When the Long Trail was built in the 1910s and 20s, it wove through many private parcels of land and relied on handshake agreements with landowners. Since the 1980s, GMC has been on a concentrated effort to protect the entire Long Trail System, by buying and conserving land and transferring it to public ownership (or holding a conservation or trail easement) —and thus, making it accessible to hikers and trail users in perpetuity. Learn about the intricate quilt of land conservation and stewardship that protects the landscapes the trail traverses.
