, neighborhoods, and rural areas to become great places to live for people of all ages. To learn more, visit aarp.org/Livable.
Accessible parking at the trailhead is available but limited and will be reserved for those who need it on the day of the event. Additional event parking is available at Romac Orchards, a short walk from Goat Hill.
The trail will be an easy path for most, but it does run uphill. Due to the elevation gain, some visitors using mobility equipment may find it challenging, even though the trail meets outdoor trail accessibility standards. The following essential trail information will help you plan your visit and gauge whether the trail is right for you:
• Goat Hill Trail is a compacted, .75” crushed gravel trail running approximately 3,600 feet (0.7 miles) from the trailhead to the height of the summit, rising 151 feet in elevation using long switchbacks.
• Gravel paths at the summit connect to several viewpoints and accessible-design picnic tables.
• There is an accessible porta-potty at the trailhead, but there are no facilities at the summit.
• The trail is at least 5 ft wide and is typically between 5 and 7 feet wide
• The average slope is 3.5 percent. Many slopes on the trail portion are 6 to 8 percent and the maximum slope is 10 percent. The maximum length of running slopes over 5 percent is 200 feet, and appropriate resting intervals are built in. The cross slopes on the trail’s central treadway are no more than 5 percent and typically less, though steeper slopes are present just off the treadway, due to the rugged surrounding landscape. All visitors should use caution and stay on the trail.
For more information contact [email protected], call her at 207-358-9619, or learn more about the trail at www.3rlt.org.
Three Rivers thanks the many donors, advisors, volunteers, foundations, and businesses that have contributed to the Goat Hill Trail and summit. AARP joins a long list of generous funders including the Federal Highway Administration’s Recreational Trails Program, the Dana and Christopher Reeve Foundation, the Onion Foundation, the American Trails Fund, The Maine Outdoor Heritage Fund, the Ed Meadows grant, and local businesses including Partners Bank and Kennebunk Savings Bank. The land trust looks forward to welcoming new and old friends from the local community and across the region to the trail.
The Three Rivers Land Trust is a membership-supported organization dedicated to Building reciprocal relationships to land through conservation, recreation, and education in Acton, Alfred, Lebanon, Shapleigh, and Sanford/Springvale. Named for the Little Ossipee, Salmon Falls, and Upper Mousam Rivers, Three Rivers Land Trust holds conservation easements and maintains preserves to protect farms, forests, and wetlands, and provide recreational opportunities.
