Paul Gagnon brings a lifetime of outdoor experience and a deep connection to Pelham’s conservation land to his role as a volunteer hike guide with Pelham Pathways. A retired engineer who spent 29 years at Bell Laboratories and Lucent Technologies, Paul continued his career by founding and running his own construction business for 12 years before fully retiring.

Paul was a member of the Forestry Committee from 2002 to 2025 and is still a member of the Conservation Commission, having joined in 2003. He was chair of the Conservation Commission for 14 of those years.

Paul’s passion for nature began in childhood and has only grown over the years. Whether hiking, camping, canoeing, or simply wandering through the woods, he has always found joy and peace in the outdoors. That lifelong love of nature — paired with an encyclopedic knowledge of Pelham’s conservation history — makes Paul a tremendous asset to our hiking program.

He’s especially fond of the yellow trail at Cutter Woods and the blue trail at Gumpas Pond Conservation Area, both of which feature a beautiful mix of upland forest and expansive wetlands shaped by beavers. Paul is comfortable guiding hikes of all difficulty levels and is known for his welcoming style and thoughtful insights along the trail.

In addition to enjoying plants and wildlife, Paul has a unique and in-depth understanding of how Pelham came to protect and manage more than 3,000 acres of open space — a story he loves to share with fellow hikers. Whether you’re a longtime resident or a newcomer, a hike with Paul is not just a walk in the woods, but a journey through Pelham’s natural and civic history.

Paul with Deb Waters doing trail maintenance

Paul ( in plaid jacket) canoeing Beaver Brook with friends in the late 1960’s