Discover the Heart of Lebanon
Beyond the headlines are cedar forests, stone villages and families who welcome walkers into their homes. The Lebanon Mountain Trail links them all.
American Friends of the Lebanon Mountain Trail helps people in the United States discover or re-discover Lebanon’s mountains through the Lebanon Mountain Trail and support and sustain the trail and its communities.
This trail belongs to everyone—and there is a place on it for you.
If you are Lebanese,
Visit Lebanon and walk on the LMT. Spend time in the villages along the way, perhaps the village you, your parents or your grandparents came from. Stay in a local guesthouse or monastery, eat local food, hire a local guide, talk to the people, listen to their stories… Chances are you will discover a Lebanon you never knew existed!
If you are a friend of Lebanon, or are curious to know more,
On the trail you meet a different country: ancient cedar and juniper forests, cliffside monasteries and convents, mountain villages and a hospitality visitors never forget. You can walk it, follow it from home, or help protect it.
One Spine. One Backbone. One Continuous Trail
The Lebanon Mountain Trail runs the length of Lebanon’s mountains, from Andqet in the north to Marjayoun in the south, through the villages, forests and heritage sites that make the country what it is.
- 280 miles(450 km) end to end
- 93 milesSide trails and network trails
- 27+Trail sections (~11 miles each)
- 80+Villages and towns
- 1World Heritage Site
- 2Biosphere reserves
- 5Nature reserves
- 6Important Bird Areas
The American Friends of the Lebanon Mountain Trail (AFLMT) aims to sustain and support the Lebanon Mountain Trail as the spine that connects and unifies the communities along its path, as an economic lifeline to these 80 plus communities, and as a natural and cultural heritage conservation corridor.
AFLMT works on two mutually-reinforcing tracks to (1) encourage Lebanese Americans as well as American hikers and friends of Lebanon to visit Lebanon, walk on the LMT, and discover or re-discover the unique natural and cultural heritage of the Lebanese mountains; and (2) offer them the opportunity to support and sustain the LMT and its gateway communities through tax-deductible donations.
The trail in the news
New England Public Media, August 2024
“I want others to know my Lebanon, too”
A Lebanese American organizer on thru-hiking the trail in 2023, and the country she wants Americans to see beyond the headlines.
Read/Listen on NEPM (opens in a new tab)
NPR, September 2021
Lebanon’s terrain helps hikers connect with nature, history and culture
NPR joins a hike in the Chouf mountains, along the trail, with one of the guides who helped map it.
Read/Listen on NPR (opens in a new tab)
NPR, November 2006
Trying to blaze a trail in wartime Lebanon
An early NPR report on the effort to create the Lebanon Mountain Trail, at a time when the country was at war.
Read/Listen on NPR (opens in a new tab)
Your donation helps the AFLMT to do its work!
Your donations will help AFLMT to (1) promote the LMT among Lebanese Americans, American friends of Lebanon, and wayfarers passionate about exploring scenic landscapes and local traditions; and (2) assist the LMT Association and other like-minded nonprofits in Lebanon to protect, develop, and promote the Lebanon Mountain Trail and to support trail communities.
American Friends of the Lebanon Mountain Trail is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Donations are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.