Rail Trail Economic Impact Study launch

The Adirondack Rail Trail Association is partnering with the Franklin County Department of Tourism & Economic Development and SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry on a year-long study to measure who’s using the trail and what it means for our regional economy. Back in 2012, before a single mile of trail was built, ARTA commissioned a feasibility study that projected how many people would use the trail, what share would be locals versus visitors from away, and what economic ripple effects that use might generate. Now that the trail is complete and seeing real traffic, it’s time to ground-truth those original predictions with actual data. Leading the research is Dr. Jill Weiss of SUNY ESF, whose work focuses on collaborative conservation and trail use across the Northeast, including recent studies on the High Peaks corridor and alpine hiking trends region-wide.

Starting this year, you may spot ARTA volunteers at trailheads and popular access points asking users to complete a short survey, available by phone via QR code or on paper for those who prefer it. The survey will run for a full year so it can capture the trail’s rhythms across all seasons, including the quieter winter and shoulder-season months that often get overlooked in tourism data. The result will be a clear, current picture of who’s using the trail, what they’re spending in our communities, and what amenities and improvements matter most to them, giving Franklin County and ARTA the solid, up-to-date numbers needed to guide planning and investment for years to come. If you’re asked to take a few minutes and fill one out, we hope you’ll help us tell the trail’s story with real numbers.