2015 : Recreation
Small Trail Systems Attracting Interest
There are examples of these small systems getting new attention. The Saranac Lake 6'ers has 300 members and is planning a winter 6'er program. The Cranberry Lake 50 and the Champlain Area Trail System (CATS) are two more examples. These trails provide the 2 hour long hikes that visitor surveys say are most desired.
Influenced Scenarios
Evidence
Mountain Biking Gains Popularity
New survey info from ROOST says mountain biking is attracting new visitors to a couple of areas in the Park including Wilmington, Elizabethtown, Keeseville, North Creek
Read the news story here
Keene To Create Mountain Biking Trail System
The new trails will be built on 113 acres of county owned land, near the northern town line. The land is currently a rarely used picnic area and has been logged recently. It will connect to trails in Wilmington and Lewis.
Read the news story here.
Ticonderoga Wins $280k Grant to Complete River Trail
The LaChute River trail, 3 miles long, will see completion of missing sections.
Read the news story here.
CATS Acquires Famous Old Quarry in Essex
The 35 acre quarry will be turned into a nature park. Stone taken from here was used for the Brooklyn Bridge and the State Capitol.
Read the news story here
29 Shorter Peaks to Become the 29er Set
With a goal is to draw people away from the high peaks, a hiking group has come up with a list of 29 lesser peaks to engage hikers.
Read the news story here.
They have a website here.
Bolton Embarking on Recreation Hub Strategy
The town has had help from Chazen Companies to come up with a plan to become a regional recreation hub. Specific steps are called for in the plan.
Read the news about the plan here.
Lake Placid Sets Up a Small Mountain System, the 9er
The system includes 9 smaller peaks and is intended to draw newbies away from the High Peaks. Five of the the nine peaks are actually in Keene.
Read the news story here.
CATS Acquires a Farm with a Key RR Crossing for Trails
The farm had been in the same family since 1814.
Read the news story here.
LG Wins $40k to Rebuild Pilot Knob Trail
The project will rebuild the trail to improve walking and environmental protection. It will include new educational signage.
See page 95 of the 2017 REDC grant awards booklet here.
More Small Trail Systems Come to Life
Short trail systems in new areas continue to build. Hiking is not just about the high peaks any more. People like shorter, easier hiking trails.
Read about the new 20 mile Chester Challenge here.
Read about a farm land extension to the CATS trails here.
Read about the Moriah Challenge here.
CATS and Lake Placid Conservancy Get Grants
Champlain Area Trails will see $30k for a conservation easement and a new trail. Lake Placid Conservancy will see $25k for community conservation workshops in the region.
Read the news story here.
Tupper Lake Opens New Hiking Challenge
Tupper Lake now offers the "Tupper Lake Triad" a hiking challenge that includes three local peaks, Mount Arab, Coney Mountain and Goodman Mountain. Once completing all three, hikers or snowshoers will receive a decal and a hiker registration number.
Read the news story here.
4 Miles Trails Added to Lake Placid's Henry's Woods Trail System
The Uilhein Foundation has opened 4 more miles of trails on the Heaven Hill Farm property in Lake Placid. Henry's Woods trails opened on the property in 2009 for biking, snowshoeing, skiing and walking and have been very popular. The new Heaven Hill Trails will add the trails to the original system.
Read the news story here.
Wilmington Aims to be Mountain Bike Mecca
Now seeking UMP revisions to improve the trail network near town, Wilmington has been working on this for a while now and it is going well.
Read the news story here.
Read the news story here.
New Trail to OK Slip Falls Opens
DEC to Adopt Trails Near Tupper
These will add 7 miles of hiking and maintained x-country ski trails near Tupper Lake.
Read the news story here.
Read the news story here.
CATS Organized Inn-to-Inn Hike in May 2014
The Champlain Area Trail System Essex-to-Westport hike will show off a hamlet-to-hamlet route of 14 miles. They held a Wadhams to Essex hike last season.
Read the news story here.
Read the news story here.
Hike-a-Thon to Promote Lake George Area Trails
The Lake George Land Conservancy owns quite a few preserves. The Hike-A-Thon will promote use of these short systems in the region.
Read the news story here.
Read the news story here.
New 350 Acre Wildlife Refuge Being Created
On Lake George, the managed wildlife refuge will be a first in the Park. Improvements will include access for school children, hikers and boaters.
Read about the project here.
Read about the project here.
DEC Releases New Plan for Easement Tract
The 19,000 acres timber easement allows for recreation access. It is the Kushaqua tract, in the towns of Brighton and Franklin.
Read the DEC press release here. It has links to the plan.
Read the DEC press release here. It has links to the plan.
Plan to Launch the "Winter 6'ers in Saranac Lake
Following the success of the 6'er program, which found 300 members this summer, the Town will launch a winter version of the same idea.
Read the news story about this here.
Read the news story about this here.
For Small Trail Systems Attracting Interest
For Small Trail Systems Attracting Interest