It’s been a wonderfully busy Winter at the Mad River Path. We have many projects in the works, all in service of connecting our communities through sustainable, accessible outdoor recreation and human-powered transportation.
Path implementation committee
The newly formed five-town Path Implementation Committee recently divided into sub-groups and got to work. The Engineering Group designed a pedestrian crossing of Mill Brook, and applied for a VTrans Transportation Alternatives grant. If funded (we will hear back at the end of March) the project will connect Austin Walk with Fiddlers Walk. The Socio-Economic Study Group began preparing for a limited-scope trail recreation study for the 2026 season; the study will combine the information from the trail counters with a survey conducted by volunteers on busy trail weekends. The Landowner Group has engaged in conversation with several path landowners, while the State and Municipal Group has been preparing for an important active transportation corridor stakeholder meeting coming up in March at the state house.
kingsbury greenway
The Implementation Committee designated the Kingsbury Greenway section of the Path as our first implementation project for 2026, from Riverside Park to the Wabanaki Recreational Area. Over the Summer and Fall the Path here will undergo a major upgrade: widening and surfacing to meet the adaptive standards, and rerouting to bypass the stairs (thank you Warren Lodge for supporting the easement amendment). The project will also include stabilizing and resurfacing Clay Brook Bridge, new way-finding signage, and replacing the graffiti under the bridge with a mural in partnership with Mad River Arts. The work will be led by L&D Trailworks with support from community volunteers.
Also underway this year is a primitive campsite project for bike-packers and Long Trail hikers staying overnight in the Valley. The walk- or bike-in campsite will consist of a tent platform, a fire ring, and a compost toilet, and will be located along the path at Cloud Water Farm. This project is done in collaboration with Yestermorrow Design/Build School and Cloud Water Farm
Implementation Coordinator Position
Moving from scoping to the implementation of the Path, the committee recognized that this major infrastructure project requires staff capacity well beyond what volunteers, and the small Path team can accomplish. We did not want our scoping study to collect dust, so working together with the towns of Warren and Waitsfield, we developed a concept of a part-time (20 hours per week) Path Implementation Coordinator. This position, funded through public-private partnership (1/3 MRP, 1/3 Warren, 1/3 Waitsfield) will focus 100% of their time on grant writing, permitting, and admin support to the committee and the Executive Director, continuing the momentum and moving the project along one step at a time.
Both Warren and Waitsfield have the funding for the Implementation Coordinator on the ballot for Town Meeting Day. This relatively small investment of $15,000 from each of the partners will yield a path that will generate millions in direct and indirect economic benefits for years to come. Please come voice your support for this measure on Tuesday, March 3rd at your local town meeting.
mad river triathlon
The Mad River Triathlon team has been busy getting ready for our annual event, bringing together the Path, Riders, Backcountry Coalition, and the Friends of the Mad River. 2026 improvements include our own custom and reusable Triathlon bibs and reusable beer cups for use at Mount Ellen celebration. We are exited to welcome many sustaining and new sponsors to the event including Lawson’s Finest Liquids, Red Hen Bakery, VHB, Waitsfield Telecom, Creative Micro Systems, National Life Group, Bicycle Express, MadBush Falls, Kroka Expeditions, Julbo, Sugarbush, Icelantic, Blueberry Lake XC Ski, Green Mountain Transit, and Thuja.
organizational updates
Our communication specialist Sarah Johnson completed the transition to a new data and relationship management system.
In January we welcomed Abby Bell as our first year-round AmeriCorps service member. Abby has been warmly welcomed by co-workers at the Wait House and by the larger community. She’s been busy keeping the Heart of the Vally boardwalk cleared, assisting with preparations for summer programs, researching recreational trail ethics, and supporting the myriad path projects, adding to our organizational capacity.
Last Fall, we received a generous gift from a summer camp family. This gift allowed us to establish a modest scholarship endowment with the VT Community Foundation. The interest from the endowment will provide an annual scholarship in perpetuity for a participant in the Mad River Path Adventures, removing financial barriers to participation.
Soon we will have a new map of the Mad River Path, thanks to our team and graphic desinger Kristen Neilson. Even though the path between Warren and Waitsfield is not yet continuous, one can travel the entire route by bike, and this new interpretive map will help riders to find the scenic route between the two villages.
Working together with the mad river riders
Since September, the Mad River Path and Mad River Riders have been exploring the possibility of joining as one trail recreation organization in the Mad River Valley.
Mad River Riders and Mad River Path have a shared vision for a world-class trail system that links our natural recreational spaces with our schools, villages, and businesses. Both groups work toward a welcoming valley, where people of all backgrounds and abilities can enjoy healthy recreation, immerse themselves in nature, make friends, and build community. Likewise, both groups believe that the sustainable future of the MRV lies in the thoughtful and intentional growth of the four-season recreational economy.
Last November, we received a grant from the VT Community Foundation. This grant allowed us to hire an organizational consultant and retain a corporate attorney. Throughout the Winter we held multiple group meetings and visited neighboring trail networks including Slate Valley Trails, Ridgeline Collective, Stowe Trails Partnership, and Kingdom Trails, learning how other communities benefit from joining all trail users — bikers, dog walkers, trail runners, hikers, snowshoers, birdwatchers, and others — in one recreation organization.
Our efforts have been supported by the Vermont Mountain Bike Association, a parent organization of MRR. Throughout the 2026 trail season we will broaden our cooperation on maintenance, summer camps, and future planning. Our plan is to join together by the end of 2026 with the many details still being developed in board committees.
Thank you for being part of our community, and we hope to see you out on the Path soon.
Sincerely,
Misha Golfman
Executive Director, MRPA
