STRONG — High Peaks Alliance has launched a campaign to conserve Walrath Woods, a 120-acre property along the Sandy River in Strong, ensuring free public access for hiking, fishing, hunting and foraging for generations.
Walrath Woods was created to honor Doug and Sherry Walrath’s 40 years of land stewardship. It reopens a one‑mile trail with new parking, kiosks and sustainable features that make the area easier and safer to enjoy.
The project will offer year-round recreation, including foot travel, snowshoeing, and skiing, close to home for Strong and Farmington families. The trail will be named the Sherry Walrath Memorial Trail in honor of Walrath (1937–2025), whose spirit and love for this riverside landscape touched all who knew her.
High Peaks Alliance has secured $210,000 in funding through the Maine Trails Program and the Davis Family Foundation, with additional grants pending. With a total project budget of $275,000 covering land acquisition, environmental assessments and trail development, the Alliance seeks further donations to secure 1.7 miles of riverfront.
This stretch of the Sandy River serves as critical habitat for Atlantic salmon, supports traditional activities such as deer hunting and fiddlehead foraging, and includes 22 acres of prime farmland bolstering local food security.
“We have always benefitted from this region’s abundance of wildlife and the freedom to access it,” said Brent West, executive director of the Alliance. “We are starting a new time period where land is going to change hands rapidly. We wish to work with those who agree that people should always have a place to get outside with friends and family. That not only takes the support of our members, but willing landowners who want to leave a lasting impact. We thank Doug Walrath for sharing in our vision.”
Doug Walrath reflects on conserving this land, “I think that wherever we go through life, we leave a trail. And I would like to leave an open trail. I would like to have somebody say, when he got to the point where he couldn’t walk that land anymore like he used to, he wanted to leave a trail so that other people could be able to walk that land.”
Walrath Woods will be Strong’s first public trail and the longest protected section of the Sandy River. The High Peaks Alliance is raising the final $65,000 to finish the project. Donations, volunteer opportunities, and a project video can be found at highpeaksalliance.org/projects/walrath-woods.
The High Peaks Alliance is a volunteer-driven nonprofit working since 2007 to ensure and enhance public access and recreational opportunities in Maine’s High Peaks region. The Alliance unites local hunters, hikers, anglers, snowmobilers, ATVers, mountain bikers and community stewards to conserve land, maintain trails and build connections between people and the landscape.
