State officials mark milestone in opening Saranac Lake-Lake Placid path
By Mike Lynch
Several dozen people gathered Friday afternoon in North Elba to celebrate the official opening of the 10-mile section of the Adirondack Rail Trail between Lake Placid and Saranac Lake.
“This is incredible. I mean, look at the turnout here. This is a really awesome day,” said state Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Basil Seggos, standing before the crowd at Fowler’s Crossing on the outskirts of Saranac Lake.
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Once completed, the 34-mile trail will connect Lake Placid to Tupper Lake. The section between Saranac Lake and Lake Clear is set to be completed in 2024, while the work near Tupper Lake is scheduled for 2025. Those sections will be open this winter for snowmobiling while construction is paused.
Seggos was one of several state-level officials on hand, including elected representatives, and a number of local officials – plus a collection of cycling and snowmobiling enthusiasts and local community members.
“We’re obviously very happy to see the first section completed and to see that it’s really a quality job that’s going to be rideable with even road bikes,” said Adirondack Rail Trail Association (ARTA) board member Tony Goodwin.
The trail opening missed the heart of the fall bicycling season, but it can still be ridden by hard-core enthusiasts on fat-tire bikes and used by walkers. And snowmobiling season will start once there is some snow accumulation.
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“We depend on a tourism economy, we do, and this will only enhance that,” state Assemblyman Billy Jones said.
Lake Placid Snowmobile Club President Jim McCulley has been pushing for the trail for years as a member of ARTA.
“I think it’s important for not only Lake Placid, Saranac Lake and the surrounding areas, but I think it’s important for the entire Adirondacks,” McCulley said. “One of the things with snowmobiling is we travel throughout the Adirondacks and spend money everywhere.”
McCulley said he can get from Lake Placid to Star Lake, more than 50 miles away, in about two-and-a-half hours. If he leaves at 10 a.m., he can be in Star Lake for lunch, spending money at a restaurant, he said.
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Cycling shops also should benefit from the trail.
“It’s going to help our rentals. It’s going to help every aspect of the business,” said John Dimon, owner of Human-Powered Planet Earth bike shop in Saranac Lake. “But more than that, we’re seeing lots of use here. It’s year round.”
Jeanette Moy, commissioner of the Office of General Services, said one of the goals was to make the trail accessible to everyone from people pushing baby strollers to snowmobilers.
Brian Greene, an ARTA director, said one of the biggest positives of the trail is the “quality of life” benefits it brings to the community.
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“People are able to go out, they’re able to walk their dogs. They are able to ride their bikes with their kids,” he said. “It’s going to just really improve the quality of life for the people who live in these local areas.”
The state awarded Kubricky Construction Corp. of Wilton, Saratoga County, the $7.9-million contract for the first phase of construction, according to state officials. The work began at Station Street in Lake Placid, just west of the Lake Placid Depot, and ended just past the Saranac Lake Depot near the intersection of Cedar Street and Route 86, totaling 9.9 miles.
Some concerns
Many speakers alluded to the many trying circumstances that occurred leading up to the completion of this section. There were years of debate of how to best use the trail.
And while most people praised the work done so far, there have been some concerns raised during the process recently, too.
McCulley told the Explorer that paving the trail through Saranac Lake was not part of the original plan, and that other stakeholders he’s talked to couldn’t recall any discussion of it.
“Nobody knows why it was done and how it was done,” he said. “There was no public input on the paving.”
He said the dark pavement draws the sun and leads to snow melting faster than the stone dust surface used in other sections of the trail.
MORE TO EXPLORE
Operators of the Belvedere Restaurant in Saranac Lake have been troubled by a fence that was put up between the trail and their parking lot, cutting off direct access to their establishment.
Owner Chrissie Wais started a petition in late November to protest the fence. The petition has gained more than 900 signatures.
“The back of the property has had an access point to the Adirondack Rail Trail that snowmobilers, fat-bikers, walkers and other community members have been using for decades before the rail ties came out and long before we came along,” the petition states.
The DEC said it has no plans to remove the fencing and that it was installed for safety reasons because of steep slopes. The fence runs along both sides of the trail for several hundred feet.
DEC noted there are several access points to the rail trail in Saranac Lake, including access from Bloomingdale Avenue a few hundred feet from the Belvedere property.
Adirondack Rail Trail Association
One of the organizations that has played a key role in creating the rail trail is ARTA. Its members have been pushing for the trail for years.
A little over a year ago, the nonprofit hired its first executive director, Brian Woods, but he recently stepped down.
ARTA board members told the Explorer they plan to meet in December to discuss the opening and determine how to proceed with the position.
Additional trails is always great.
Now if you want to add millions to the local Economy allow horses on the trails. Build horse camps and more equestrian trails. Most horse people don’t ride in the Winter.
In the Spring, Summer and Fall the Economy will grow leaps and bounds. God save our horses and horse trails.
I hate to disagree, but I have to say that the horse community usually spends ZERO dollars and contributes ZERO dollars to any economy where they ride. With a minimal exception for small margin or the horse community, they will spend a few bucks here and there. They travel with their food, cook at their camp and spend ZERO on permits, registration to state and or insurance. To make that claim they would spend millions, is a far cry from any reality that I am aware of, here in the north country. The only thing I’m aware of is horse crap all over the place.
With the fence stopping direct access to the Belvedere from the trail the DEC must take action against the snowmobiles that they are encouraging to use the village sidewalk to access the Belvedere. Over the years we have suffered damage to our property and vehicles as the snowmobiles travel on the sidewalk. They often cut across our driveway and lawn to avoid the bare pavement of the sidewalks. We were so hopeful that the DEC would take steps to resolve this issue.
We are behind you as well! I was unable to reply to this article directly for some reason. So this is a good opportunity to chime in. With respect to the Belvedere access and having to cut through the village, It’s silly to take away good access and replace it with something deleterious to the infrastructure and property owners. The fact that this is paved really puts a deterrent on the snowmobile and nordic ski use which is a big part of the winter economy. In this article others have expressed, as I have, that there was no need to pay this and no one knows why it was done without public input. It’s an expense to the taxpayers that’s totally unnecessary and actually makes the path less useful and more impactful on people’s joints from the hard surface for summer activities not to mention ruining early and late Seasons nordic ski snowmobile opportunities, since neither mixes well with pavement. Public input should have been requested and hopefully they will take heed with the next sections of this Trail and avoid pavement while keeping access to local establishments who thrive on the exposure to the trail. My customers utilize the trail year round as it is only a few hundred feet down the road, and really enjoy the flexibility that was available before the paving began.
Somebody approved the paving, let’s find out who. Maybe paint it light color? Or coat woth scalpines.
As soon as the trail is complete, the entire 34 miles, I will load up my mini van and bicycle. Lake placid is a long drive from cape may, n.j. I will spend the week and drop some $$$$.
Agreed. Will be watching this closely. I retire in a month, will be adding this to my bike trail bucket list.
About time! Too bad the fall bike season was missed.Rail trails have been a huge draw for communities for years,they will bring many visitors to the area .
It’s so fantastic to see this project finally come to fruition. The rail trail will open up the Adirondacks to family members of all ages to enjoy. For many this could be the first step in a lifetime of adventure with nature.
You write this whole article and don’t include a map? Come on. At least link to something.
Just posted a map. Thanks!
Eventuall it will be paved, then it will be widened to become a road, as has been the evolution of trails in other communities.
Click the link in the 3rd paragraph. It will take you to the NYS site with maps.
https://www.dec.ny.gov/places/adirondack-rail-trail
Why is there ebikes there?
On Adirondack Forest Preserve lands, the use of electric mountain bikes of any kind is prohibited. This includes non-motorized trails open to mountain bikes in the Wilmington Wild Forest (Flume, Hardy Rd, Poorman’s Downhill) and Saranac Lakes Wild Forest (Loggers Trails in Lake Placid).
I have always loved the Adirondacks and used to go camping in Tupper in the 70s. I am a mountain bike rider and have ridden many rail trails. I am also a big fan of the historic Adirondack Historic Railroad and just recently went from Utica to Tupper. This railroad originally went to Montreal and it has got to be one of the most scenic in the country. To me it was idiotic to tear up the existing rails. It would have been great to go all the way to Placid. There are thousands of miles of rail trailsand the new trail that goes all the way across the state. They could have left the rails in and made a single track rail trail. I was even more disgusted with a bar owner next to the tracks who put up a big banner celebrating the rail trail. That’s not very intelligent. The railroads built this country and should be preserved.
agree 100%
This is proof they should have done the trail at the southern end as well. The railroad restoration is way behind schedule and failing. It’s not too late to turn the entire Remsen-Lake Placid corridor into the same thing. Who wants to stop at Tupper and turn around? Make the trail longer! Rip out the rails all the way to Old Forge!
Yes, I believe it is too late for that. Unless you think we should have the state just renig on their compromise agreement. Seems like a bad precedent. One that would probably end any agreements between the state and any entity they decide to negotiate with in the future. Are you suggesting they just say “okay we made a compromise but now we are just pulling the rug out – we changed our mind its all gonna be a trail”.. Is the trail part of the project on budget and on schedule?
Back to nature is now building a sidewalk thru the woods! Progress I say… Progress!!
The photo looks a bit like an ad for “HIMIWAY” motorized bikes – whatever they are?
3-8 inches coming might get the snowmobiles out there next week.
The fence above the Bel is no big deal as I see it. Folks can still just scooch around and get to the restaurant. It is kind of a pretty steep slope – especially after a few at the bar!
While the trail is superbly built, the blacktop is a killer for snow and joints as has been previously stated.
It would be interesting to know how much extra that cost? As the saying goes ‘cui bono’ who benefits??
Sorry to see the trains gone. Rode to Lake Placid and back many times. What’s going to happen to the abandoned train depots? Certainly hope they can have a new life and not be left to just rot and decay.
Enterprising folks should see these old depots as a huge opportunity to attract bikepackers and the like. Restaurants, bike shops, small hotels, coffee shops. If you build it, we will stop there.
I have no doubt this rail trail will be a wonderful recreational asset for our communities in all the ways mentioned, and Friday’s long-awaited event was exciting. Jim McCulley is entirely correct in what he said, however, and I, too, am perplexed by DEC’s decision (it wasn’t OGS’s, I’ve been told) to pave that long village section with asphalt. Obviously, all we can do at this point is cross our fingers, hope for the best, and… establish a village snow-shoveling crew?!
I was deeply involved in and completely supportive this project as a planner at APA from the very start. (I proposed to DEC staff the basic compromise of constructing the trail up north and a renewed rail down south, and for APA I handled the initial, full redrafting of the Travel Corridor section of State Land Master Plan to legally allow for all this.) I was involved in virtually all the key stakeholder meetings as APA’s representative, and to that group I brought this one strong recommendation from my friend, Jerry Klima (a Selectman from Massachussetts who led the development of a very popular rail trail on the coast where he lives): “Don’t pave it with asphalt! Use hard-packed stone dust!” And he doesn’t even have snowmobiling use to accommodate over there. I thought, like Jim and others did, there was full agreement on that from our earliest stakeholder meetings and never heard differently from DEC staff about the village stretch before I retired from State service in 2021.
So… while “what’s done is done,” I think we’ll have to vigilantly watch to see what happens – paying attention, especially, at and near road crossings where salt will probably be dragged up onto the trail, which will act to expose the dark pavement to the sun and then heat it up and cause further melting along the route. For as long as my old back holds up, I’ll be willing to help with some of the physical work that may be required.
Need more info on how the pavement got put in without being approved?????
“Vetted” (meaning with the full stakeholders’ group) is the right word, as all necessary approvals were certainly properly sought and received. But sure – what do you know?
Interesting that most comments include motorized recreation and non-motorized on your own power recreation in the same sentence…aside from motorized assist devices (such as wheelchairs designed for trails) I k n ow of no rail trail where these modes of recreation coexist…perhaps t h e DEC and others can enlighten us with their vision of how nordic skiers and snowmobiles, or side-by-sides and hikers/runners/bicyclists are going to share this trail?
Super…Just don’t go onto to Lake Place as they don’t like snowmobiles.
The Rail Trail will be awesome it will mean so much to that area. For the economy ebikes will soon be as big or bigger than snowmobiling. For the area; check on what Century 21 ( and others) say for property values in the vicinity of this kind of trail.
Unfortunately it could have been much greater if it had gone to Old Forge. As a business on the Corridor we started with radio show call ins and then a full page spread in the Daily Enterprise in 2006 to push for the idea. Thanks to ARTA and foreward looking officials the Northern section has been done, but lets hope when it gets more users a day than other uses get a week at a minimum, that the State does not keep with the ‘Sunk Logic” of rail restoration and moves on! FYI the trail is wonderful in the tri Lakes, but the build in the wilderness would only need the rails removed and a thin (cheap) coating of compacted stone dust to reap its value.
Scott, the plan I presented to DEC was much more than just to build a rail trail in its northern portion and a restored, functional railway in its southern portion. In the north, I proposed that in phase 1, to the extent possible, TWO side-by-side trails be built between Lake Placid and Saranac Lake – one essentially like what’s built, now. The other would not have been as wide or developed (generally on the order of 6′ wide everywhere possible), but still with a level, packed stone dust tread perfectly suitable for X-C skiing in winter and easy walking in the other seasons. (Skiers and walkers would then have been able to easily separate themselves from snowmobilers and electric bike riders for much of their trips.) I hiked the route to Saranac Lake near Lake Flower carrying a 16′-long surveying rod and a camera to verify that with a moderate amount of timber-crib work, roughly 75% of it could accommodate this development. My thinking was that this would work to minimize the potential conflict between different user groups in this short section of the Corridor that will undoubtedly see heavy recreational use of all types.
In the south, where you are… (I’ll get to this a little later)…
In the south, I proposed that in phase 1, the railroad line be rebuilt out to a new terminus in Beaver River; a four-season trail also be constructed to Beaver River (which in my brief explorations I found would be VERY difficult… perhaps not feasible, sad to say), and a new DEC public campground be developed at Beaver River. My idea was that while Beaver River is a really cool place, it could be made into an even more attractive destination than it is with this kind of help. It would be “the end of the line,” as the saying goes, for the railroad, yet the starting point for various types of wilderness outings. And so after this, with phase 1 completed, we of the State could assess two important things for two years before initiating phase 2. First, we could determine just what the railroad restoration costs and the rail-trail construction costs REALLY are on a per mile basis (I was convinced DOT’s publicly stated projections for the railroad were grossly and intentionally understated), and second, we could witness the recreational activity, satisfaction and success at both ends. With the experience and knowledge gained, we could then decide on phase 2. Should the railroad be extended all the way to Tupper Lake or even further – say to Lake Clear Station – or should its terminus remain at Beaver River and some kind of an improved trail be developed , instead, over that central portion of the route?
I received some initial strong interest from one high-level DEC Lands & Forests staff member in Albany, but that didn’t last long, for what reason I didn’t learn. Basically what was taken from my plan was the “split-the-baby” compromise approach (which was jumped at), and all the rest of it died a quick death. I suspect that DEC staff (and the Governor’s office?) simply had zero interest in handling a second Rail-Trail War, after phase 1 completion, in deciding upon the elements of phase 2. I still think it’s a shame, but it’s also easy enough to understand.
Why are there ebikes there? Did they change the law?
On Adirondack Forest Preserve lands, the use of electric mountain bikes of any kind is prohibited. This includes non-motorized trails open to mountain bikes in the Wilmington Wild Forest (Flume, Hardy Rd, Poorman’s Downhill) and Saranac Lakes Wild Forest (Loggers Trails in Lake Placid).
Excuse me… by “two major land classifications,” I meant Wild Forest areas like the two that you mention here, plus all Wilderness areas in the Park – the total comprising the vast percentage of our State lands here.
It depends on the (Adk. Park State Land Master Plan) classification, Karl. On Wild Forest area lands such as those you mention, and on all Wilderness area lands across the Park, yes – riding ebikes is a nonconforming use. Lands of these two classifications comprise the bulk of State lands here. But on Administrative Use and Intensive Use area lands (at DEC campgrounds, for instance), they are not nonconforming, and on Travel Corridors riding ebikes is now expressly allowed as per the recently revised Master Plan guidelines and criteria for such areas.
I am wondering if the trails will be wheelchair accessible?
I grew up in the ADK, hiked on the NLP trail and climbed the High Peaks. Since my disability, I have returned to paddle Cedar River flow, the Bog River and the St. Regis area.
I would love to ‘hike’ the ADK, again.
David J Schroeder
Please Govenor Hochul. You’ve shown a welcome renewed interest in the welfare of the Adirondack region. How about putting this project on a fast track and pull out all stops to complete this project by the end of 2024 instead.
The rewards to businesses that’s already beginning to be seen from the increased traffic in Tupper Lake with the completion of the rail line, behooves as much or more with the completion of this project.
Git er done Kathy! If anybody can do it, you can!
What’s been completed now between Lake Placid and Saranac Lake was hailed by officials last Friday as “accessible.” I don’t remember the term “universally accessible” being used Friday, but from what I’ve seen of the trail construction, now, it’s terrific and I expect you’ll find it to be wheelchair accessible for such a “hike.” It should remain great in that way, if the paved portion doesn’t get scraped up and then broken up. If you need to be more sure, you can just call the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation in Ray Brook to ask.
It’s always good to hear rail to trail projects moving forward.
I am not sure that sharing a trail between hikers/skiers/cyclists and snowmobiles is a good thing.
In my experience, it is much better to keep bikes and snowmobiles separate from hikers and skiers.
I just finished reading all of the comments that have gotten on line so far. I am one of the bike riders who has been riding three bikes for decades, and every ride on every bike moves with the strength of my legs. I was encouraged to try an e-bike while I was biking in Europe, and the e-bike almost killed me! I am short and weigh about 130 pounds; and the e-bike weighed 65 pounds! It was not good weather and the wind and rain caused me to fall off the e-bike only (luckily) on a small gravel single track trail. I was lucky that I could land in a safe spot and was able to keep my head from hitting the ground, but I ended up with lots of bruises. I live in Pennsylvania and there are MANY rail-trail places to ride my bikes. Many of the trails go hundreds of miles and most all of the trails start out with a small amount of paving, and pave the trail a short distance when there are roads with cars on one or both sides of the trail. Also, there’s mostly used small gravel on the trails that is crushed so it looks almost like paving. One of the best reasons to not have 100% pavement is that the weather – hot, cold, wet, snowy, etc allows rain to go through the gravel to the ground underneath. It is also much safer than pavement when someone falls on the trail. No matter how experienced a rider is, there are always things that can be in the way and are not seen until the bike is on top of a rock, a hole of some kind, a branch large enough to get caught on the bike wheel, etc. Falling on the gravel is much safer than on hard pavement. I absolutely believe that having snow mobiles on a paved trail is nonsense! State and country roads have enough problems with the pavement breaking in the winter, having plenty of long lines of broken pavement or long holes, & and dealing with salt. (BTY, there are very many places in the state I live in that do NOT use salt on the roads). I would NOT want to hike, bike or take a youngster with me on winter trails that allow snow mobiles. I would love to use my snowshoes or cross-country skis on this trail as well, but not with motorized machines on the same trail. Thank you for posting this, and I truly hope that anything with an engine will never be allowed on this trail I have been waiting for so long!
Sorry Rebecca. Snowmobiles will be used on this trail. No reason you can’t snow shoe or x-c ski to get your enjoyment!!
Horses on the trail? by the looks of the trail for what can be seen a horse dirt path about 15 feet adjacent to the trail sure why not. Bikers hikers, roller bladers, take note, their are rules for approaching horses,,,,GIVE WAY. The horse does have right of way. Hikers give way also. No body wants to see a spooked horse or be in his way. Bikers,,,,,you will not out bike the horse. It really is MANNERS, RESPECT, and, Rules of the road. We have Rail Trails in Ct. and horses share the paths also. If need be stop, if need be walk the bike. I ride both bikes and horses. ya,,,it does brake your train of mind,,,,but you don’t want 1500 pounds running you over . Build it New York we will come.
Very disappointed to see this track ripped up.
We stay in the area every year and always dreamed of having that track back up and running. Now it simply feels empty. I will say I am an avid bicyclist.
It’s an utter shame to rip up existing track for a rail trail. It’s on thing if the track had already been removed, but this is just… senseless destruction of our infrastructure. The line between Saranac Lake and Lake Placid was even in operation no less. That’s crazy how much America hates transportation and freedom.
There’s a lot of good biking in the area and having a trail strictly through the woodland isn’t an horrible idea, but this is just mismanagement of our community interests. Even if it had been left as is and not returned to service, it was usable for all the stated purposes of the rail trail as was.
I’m glad the state got the track between Old Forge and Tupper Lake back up, everyone I have talked with has been ecstatic about this. It gives a way to get up there as well for those who are older or can’t drive or don’t want to drive. The only person I have personally heard happy about the rip up was one park ranger who felt “no one was using it anyways” – which of course no one was, it needed repairs from disuse (and again, that excluding the lake placid section which was in use!). (To be frank, every other response I have seen to tearing out the track has ranged between disgust and outrage that it was not repaired instead.)
Worse, New York was bidding on the olympics for a third time. At you guessed it, lake placid. Exactly where that infrastructure runs to.
It would have been fantastic if instead of the rail trail along this route we had had the rail expanded to Plattsburgh, then families could spend the day in Old Forge, take the train up, enjoy Lake Placid, Tupper Lake, Saranac Lake, Ausables Chasm.
Or vice versa, families from Montreal and Burlington and Plattsburgh could hop on the train and pop down the reverse, ending up in Old Forge.
Instead, we keep disabing our infrastructure and our economies with what is conveninet for the few.
Amid all our bids for more walkable towns and cities with better pedestrian-centric infrastructure, this is a massive blow for freedom of movement.