As a park manager, I’m not supposed to have “favorites.” Just like a parent, I love all of Acadia’s resources equally. And to be fair, I work hard to provide a steady and balanced hand at work, making sure that every corner of the park gets the protection it needs.

With that said, I feel most connected to the foundational experiences that made me fall in love with national parks when I’m ascending one of Acadia’s granite peaks. While hiking, I often reflect on the power of trails.

Some of the most transformational moments in my life have been the experiences I’ve had on trails in national parks. I vividly remember my first experiences in the backcountry while serving as a high school volunteer at North Cascades National Park, experiencing that intoxicating feeling of interconnectedness with the natural world. I remember the first hikes I did with my wife and kids as a young family, building memories and sharing that sense of curiosity and wonder. I remember the pride I felt when my eldest child asked if we could go on a backpacking trip after they graduated high school—knowing the experiences they had growing up on trails had just as much an impact on them as it did me.

Forty years ago, Acadia’s trails were named one of the most endangered trail systems in the National Park Service by Backpacker magazine. That fact is hard to believe, looking at the trail system today. The pristine stonework and craftsmanship of our trail crew can be seen around every turn. I can say with confidence that had Friends of Acadia never existed, our trail system would not look as good as it does today. The establishment of the Acadia Trails Forever endowment in 1999 played a critical role in the park’s ability to restore the historic trail system to its former glory.

The power of the trails endowment endures. On my last hike up the Bubbles Divide Trail, I took note of the outstanding shape the trails were in following the restoration work our trail crew did over the past few summers.

I wonder how many people had caught the hiking “bug” after hiking this beautifully restored trail. How many families have made core memories, sparked the love of the outdoors with the next generation, or fulfilled a life-long dream by finally cresting a mountain summit in Acadia?

None of those moments would have been possible without the support from Friends of Acadia. Friends of Acadia’s commitment to helping the National Park Service achieve excellence is stronger than it has ever been, and you can see it in every corner of the park.

The park crew re-grading the carriage roads is using equipment donated by Friends of Acadia. The seasonal custodian cleaning park restrooms has a place to live because of the newly constructed housing spearheaded by Friends of Acadia. The dozens of kids from central Maine seeing the ocean, some for the first time, while attending the Schoodic Education Adventure were able to travel because of a grant from Friends of Acadia. To list everything we have accomplished together in 40 years of partnership would be an impossible task.

The foundation built by Acadia National Park and Friends of Acadia in our first 40 years together is unshakeable. I look forward to what the next 40 years have in store for this remarkable partnership.