The following are only the most recent notices pertaining to public lands in the Adirondacks. Please check the Adirondack Backcountry webpages for a full list of notices, including seasonal road statuses, rock climbing closures, specific trail conditions, and other pertinent information.
NEW THIS WEEK
Nothing new this week
Last Week
Independence River Wild Forest:
Eatonville Trail will remain closed through mid-July.
The following are only the most recent notices pertaining to public lands in the Adirondacks. Please check the Adirondack Backcountry webpages for a full list of notices, including seasonal road statuses, rock climbing closures, specific trail conditions, and other pertinent information.
NEW THIS WEEK
Independence River Wild Forest:
Eatonville Trail will remain closed through mid-July.
The following are only the most recent notices pertaining to public lands in the Adirondacks. Please check the Adirondack Backcountry webpages for a full list of notices, including seasonal road statuses, rock climbing closures, specific trail conditions, and other pertinent information.
NEW THIS WEEK
Boreas Ponds Tract
The Gulf Brook Road is open to the Four-Corners Parking Area
The following are only the most recent notices pertaining to public lands in the Adirondacks. Please check the Adirondack Backcountry webpages for a full list of notices, including seasonal road statuses, rock climbing closures, specific trail conditions, and other pertinent information.
NEW THIS WEEK
High Peaks Wilderness
Per the conservation easement agreement with Elk Lake Lodge, the Gate at Clear Pond is now open to Public Motor Vehicles and will remain open until the start of Big Game season (in October). Parking at the Elk Lake Parking Lot Trailhead is limited and NO PARKING is allowed along the roadway. When the trailhead parking fills up, hikers will need to park at the Upper Elk Lake Road Parking Lot on the west side of the Elk Lake Road approximately 2.3 miles south of the Elk Lake Parking Lot Trailhead. While driving on Elk Lake Road, please respect posted lower speed limits. Please help ensure the Conservation Easement is respected and all users have a safe and enjoyable experience.
The following are only the most recent notices pertaining to public lands in the Adirondacks. Please check the Adirondack Backcountry webpages for a full list of notices, including seasonal road statuses, rock climbing closures, specific trail conditions, and other pertinent information
NEW THIS WEEK
Adirondack Rail Trail
The section of trail between Lake Placid and Saranac Lake is currently closed for construction. Use of this corridor during the construction period is prohibited.
The following are only the most recent notices pertaining to public lands in the Adirondacks. Please check the Adirondack Backcountry webpages for a full list of notices, including seasonal road statuses, rock climbing closures, specific trail conditions, and other pertinent information.
NEW THIS WEEK
Lake George Wild Forest
Dacy Clearing gate in Shelving Rock is open.
Jabe Pond Road and Lily Pond Road mud gates are open.
Paul Smiths, NY – The Paul Smith’s College Visitor Interpretive Center (VIC) will be hosting a free panel discussion on the impact of climate change and carbonsequestration in forests. The event will be on Thursday, May 11. The event is free and open to the public. The Adirondack Council’s Rewilding Advocate, John Davis, will lead a world-renowned panel of scientists on how the climate change crisis will impact carbonsequestration in forests, as well as the discussion between “young” and “old” forests and how each sequesters carbon.
The following are only the most recent notices pertaining to public lands in the Adirondacks. Please check the Adirondack Backcountry webpages for a full list of notices, including seasonal road statuses, rock climbing closures, specific trail conditions, and other pertinent information
NEW THIS WEEK
Saranac Lakes Wild Forest:
Little Clear Pond Road is now open.
Independence River Wild Forest:
All mud gates will be closed the week of March 3rd and will reopen when conditions allow.
Adirondack Research Consortium (ARC) will host the 27th Annual Conference on the Adirondacks on May 18 and 19 at the Conference Center at Lake Placid in Lake Placid, NY. This year’s conference will focus on “Climate Change in the Adirondack/North Country Region Mitigation, Adaption, and Implications.”
The New York State Department of Transportation is advising motorists that State Route 74 will be closed between U.S. Route 9 at Exit 28 of the Adirondack Northway (Interstate 87) and the intersection with State Route 9N/State Route 22 in the Town of Ticonderoga, Essex County, from 6 p.m. Friday, May 5, until 6 a.m. Monday, May 8, to facilitate the replacement of a culvert at Eagle Lake, weather permitting. The rain dates for this work and closure are from May 12 to May 15.
The following are only the most recent notices pertaining to public lands in the Adirondacks. Please check the Adirondack Backcountry webpages for a full list of notices, including seasonal road statuses, rock climbing closures, specific trail conditions, and other pertinent information
NEW THIS WEEK
High Peaks Wilderness:
Mud Season: Hikers are advised to avoid trails above 2,500ft for the duration of the muddy trail advisory for several reasons:
sliding boots destroy trail tread, can damage surrounding vegetation, and erode thin soils causing washouts;
rotten snow and monorails are a safety hazard even with proper equipment; and
high elevation and alpine vegetation are extremely fragile in spring months as they start their regrowth after winter.
Until conditions improve, hikers are encouraged to responsibly explore low-elevation trails or enjoy other forms of recreation.
On April 21, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and Office of General Services (OGS) announced the start of 2023 construction on the AdirondackRailTrail between Station Street in Lake Placid and Broadway in Saranac Lake. This trail segment is now closed to all users during construction.
The world-class AdirondackRailTrail is a 34-mile multi-use recreational path for outdoor adventurers between Tupper Lake and Lake Placid. OGS is leading the trail‘s design and construction with the intent to make it accessible to people of all abilities to the maximum extent practicable. Upon completion of construction, DEC will assume day-to-day management of the trail working closely with stakeholders and municipalities. Estimated timing to complete the RailTrail is dependent on multiple factors including contract approvals, permits, and coordinating with State, Federal, and local entities. Construction of the compacted stone dust surfaced trail will be undertaken in stages. The work now underway is part of phase one of the RailTrail project and is anticipated to be completed in the fall.
On Tuesday, April 25, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) announced temporary closures of Lake Flower and Lake Placid boat launch sites over the next two weeks for routine maintenance and cleaning.
The Lake Flower boat launch will close from April 25 to 27 and the Lake Placid boat launch will close May 8 to 12. Boaters can access Saranac Lake at the Upper and Lower boat launches. For more boat launches nearby, go to DEC’s website.
Photo at top courtesy of the NYS DEC/Adirondack Almanack archive photo.
The following are only the most recent notices pertaining to public lands in the Adirondacks. Please check the Adirondack Backcountry webpages for a full list of notices, including seasonal road statuses, rock climbing closures, specific trail conditions, and other pertinent information
NEW THIS WEEK
High Peaks Wilderness:
Mud Season: Hikers are advised to avoid trails above 2,500ft for the duration of the muddy trail advisory for several reasons:
sliding boots destroy trail tread, can damage surrounding vegetation, and erode thin soils causing washouts;
rotten snow and monorails are a safety hazard even with proper equipment; and
high elevation and alpine vegetation are extremely fragile in spring months as they start their regrowth after winter.
Until conditions improve, hikers are encouraged to responsibly explore low elevation trails or enjoy other forms of recreation
The following are only the most recent notices pertaining to public lands in the Adirondacks. Please check the Adirondack Backcountry webpages for a full list of notices, including seasonal road statuses, rock climbing closures, specific trail conditions, and other pertinent information
NEW THIS WEEK
High Peaks Wilderness:
Snow Report (04/13): The following report describes conditions as of Thursday, 04/06. Changing weather may affect conditions.
There is 29.5 inches (2.4 feet) of snow at the Colden Caretaker Cabin.
Snowshoes or skis are required to be worn throughout the Eastern High Peaks Wilderness, beginning at approximately 2,000ft (around the elevation of Marcy Dam). Snowshoes are recommended everywhere in the High Peaks region for safe and efficient travel. Bring microspikes and crampons for traction on ice.
Avalanche Lake and Lake Colden are unstable and are not safe to cross.
Be prepared to turn around if conditions prove too difficult to complete your hike.
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