Tucker Mountain Town Forest

A community-led vision

Once a stagecoach stop on one of the main routes from Boston to Montreal, Tucker Mountain has long been a well-traveled gathering place. In 1790, it was home to a bustling tavern run by early settlers, and since being cleared for agriculture in the 1800s, it has welcomed visitors who have ridden horses, hiked, or driven to its summit. With old stone walls, and foundations scattered throughout the forest, Tucker Mountain serves as both a living museum and a tribute to Newbury’s agricultural past.

In the early 1970s, Tucker Mountain was put up for sale, and word spread that a real estate development company was eyeing the property. Determined to protect it, Philip and Ginny Leach purchased the land. Their son Ted and his wife Deborah purchased an abutting 92 acres in 1972. The mountain was a favorite place for them—Phil had even proposed to Ginny there in 1940. Over the years, the land passed hands through the Leach family.

In 2018, the Vermont Land Trust partnered with the Leach family to permanently conserve the entire 635-acre property and safeguard it from private development. The family donated a conservation easement to VLT with the goal of selling the land to the town of Newbury at a reduced price, with grants and community fundraising covering much of the cost.

Initially, some community members were skeptical of the project. Concerns were raised about the potential financial and logistical burden on the town, including challenges in maintaining the land and addressing existing erosion issues from heavy vehicle traffic on class IV roads. However, after extensive discussions and two decisive town votes, residents rallied behind the vision of conserving Tucker Mountain as a shared resource, and the purchase from VLT was finalized in December 2018.

Since the purchase, those early fears have been replaced by pride and enthusiasm. Over 90 volunteers have led efforts to improve trails, control erosion, and increase access by creating all-persons trails. Today, Tucker Mountain is a cherished space for recreation, education, and connection.

A landscape of heritage and habitat

Tucker Mountain preserves a mix of natural and historical features, from stone walls marking old agricultural fields to vernal pools that support local biodiversity. Once cleared for pasture in the early 1800s, the land has since been reforested, creating habitats for a variety of species. The mountain’s conservation connects it to a wildlife corridor stretching from Vermont to Maine.

A stewardship built on collaboration

Tucker Mountain’s 90+ dedicated volunteers keep the forest a well-managed and welcoming space. One standout project includes the creation of three cedar kiosks with living moss roofs, built using locally sourced natural materials to blend into the environment. Volunteers have also constructed erosion control systems like water bars, essential for stabilizing trails and the gravel road to the summit.

Habitat restoration is another priority, with students and volunteers building bat houses, owl boxes, and brush piles to support small mammals. Community members work together on trail maintenance, signage installation, and infrastructure upgrades, such as a planned all-persons accessible trail to open at the base of the mountain in the summer of 2026 and and within the next five years, a trail will connect Tucker Mountain to Wright’s Mountain in neighboring Bradford, to open in the summer of 2026.