On December 18th, these donations were used to help Kingdom Trail Association purchase 271 acres on Darling Ridge, saving more than 7 miles of trails for public recreation and protecting streams, wetlands, forests and scenic open land along Darling Hill Road.
Kingdom Trails is a network of over 100 miles of recreation trails on public and private land in Burke, Lyndon, Kirby and East Haven. These popular trails are a destination for mountain bikers, hikers, runners, Nordic skiers, fat bikers, and snowshoers.
In 2019, land on Darling Hill Road in the heart of the trail network went on the market. This land hosts seven miles of trails which wind through meadows, woods, and along the East Branch of the Passumpsic River as well as panoramic views that can be seen from the famous Heaven’s Bench overlook. With the land for sale, the future of the meadows and trails were at risk, as well as the rural character of Darling Hill Ridge.
The Kingdom Trail Association (KTA) acted quickly to buy the 229-acre property with bridge financing. KTA also agreed to buy 40 neighboring acres to secure adjoining trails. Now, KTA is working with the Vermont Land Trust to make sure these properties will remain undeveloped and open to the public.
Now we need to raise the money so that KTA can cover the cost of buying and conserving the land. Please consider a donation today.
Despite these challenging times, we are thrilled to report that we have met our initial fundraising goal of $280,000!
We are now trying to raise a final $50,000 for the Kingdom Trails’ Land Protection and Stewardship Fund.
Your donation will support KTA’s future care of this incredible land and the world-class recreation trails that invigorate people and communities.
You can give online today, or if you prefer, please mail a check, with Kingdom Trails in the memo line to:
Vermont Land Trust
8 Bailey Ave
Montpelier, VT 05602
For more information, contact:
Abby Long, Kingdom Trail Association
(802) 626-0737
Liza Walker, Vermont Land Trust
(802) 262-1225
Vermont Land Trust
8 Bailey Ave
Montpelier, VT 05602
Abby Long, Kingdom Trail Association
(802) 626-0737
Liza Walker, Vermont Land Trust
(802) 262-1225
VLT Facts |
593,000+ Total acres protected |
720+ Farms using conserved land |
420,000 Acres of forestland |
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170 Recreation spots |
60 Miles Catamount Trail |
460 Miles VAST Trail |
2,500+ Properties protected |