North Country Trail Report:North Country Trail Report:
Adapted from the August-September 1997 North Star: The Magazine of the North Country Trail.
by Bill Menke
National Park Service Representative
North Country National Scenic Trail
During the last week of May and the first week of June, I was able to visit several locations along the trail in New York. Over the course of the last couple of years, a number of exciting developments have been fermenting. Talking with people on the phone is one thing but seeing the actual projects on the ground and talking face to face with the proponents is another. The following rundown will convey the sense of the excitement brewing in New York and the North Country NST route possibilities from Crown Point to the Finger Lakes Trail -- organized from east to west.
Crown Point State Historic Site: The Congressionally-authorized route of the North Country NST begins at Crown Point State Historic Site near the bridge across Lake Champlain into Vermont. Over the years since 1982, no attempt has ever been made to anchor the east end of the trail because of the Adirondack controversy. With that impasse now appearing to be behind us, I was anxious to see the eastern end of the trail.Without going into detail about the historical significance and natural beauty of the area, let me just summarize by saying that the historic site will make a very nice addition to the trail.
After driving across the bridge into Vermont for a moment and taking a couple of pictures, I was able to make contact with the acting park manager. Gerald Putnam stopped what he was doing at the time and guided me around the park. Excitingly, the park has an existing series of interpretive trails and cross country ski trails that traverse the park from near the bridge, all the way to the park's south boundary. These are all well maintained trails that could be quickly certified. A few posts and some signs and blazes are the only things needed. Since returning from New York, I have written to Mr. Putnam to encourage certification. We'll see what happens.
Beyond the park, a long abandoned railgrade crosses private property and leads most of the way to State Highway 22. Just west of the highway is the start of the high hills or mountains of the Adirondacks. Although still private property, it is only about 5 miles to the eastern edge of Adirondack State Park. We are sketching a route across this stretch.
The Adirondacks: In the June-July issue of the North Star, readers were informed of the exciting possibility of the North Country Trail achieving a route across the 6-million acre Adirondack State Park. As you may recall, a very successful meeting was held in Albany on April 25, 1997. Meeting participants reached unanimous consent that "a southern route through the park would be feasible and acceptable." It was agreed that the next step would be for the National Park Service to meet with the individuals proposing the various route alternatives and identify the route on topographic maps for further evaluation.
One of the primary reasons for the May-June trip to New York was to accomplish this next step. While in the Adirondack Region, I was able to meet with a number of people to discuss alternative trail routes. ADK's Bill Cranker provided maps and discussion about their proposed Adirondack Backcountry Trail. All alternatives that have been identified will use some portion of this trail. Two days later, I was graciously hosted by Barbara McMartin and her husband, Alex Reed at their beautiful home on Canada Lake. Barbara, who is on the Adirondack Park Advisory Council, was one of the individuals with ideas for a potential route at the April meeting. She has written over 20 books, many of which are trail guides to the Adirondacks and is considered to be an expert on the area. Barbara and I poured over maps for eight solid hours while Alex prepared lunch and snacks to keep us going. Barbara was able to identify a logical trail route that passed through extensive areas of old growth forest and scenic opportunities. These included a number of waterfalls and several areas where long distance views are available from the hilltops Several alternative trail opportunities were also identified.
Reaching Ithaca later in the week, I made connections with Kurt Seitz -- another April meeting attendee with trail route ideas. An AT thru-hiker, Kurt has been scouting a route for the North Country Trail for several years. His proposal is a little farther north than Barbara's but in the eastern end of the park, both are practically identical.
Back in the office, I have been transferring the information from all of the topographic maps to one map which will hopefully provide a broader picture of how the various alternatives compare. This map will be in the hands of ADK, the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), the Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation (OPRHP), Barbara, Kurt, and others on approximately August 1. Rather than identifying a preferred alternative at that time, we will be seeking additional input and critique on all of the alternatives. When all interested parties have reached agreement, a proposal will be carried forward to the DEC for approval.
The Black River Canal: Not too many miles west of the Adirondacks, the Black River Feeder Canal begins near the community of Forestport and heads west to Boonville. The old towpath along the canal has always been considered as the route of the trail. If several things were to happen, it would become a very acceptable route. The current problem is that the route is open to snowmobiles, ATVs, and highway vehicles -- I drove it in my rented compact car. Old Department of Public Works signs state that it is not a public highway but there is nothing to prevent it from being driven. Gates could be easily installed to control access.
Exploring the southern edge of Boonville, I was happy to discover a sign informing me about the Towpath Trail. This well maintained cross country skiing and hiking trail extends along the towpath of the Black River Canal (not the feeder canal) to beyond Pixley Falls State Park -- a distance of 7-8 miles. Operated by BREIA (the Black River Environmental Improvement Association), the trail is gated, signed, patrolled, and maintained and could become instantly certified.
The site manager at Pixley Falls was able to put me in contact with BREIA's Terry Fitch. Mr. Fitch expressed interest in obtaining certification information -- which has since been provided. He also informed me that BREIA is interested in taking over the towpath from Boonville to Forestport as a non-motorized trail. We have discussed how we might be able to assist in this venture. All in all, BREIA was an exciting discovery.
About a mile south of Pixley Falls, the towpath is no longer continuous. In many places, it has been destroyed by the river or is being actively farmed. However, I was able to scout and sketch a possible trail route through wooded hills all the way to the city of Rome. Portions of this route are on state owned reforestation areas and on the state operated fish hatchery property. The sketched route gets us to sidewalks in Rome.
Fort Stanwix National Monument: Trail users will find a stop at Fort Stanwix, located in the center of Rome, to be an educational experience. This completely recreated Revolutionary War era fort was the only fort that actually sustained a British siege without surrendering. There were other forts that didn't surrender but, they were not under siege. The current NPS superintendent at Fort Stanwix, Gary Warshefski, is very interested in helping with the trail not only in Rome but throughout the area. Gary graciously gave up about two hours on a Sunday afternoon to meet with me to discuss how he and his staff might be of assistance.
Old Erie Canal Village and Old Erie Canal State Park: At the west edge of Rome, hikers will find Old Erie Canal Village -- a restored canal town. In addition to tours of the village, one can actually take a ride on an authentic canal boat. A towpath trail can be walked across the property.
Just beyond the village is the eastern end of Old Erie Canal State Park. This linear park includes an existing trail that can be followed all the way to the point where the North Country Trail needs to head south to reach the Finger Lakes Trail. It is a multiple use trail, surfaced with crushed rock. While very acceptable from a scenic and hiking standpoint, a major problem is that it is also a snowmobile trail. So far, we have not talked with the State to discuss our options about the snowmobiles. In the meantime, the trail provides an off-road route even if it isn't certifiable.
The Link Trail and The Onondaga Branch: The distance between Old Erie Canal State Park and the main Finger Lakes Trail is about 40 miles. The FLT-Onondaga Branch Trail spans perhaps half of this distance offering one north-south link possibility. The 1982 plan shows it as the route for the trail. However, over the years, FLTC has wisely followed the course of not applying for certification on either the branch trail or the main trail lying either north or east of the junction. This is another decision that has been based on the uncertainties in the Adirondacks.
Another, more recent north-south link possibility is what is known as the Link Trail. This route lies east of the Onondaga Branch -- mostly in Madison County. An interesting meeting was held with the Madison County Planner Jim Petrezyn, a Madison County Commissioner, NCTA's Central New York Interim Chapter President Bill Coffin, and others. After a very nice slide presentation by Jim, we toured the Madison County route and discussed its potential. The Link Trail is strongly backed by Madison County officials and it too would make a nice north-south connection.
Seldom do we find ourselves in a position where we are faced with two good trail route opportunities through the same area. It is a new but very encouraging experience. While both the Onondaga Branch and the Link Trail are close enough to the authorized route to become the official trail, we are taking the position that no decision will be made until FLTC and the ADK-Onondaga Chapter has had an opportunity to be involved in the decision. Howard Beye has already been in contact with the ADK-Onondaga folks to seek their thoughts on the two possibilities.
So, bit by bit and mile by mile, the saga continues. In eastern New York, it looks like a number of things could come together rather quickly. We'll anticipate the best. Watch for future updates.