At the CTA, we believe that recreation and conservation go hand in hand. Having acquired our first conservation easement in 1994, we have spent over 25 years working to protect the Catamount Trail and treasured mountain lands around the state. Our conservation efforts aim to ensure that the amazing backcountry experiences we enjoy today are available for generations to come, and to help protect vital ecosystems, wildlife migration corridors, and habitat.
To date, nearly 80% of the Catamount Trail has been protected through trail protection easements and public land acquisitions.
Trails can be an important vector for broader conservation goals. The Green Mountains of Vermont are home to a diverse array of plant and wildlife communities, and also help mitigate and manage the impacts of climate change by absorbing storm water and storing carbon in forests and soil. Because of the long, linear nature of the Catamount Trail, conserving the trail corridor can make significant contributions to work to conserve wildlife corridors and contiguous forestland habitat. We believe in balancing recreational opportunities and ecological protection, and work with local, state, and federal land managers to ensure appropriate management of the trail corridor.
The Next Phase Of Conservation at the CTA: the Heart of the Trail Campaign
In 2026, we are taking an exciting step in furthering conservation work on the trail through the Heart of the Trail campaign. This ambitious capital campaign effort will give the CTA the resources to fully protect the Catamount Trail from Blueberry Hill Inn to the von Trapp Family Lodge, while bolstering trail protection efforts statewide.
The trail protection work on this 78-mile stretch of the Catamount Trail is expected to take 5-8 years and will include 2 major reroutes, as well as 13-16 new trail easements.
Together, we can take advantage of this unique opportunity to fully protect the “Heart of the Trail” from Blueberry Hill to von Trapp Family Lodge and ensure permanent access to some of Vermont’s most treasured mountain landscapes, while bolstering trail protection statewide.
Catamount Trail Conservation and Land Stewardship By The Numbers
Over 260 Private Landowners Make the Trail Possible by Granting Yearly Permissions
The CTA also partners with more than a dozen municipalities, several utility companies, the State of Vermont, and the United States Forest Service to host the trail.
1st Conservation Easement Acquired in 1994
As of 2026, Nearly 80% of the Trail is Permanently Protected
The CTA holds 45 Trail Protection Easements
The CTA has active partnerships or co-holds easements with the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board, the Trust for Public Land, the Vermont Land Trust, the The Nature Conservancy, Stowe Land Trust, and others to protect the trail and mountain lands throughout Vermont.
Recently Completed Projects:
Battleground Condos, Fayston
In 2023, the CTA completed a major bridge replacement project at the Battleground Condos in Fayston, Vermont. The new 50-foot bridge not only maintained access for skiers, walkers, and hikers to the Phen Basin area of Camel’s Hump State Park, but by lengthening the span from 30 feet to 50, the CTA also reduced the environmental impact of the bridge on the Mill Brook. As part of the bridge project, the CTA secured a permanent easement to protect .4 miles of the Catamount Trail, along with parking for 10 cars, at the Battleground Condos.
