Long Trail

Following the ridgeline of the Green Mountains in Vermont, the Long Trail attracts thousands of visitors and long-distance hikers from across the country. Along the way, they experience deep hollows full of hardwood forests, gleaming streams, and rich meadows that capture the wild spirit of this beloved route.

In addition to day hikers, hundreds of eager hikers each year set their sights on completing the challenging 272-mile-long trail, a feat that can take five days or several weeks and will earn them the coveted prize of becoming an “End-to-Ender.”

The surrounding communities also rely on this iconic trail and its trail branches to provide equitable access to the outdoors. The paths are an investment in community health—both physical and mental. But increasingly, the Green Mountains and the countryside around the Long Trail are at risk of fragmentation and development.

These large landscapes allow for ecological adaptation and help reduce the effects of climate change, such as flooding, which can devastate surrounding towns. The Green Mountains also provide numerous economic benefits to nearby communities through tourism and jobs in forestry and recreation, which makes protection of these natural areas critical.

For the past two decades, Trust for Public Land has been working with partners, including local community members and public agencies, to protect land along the Long Trail. Over the next three years, we plan to protect an additional 6,000 acres, including key recreational and watershed land, to ensure that the Long Trail remains a hiker’s paradise.