On October 1, 2021 The Town of Long Lake Parks, Recreation and Tourism Department will officially dedicate and open 2km of newly built Mountain Bike / Shared Use Trails at the Mt. Sabattis Recreation area in Long Lake.

The Mt. Sabattis Recreation Area is centrally located in the community of Long Lake and is home to an outdoor ice skating rink, tennis and basketball courts, a sledding hill, pavilion, the S80 Powerline Snowmobile Trail, skate board ramps, a spur linkage to the Northville-Placid trail, and an expansive view overlooking the Town of Long Lake.

In 2018 the Long Lake Parks and Recreation department developed strategies to develop recreational opportunities at Mt. Sabattis. The Town of Long Lake invited Adirondack trail builder Steve Ovitt of Wilderness Property Management to evaluate the property. Steve had been constructing the Northville-Placid Spur trail to link the center of Long Lake to the popular through hiking route and was familiar with the terrain.

One of the goals in the adopted 2021 Long Lake Comprehensive Plan was to improve and expand accessibility of trails and link them directly to the community. What appealed to Ovitt in the initial proposal, was the proximity to the community. The mountain is centrally located in the business district making it convenient for users to enjoy a quick trek into the serenity of the woods, but close enough to civilization to provide a variety of open businesses for people to explore, eat dine and enjoy the small-town amenities Long Lake provides. Short hikes and fun mountain bike rides are attractive because they appeal to a wider range of users and allow visitors to “bundle” activities like dining and shopping which in turn bolster the local economy.

Phase one of the trail build was developed to offer 2km of trails featuring a novice and intermediate trail. The fully developed plan will include expert mountain biking, hill climb and a skills building park. The entire project while initially coined a Mountain Bike Trail is designed to be shared with hikers, walkers, trail-runners and x-c skiers.  No motorized vehicles are permitted on the trail system.

Access includes ample parking for the trail head to start mid-mountain at the Mt. Sabattis Pavilion, convenient for its large restrooms, and changing area with plans to expand the amenities to make Sabattis a mini-hub and great stop on anyone’s outdoor exploration of the Adirondacks.

Trail names emerged as an homage to the Rolling Stones. Storied rock and roll legend Mick Jagger visited Long Lake multiple times in the 1980’s and the trails were being constructed just as the news of drummer Charlie Watts death made front page news.  Trails that will be open include the novice trail “Let it Loose,” the spur trail “Waiting on a Friend,” and the intermediate trail “Black and Blue.”

The official opening of the Phase 1 completion of the Mt Sabattis Mountain Bike and Shared Use Trails will take place on Friday October 1st from 3-5pm at the Mt Sabattis Pavilion, 46 Pavilion Way, Long Lake, NY.

The afternoon will feature a dedication ceremony and tours.  Everyone is welcome to attend and encouraged to bring running shoes, hiking boots, bikes and helmets.

This is an outdoor event and will happen rain or shine.

Photo at top: Test Ride by Steve Ovitt 

Pictured L-R – Featuring: Frank Morehouse, Zach Rabeler, Town Supervisor Clay Arsenault, Charlie Seaman, Dylan Combs, and Quinn Giordano.

Trail photo by Alex Roalsvig