Building Trails for Lincoln’s Future
With support from the Vermont Outdoor Recreation Economic Collaborative (VOREC) Community Grant Program from the Department of Forests, Parks, and Recreation, and individual donors, we are revitalizing the trail system on our land and adding an ADA accessible boardwalk for all Lincoln residents to enjoy.
What are we doing?
Developing and maintaining 9,000 feet of trails suitable for mountain biking, hiking, skiing, and snowshoeing.
Building and maintaining 1,200 feet of ADA-compliant trail including sections of raised wooden boardwalk that will help connect the different facilities on Lincoln Sports’ land and provide an opportunity to access the land for everyone.
Built gravel parking lots to better serve our town’s transportation needs during events such as youth sports. This project is supported by the ARPA distribution provided by the town of Lincoln.
Updating the infrastructure that supports the trail systems with an informational kiosk and new signage.
Lincoln Sports owns 55 acres of forest at 34 Gove Hill Rd. This hillside was formerly the site of a ski hill, hiking trails, and incredible access to the outdoors directly in the center of town. We are revitalizing this land and creating new and engaging uses. With support from the Department of Forests, Parks, and Recreation as well as an ARPA grant from the Town of Lincoln and individual donors, Lincoln Sports is in the process of:
Pictures of the Lincoln Sports trails taken by Richard Steggerda in April of 2026
Work in 2025 resulted in 3,658 feet of trails built on the lower side of the property nearly completing a look from the lower parking lots near the ski hill to the baseball fields. Additionally, an American’s with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant boardwalk that gives folks with mobility challenges direct access to the trails! See the pictures below, taken in May of 2026 for how its shaping up!
What does it look like now, May of 2026!
Two young Lincoln residents getting a tour of the new trails!
View from the entrance to the woods near the lower parking lot. The gravel path way winds up towards the woods to maintain a modest slope increase.
What is happening now!
The lower course of the trails is nearly complete. L&D Trailworks (our trailbuilders) are returning in June of 2026 to complete the lower loop. Then they start on the higher loop. Check out the updated trail map! The red trail is nearly complete with the pink trail to be completed during the summer.
We know how tempting it is to try out these new trails but please do not access the trails without a member of the Lincoln Sports board until they are complete. We continue to work with Vermont agencies on finalizing insurance details and, with construction continuing, we do not want to risk any issues in these final months. If you would like to take a tour of the trails, please contact info@lincolnsports.org.
Can I go on the trails!
What is remaining and when will it open!
The higher loop (pink on the map) is scheduled for construction over the summer. We are also scheduling a fall 2026 opening day celebration! Stay tuned!
How can I help?
Volunteer by emailing info@lincolnsports.org! We can always use volunteers as we finalize several of the details of the trails. Also, if you have the means to, we would kindly accept donations towards the project. See our support page for more information.
Our Partners
The team at VOREC has not just provided the funding and spark to get this project off the ground. They are team members, advisors, and supporters in ensuring we build the best trail system to meet the needs of the community.
Alex Barrett, from Long View Forest, has supported Lincoln Sports from the beginning with forest management and consulting services. You may have met Alex during a walkthrough of our land! See the Forest Management Report Long View produced here.
After a review of potential local trailbuilders, Lincoln Sports chose L&D Trailworks to build our trails. Check out some of the trails L&D has built in the past here.
Katie Sparkes (sparkes.katie@gmail.com) is our grant writer consultant and helped Lincoln Sports tremendously in this and other grant applications. Feel free to reach out to her if you are a nonprofit looking for grant writing support. Thank you Katie!
Vermont Community Loan Fund has provided the loan support to fund the project (the grant is a reimbursable award). Their financial support has allowed us to meet cash flow needs of the project.
Lincoln Sports’ Commitment
Lincoln Sports is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit supported by nine volunteer board members who are residents of Lincoln. While we are deeply rooted in the town of Lincoln (operating summer camp, youth soccer and basketball, Hill Country Holiday) we are a separate entity to the town and operate independently. The town of Lincoln has generously allotted funds to Lincoln Sports during the annual town budget meeting to help support youth sports, summer camp camperships, and land management and through the ARPA hearings. It is important to note that there are no actions that are taken by Lincoln Sports that commit the town of Lincoln to any future financial obligation.
We believe these updates to the Lincoln Sports land can have tremendous benefits to the community. Accessible access to nature for members of our community that don’t have access to some trails, mountain biking access for Lincoln youth that don’t have the ability to travel far outside of town lines, opportunities for learning and engagement for both the Lincoln Community School and Lincoln Sports Camp. Throughout this process the board of Lincoln Sports is committed to:
Creating outdoor access opportunities for our entire community that continues to promote a love for the outside and moments for intergenerational exchange.
Being collaborative and communicative during our process to ensure all Lincoln community members feel that they have a voice in this process.
Respectfully building trail systems that take into consideration the natural flora and fauna on the property.
Want to help or have questions?
Get in touch with us at info@lincolnsports.org. Looking forward to hearing from you.