The Round the Mountain Trail is a keystone project of the Round the Mountain Collaboration, a multi-year fundraising campaign led by Coastal Mountains Land Trust, with significant support from Maine Water Company, Maine Coast Heritage Trust, local municipalities, and numerous local outdoor recreation groups. The vision of the Round the Mountain Trail is a 8.5-mile, multi-use trail that circumnavigates Ragged Mountain offering access for a wide range of users and abilities. As well as permanently conserving 1,500+ acres around Mirror Lake and Grassy Pond, construction of the trail began in 2019.
OBP Trailworks, a Maine-based trail construction business, will continue work on the trail in 2021. The Land Trust is looking forward to the possibility of hosting a formal trail dedication in the summer of 2021. Fundraising for the approximately $200,000 needed to complete trail construction and secure the long-term care for the trail continues.
Directions:
Thorndike Brook Trailhead: 223 Hope Street in Hope (Google maps does not show this accurately). For the Thorndike Brook Trailhead turn onto Hope Street from Route 17 (eight miles north of Rockland) or from Gillette road. The new parking lot is just past the existing parking lot for the Georges Highland Path (¾ miles from Route 17). The new Round the Mountain Trail can be accessed directly from the parking lot, including a ¼ mile accessible, stone dust path.
Camden Snow Bowl Barnestown Road Trailhead: Park on the left side of the lot (the toboggan parking), follow the Round the Mountain Trail signs (the ~1-mile utilizes the existing Kuller Trail).
(Note: Google maps does not show this accurately).
Additional information about the trail system, including a detailed map, trail conditions reports, seasonal closures, volunteer opportunities and how one can support the effort can be found online at coastalmountains.org.
