MTP Grant Helps Rockland Residents Reach Forest Trails

Selected as one of 44 projects statewide from over 100 Maine Trails Program (MTP) applications, Rockland’s Benner Hill Trail Development is proving just how vital state trail funding is for local communities. Backed with its $250,000 MTP grant, the City is kicking off construction on the highly anticipated project this July.

The ambitious project serves as a significant leap forward for the city's long-term Waterfront to Wilderness initiative, a decade-long vision to connect Rockland Harbor in the east to the pristine Rockland Bog in the west. When finished, the regional patchwork will span five to six miles of interconnected trails.

​Pictured above on-site in mid-July are Travis Palmer (Maine Trail Builders), Steve Kasacek (Outdoor Sport Institute), Stu Johnson (Maine Trail Builders), Jared Lindsey (True North Trailworks), Wyatt (Midcoast Trails Stewardship), Jasper Guyer-Stevens (Midcoast Trails Stewardship), and Jenny Carter, City of Rockland.
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Waterfront to Wilderness: The Vision Takes Shape

Until now, reaching robust, high-elevation hiking networks from Rockland required a car. For a high-density community of working residents and families, this meant outdoor recreation wasn't truly equitable, since those trails were out of reach for those without a vehicle or additional time to make the drive.

"When the state trail bond passed, it was a pretty serendipitous alignment for us, and really exciting, too," says Jenny Carter, Sustainability and Community Development Coordinator for the City of Rockland and staff lead for the Rockland Trails Group (RTG). "This project will bring Rockland’s Waterfront to Wilderness initiative from around 6% completion to about 30% completion. For the first time, Rockland residents will have a sustainable, natural-surface trail with real elevation gains right at their doorstep."

By reducing the transportation barrier, the new trail secures a fundamental benefit for downtown residents: the ability to easily step away from screens, leave the planning behind, and access the healing benefits of the Maine woods.
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A Trail for Many Uses

By intent, the Benner Hill Trail Network will be multi-use, balancing the needs of an aging population and young families and suitable for daily dog walkers, hikers, and a passionate contingent of local mountain bikers. Since the trail is designed to support mountain biking, the plan incorporates gradual, flowing switchbacks that inherently make the terrain safer, more sustainable, and highly resilient against erosion.

The benefits will ripple directly into the lives of local youth by complementing existing initiatives at Rockland's regional school district:
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• Elementary School: The development of kid-friendly, shared-use nature paths is underway at Rockland’s elementary school campus. And through a partnership between the school, the city, and the Bicycle Coalition of Maine, kindergarten through fifth grade students build foundational biking skills each year at Rockland’s Bike to Work and School Day.
• Middle School: Thanks to a recently launched mountain biking program and the nearby Thomaston Town Forest, middle-schoolers will advance their comfort level on bikes and in the woods.
• High School: The Benner Hill Trail Network sits west of the high school, and the city’s Waterfront to Wilderness initiative will continue building connections eastward. The network will offer students immediate, independent access to advanced trails.

"When it’s right at your doorstep, there’s so much less planning involved," Carter notes. "A kid can say, 'I’m going biking or hiking after school,' head straight out, and easily be back in time for dinner."
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Partnerships Cultivate Community Spirit and Capacity

To meet the grant's local match requirements, Rockland is relying heavily on local volunteerism and municipal teamwork. The city's Public Services Department is constructing the trailhead parking lot, while the city manager and city council have thrown their full support behind the economic and community vitality the trails will bring.

Stewardship and construction will be a collaborative, team effort:
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• Maine-based expertise: The city worked with the Outdoor Sport Institute (OSI) on the trail design and will bring them in to oversee construction alongside Maine Trail Builders. Because this is Rockland’s first natural-surface trail project at this scale, working with OSI will help city staff build internal capacity to manage future trail developments independently.
• Stewardship: Many community groups are involved in supporting the project. For example, the Knox-Lincoln Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) and Georges River Land Trust already host volunteer invasive species removal workshops in Rockland, and the city plans to add the Benner Hill trailhead as a new workshop site.
• Volunteerism: The city will help organize and promote four public volunteer trail-building days, tapping into Rockland's robust, skilled volunteer base and building community engagement around the project.

Supporting the Local Economy

Beyond the immediate mental and physical health benefits for locals, the project serves as a smart investment in Rockland’s livability and economy. Projects such as this tend to not only bolster outdoor gear retailers and bike shops but also other area businesses. When people stay in town or visit the area for recreation, they are more likely to shop and dine locally as well. 

"Access to high-quality outdoor recreation is huge in terms of the livability of a place," says Carter. "This project will be really impactful in that way, and it’s a catalyst to help all the other projects in the works become realistic. It feels like the perfect time to grow Rockland’s outdoor assets."

Construction on the project begins this July with the parking area. To keep trail builders safe and ensure construction efficiency, there will be no public access to the site during the build. The city plans to host a grand opening community event in September or October of 2027 following the target completion date of August 15, 2027.

​As we celebrate this milestone, the Maine Trails Coalition wants to extend thanks to the Bureau of Parks and Lands. Thank you also to the taxpayers of Maine - your votes in 2024 are officially at work on the ground, removing barriers, and helping ensure that Maine’s spectacular outdoors are truly for everyone. 

Learn more about the Benner Hill Trail Development Project by visiting the project page on the City’s website.

-Author Leigh Hallett served as the Director of the Maine Trails Coalition during the 2025–2026 implementation of the Maine Trails Program. This article is part of a special series documenting the local impact of MTP.