PATTEN — On May 18 at noon, at the Fiddlers and Fiddlehead Festival, Patten Area Outdoors will celebrate the grand opening of our Storybook Lane and non-motorized trail.
Patten Area Outdoors is a volunteer group in the region focused on creating non-motorized, accessible outdoor options for our town and our region. Under the guidance of the Outdoor Sport Institute and in partnership with Katahdin Area Trails our first trail is ready to use. People are walking the trail, some with another walking partner, some with their dog. People are walking the trail and spending a little time in the woods! Everyone, young and old can enjoy reading outdoors along Storybook Lane. We will be introducing a new book “Hector Fox and the Giant Quest” by Astrid Sheckels.
As a part of our Lumbermen’s themed ribbon-cutting ceremony we will also be announcing our first “Youth Leadership Trail Ambassadors”.
Please come out to enjoy the music, food, and fun at the Fiddlers and Fiddlehead Festival, and walk the “Lumbermen’s” trail. Our youth “Ambassadors” will be happy to take you on a tour.
KAT in early 2023, a partner with PAO, was awarded a Recreational Trails Program grant, through the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry, to construct a high quality, easy to navigate non-motorized accessible trail. The vision was to complete a short evenly graded trail that would include a children’s Storybook Lane on land behind the Lumbermen’s Museum. The hope was that this trail would be a place for people of all ages and abilities to spend time outdoors together.
The planning and completion of the Lumbermen’s Trail was overseen by the Outdoor Sport Institute, and was assisted by staff from the Rivers, Trails, and Conservation Assistance program of the National Park Service. Collaboration and commitment of the Lumbermen’s Museum, Veterans’ Memorial Library, and the Town of Patten will help to ensure the continued improvement, upkeep and maintenance of the trail and Storybook Lane.
We have had volunteer assistance and support from many organizations and individuals including the Maine Department of Transportation (Scenic Byways Program), The Friends of Veterans’ Memorial Library, Patten ATV Club, Katahdin Collaborative, Northern Forest Center, Friends of Katahdin Woods & Waters, Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument, Katahdin Middle and High School, Patten Area Women’s Club, Katahdin Tourism Partnership, and others.
Anyone interested in joining the Patten Area Outdoors email list can contact MaryAlice Mowry at [email protected].
