Goose Eye Mountain trail nearly done

A three-year project to build a trail to the top of Goose Eye Mountain, a 3,800-foot peak on public land in Riley Township in western Maine, is nearly completed, according to officials at the Bureau of Public Lands.

Work on the trail has been done by bureau staff and teams of young volunteers in the Maine Conservation Corps with assistance from people connected with the Hurricane Island Outward Bound School and the Council on International Educational Exchange.

Until now, access to the peak has been only from a trail that starts in New Hampshire.

“The Maine youngsters who contributed to the completion of this major project can be very proud of what they have accomplished,” said Sue Bell, deputy commissioner of the Department of Conservation. “The trail provides access to some of the most spectacular views and challenging hiking opportunities in Maine.

The trail loop is about seven miles long, according to an official in the Bureau of Public Lands. The trail is completely built, but some blazing remains to be done and ladders to assist people in some steep sections still must be constructed.

To get to the trail, which is located in the Mahoosuc Management Unit, hikers should take the Sunday River Road, which diverges from Route 2 on the outskirts of Bethel. Take the left fork in the road after passing the Outward Bound encampment area and enter the Mahoosuc Management Unit, which is marked with a sign. There is a parking area as yet unmarked.

For more detailed information about the trail, contact the Bureau of Public Lands at 289-3061.