26 Jul DEC Expands Bike Trail System in The Adirondack Wilmington Wild Forest
Bike Trail Upgrades Part of Governor Cuomo’s Adventure NY Initiative
Wilmington, N.Y. – More than 1.5 miles of bike trails, including a new loop opportunity, have been added to the Beaver Brook Trail Network in the Adirondacks, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Regional Director Bob Stegemann announced today.
The trails are part of the Wilmington Bike Trail Network located on Forest Preserve lands in the Wilmington Wild Forest in the town of Wilmington, Essex County.
“DEC continues to work with local government and other stakeholders to expand suitable recreational opportunities on the Adirondack Forest Preserve”, said Director Stegemann. “The Adirondacks have long been a destination for hikers, paddlers, and campers during the summer. Now the area is becoming a destination for bikers while protecting the communities and pristine natural resources that have attracted people to the Adirondacks for more than a century.”
“Mountain biking in the Wilmington Wild Forest has been a huge success for Wilmington,” said Randy Preston, Supervisor of the town of Wilmington. “The key has been the partnership between DEC, the town and BETA. DEC has listened to our requests and together we have developed the finest mountain biking trails in the Adirondacks. The system is located in a beautiful forested setting with views of the surrounding mountains which we continue to protect.”
The new trails were built under contract or agreement with and supervision of DEC as follows:
The new 1.0-mile Ante Up Trail was constructed by Adirondack Mountain Club Professional Crew (ADK Pro Crew) and Barkeater Trail Alliance (BETA) volunteers;
The new 0.25-mile Beaver Brook View Trail was constructed by BETA volunteers; and
A new 0.3 mile section of the Lost Farm Trail was constructed by BETA volunteers.
DEC also contracted with the ADK Pro Crew to construct a bridge over Beaver Brook that completes the loop on the Lost Farm Trail.
This summer an Excelsior Conservation Corps work crew will improve the Beaver Brook View Trail to meet accessible trail standards to provide access for people with mobility disabilities.
The trail improvements were made with $3,000 from the State’s Environmental Protection Fund.
The new trail increases the total mileage of trails in the Beaver Brook Trail Network to 8.5 miles and the mileage in the Wilmington Bike Trail Network to 21 miles. The Wilmington Bike Trail Network also includes 10 miles in the Flume Trail Network and the 2.5-mile Poor Man’s Downhill Trail.
Nearly two miles of additional trail mileage will be built this year in the Flume Trail Network, including a connector trail to the Wilmington Reservoir that will provide bikers with a connection between the trail network and the hamlet of Wilmington. This work will be completed through the combined efforts of BETA volunteers, crews from the ADK High School Volunteer Program, and crews from the Student Conservation Association Adirondack Program.
The Flume Trail Network currently connects to the nearby Whiteface Mountain Bike Park via both the Lower Connector Trail and the Upper Connector Trail. Those two trails can be used free of charge and accessed from the Kid Kampus Parking Lot. A fee must be paid to use the other 25 trails and the services of the gondola lift and shuttles.
Under Governor Cuomo’s new Adventure NY Initiative, DEC is making strategic investments to expand access to healthy, active outdoor recreation; connect more New Yorkers and visitors to nature and the outdoors; protect natural resources; and boost local economies. This initiative will support the completion of more than 75 projects over the next three years, ranging from improvements to youth camps and environmental education centers to new boat launches, duck blinds, and hiking trails.
National Geographic rated Wilmington one of America’s 20 Best Mountain Bike Towns.
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