Restoring the Ridge: Franconia Ridge Loop Trail Restoration Project
On one of New England’s busiest alpine trails, conservation crews race against erosion, climate pressures, and inequity to protect both the landscape and the future of outdoor stewardship.
What does it take to protect one of the most breathtaking, heavily traveled trails in the Northeast while also investing in the people who care for it?
On the Franconia Ridge Loop, hikers encounter Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) professional trail crews splitting stone, hauling equipment, and carefully setting stairs across exposed alpine terrain. This five-year restoration project represents a commitment to conservation leadership, long-term access to the outdoors, and equitable workforce development.
The Franconia Ridge Trail in New Hampshire traverses fragile alpine tundra. As recreational use increases, poorly maintained trails can become unsafe for hikers, damaging to the environment, and exclusionary to visitors with physical disabilities. Bad trails push visitors off-route and create barriers for people with different abilities, backgrounds, and levels of experience. Durable, thoughtfully designed trails protect ecosystems and create safer, more welcoming experiences. These trails also serve as training grounds for the next generation of trail crews.
Under the direction of the White Mountain National Forest, AMC leads this work in partnership with professional trail contractors, conservation corps, and volunteer organizations that prioritize skill-building and inclusive pathways into outdoor careers. Partners include AmeriCorps, Off the Beaten Path Trailworks LLC, Northwoods Stewardship Center, Vermont Youth Conservation Corps, the Student Conservation Association, and the U.S. Forest Service.
Through the Franconia Ridge Loop Trail Restoration Project, participants gained hands-on experience in advanced trail construction techniques, project planning, and alpine stewardship. These skills can transfer across the conservation, recreation, and natural resource sectors. By investing in people as much as in infrastructure, the project strengthens the regional trail workforce and expands access to meaningful, paid, and purpose-driven outdoor work. This work reflects AMC’s belief that protecting places and supporting people are inseparable, and that equitable access to both trails and conservation careers is essential to a thriving outdoor future.
