We are excited to announce that Proctor Academy has formally granted a perpetual recreational trail easement to the Sunapee Ragged Kearsarge Greenway. This agreement secures permanent foot-access for outdoor enthusiasts along a key portion of the SRK trail network.
Through the collaborative work of Proctor and Greenway leadership, the easement grants SRK a non-exclusive, 20-foot-wide corridor centered along existing sections of Trail 9 (New Canada Road to Proctor Academy) and Trail 10 (Proctor Academy to Winslow State Park).
Proctor Academy is a private secondary school founded in 1848 in Andover NH. It boasts a 2,500 acre campus with an emphasis on experiential learning that is interwoven throughout their environmentally conscious programs. Proctor has been a strong supporter of the SRK Greenway since it’s inception in the 1980’s.
The SRK Greenway is a 75-mile loop of hiking trails in central New Hampshire that circles the Lake Sunapee area and connects Sunapee, Ragged, and Kearsarge Mountains. This partnership between Proctor and SRK ensures the preservation of local hiking corridors while allowing Proctor to continue to use these portions of its land for educational purposes and ensuring environmental integrity of the trail system and woodlands.
Under the terms of the easement, use of the hiking corridors is restricted exclusively to non-motorized, foot-travel hiking, while SRKGC will manage trail maintenance, repairs, and erosion control, maintaining the natural integrity of the land with oversight from Proctor’s Woodland Managers, educators, and Facilities Team. Given the trail passes through Proctor’s campus, trail activities will aim to respect campus operations, student life, and school events, with provisions allowing temporary closures for cross-country, skiing, or other athletic events.
Proctor Academy Head of School Amy Smucker notes, “This easement formalizes a long-standing commitment to environmental stewardship and outdoor access. By partnering with the Sunapee Ragged Kearsarge Greenway Coalition, we are proud to safeguard these beautiful trails for local hikers for generations to come.”
The SRK Greenway extends a heartfelt thank you to the Proctor Academy community for their partnership in this process and for their ongoing work to preserve this trail system in the local area. Learn more about Proctor Academy at
https://www.proctoracademy.org/
