The final report on the three-year study to develop an Adirondack Community-based Trails and Lodging System plan to enhance recreation-based tourism and help revitalize hamlet centers has been released to the public.

The report lays out regional hut-to-hut networks throughout the Adirondack Park, which could be linked together into a park-wide system.

The report, which is over 300 pages in length, contains maps and details on 59 conceptual, community-based hut-to-hut routes throughout the Adirondacks. The report also contains sections on the planning process, international hut systems, North American hut systems, potential economic impact, route system statistics, route difficulty, route prioritization, and an implementation strategy.

In the Town of Long Lake a demonstration project spur trail was built linking the Northville-Placid Trail (NPT) with the hamlet of Long Lake. This section of trail enables hikers to safely access the hamlet of Long Lake to reach lodging and other amenities without having to walk along Route 28N.

The report, conducted by Leading E.D.G.E. for Hamilton County, was funded by the New York State Department of State under Title 11 of the Environmental Protection Fund and is available here.

For more information, contact Project Director Jack Drury at jack@actls.org.

Photo: View of Gothics from Boreas Ponds by Phil Brown (2016).