Residents urge delay of proposed Mount Kearsarge mountain-bike trail; Select Board backs call for more study

Warner residents on Feb. 17 urged the Select Board to ask state decision-makers to pause consideration of a proposed downhill mountain-bike trail at Rollins State Park on Mount Kearsarge until environmental inventories, safety plans and meaningful local public input are completed. The Select Board unanimously recommended the citizen petition asking for delay and additional public involvement.

Nancy Martin, representing concerned residents, told the Board the state review process does not provide early public input and that no botanical or biological inventory had been done along proposed routes. She said the group hoped the town meeting vote would register opposition and encourage responsible state entities to deny further consideration until deficiencies are addressed. Resident Faith Minton raised longstanding safety concerns about limited egress and warned of potential ambulance and emergency-response costs that could fall to Warner.

The Select Board voted unanimously to recommend the petition that asks state agencies to delay the project until studies and broader public review occur. Board members said they had previously sent a letter voicing their concerns and considered a town-meeting vote important to register community views.

Why it matters: The petition would not directly alter state decisions but would communicate Warner’s concerns to the Statewide Trails Advisory Committee and other state bodies. Residents highlighted potential fiscal impacts on town emergency services and requested clearer environmental and safety assessments before trail construction proceeds.

What’s next: The petition and the Board’s recommendation will appear on the March 2026 town meeting warrant; residents expect to continue advocacy through site walks and further correspondence with state officials.