20 Aug Newsletter: August 2026
In this Newsletter
Update: Did you know that we are now blogging to our website and adding our newsletters there as well? We’ll have new content added regularly.
Upcoming ARTA Events: October 3rd, (Rescheduled) Rail Trail Mixer at Raquette River Brewing in Tupper Lake. Come celebrate the first anniversary of the opening of the full trail with friends and a RRB beer release!
Upcoming Partner Events:
– This week (Tuesday, August 18th through Saturday, August 22nd), ride the trail with Cycling Without Age, Adirondack Coast).
– This week, The Adirondack Plein Air Festival returns to Saranac Lake (August 17th to August 22nd). ARTA is pleased to help offer the Adirondack Rail Trail Association Plein Air Award thanks to a generous donor.
– Backcountry 3P Race registration has just opened for the Saranac Lake Pedal, Paddle, Peak which takes place on the Adirondack Rail Trail on October 17th.
Spotlights and Shoutouts: Volunteers are at the heart of everything ARTA is able to accomplish! This month, we’re celebrating Don and Louise Maynard.
Partnership at Work: ARTA works with great community and business partners. For the past two years BikeADK has helped produce Adirondack Rail Trail Community Day.
Check out our website
The Adirondack Rail Trail Association launched our new and improved website last year. Since then we’ve been working to bring you more information and to create a more user-friendly experience. We’ve just launched a blog/news section on the website where you can catch up on back issues of this newsletter as well as hear directly from volunteers, trail users, community and municipal leaders and others via blog articles on a myriad of topics. Check it out!
Upcoming ARTA Events
Rail Trail Mixer at Raquette River Brewing in Tupper Lake
Help us celebrate the one year anniversary of the official trail opening with a gathering of friends and the launch of a special trail-inspired brew!
Saturday, October 3rd, 5:30pm at Raquette River Brewery, 11 Balsam St, Tupper Lake, NY
Join us for an evening of conversation with rail trail enthusiasts and supporters. There will be a brief presentation about the status of projects along and connected to the trail.
$25 suggested donation.
Upcoming Partner Events Along The Trail
The Adirondack Rail Trail is for everyone to enjoy! We’re thrilled that Cycling Without Age, Adirondack Coast is able to again offer piloted trishaw rides, leaving from the Saranac Lake Depot.
Rides can be scheduled, Tuesday, August 18th through Saturday, August 22nd by calling (518) 314-9338 or (518) 578-2369 or emailing Adirondackcoast@cyclingwithoutage.com.
Also this week along the trail, The Adirondack Plein Air Festival is celebrating its 18th season. From August 17th to August 22nd, artists from across the country have been invited to paint the breathtaking landscapes of the Adirondack Mountains. Throughout the week, the public is welcome to experience the creative process up close.
Painters will be working outdoors in and around Saranac Lake, capturing lakes, forests, and village scenes in real time. Visitors are encouraged to explore the painting sites, meet the artists, and join Saranac Lake Art Works for the culminating Show & Sale, from 10-5 on Saturday, August 22nd at Harriestown Town Hall.
Backcountry 3P Race registration has just opened for the Saranac Lake Pedal, Paddle, Peak which takes place on the Adirondack Rail Trail on October 17th.
Spotlights and Shoutouts
Volunteers are at the heart of everything ARTA is able to accomplish!
This month, we’re celebrating Don and Louise Maynard, who joined ARTA’s volunteer efforts this summer. They’ve been surveying people along the trail as part of the economic impact study, talking with folks as Trail Ambassadors, and pulling invasive species from along the trail.
Thank you, Don and Louise for all of your work!
Partnership At Work
ARTA is grateful for our partnership with BikeADK, an organization that shares our enthusiasm for getting people outside, exploring the Adirondacks, and connecting our communities by bike. BikeADK is a co-sponsor of Adirondack Rail Trail Community Day, helping us celebrate the trail and the people who make it special, and this year selected ARTA as the nonprofit beneficiary of its Weekender event at Paul Smith’s. BikeADK also serves as the online vendor for ARTA merchandise, making it easy to show your rail trail pride while supporting our work. And behind all of this is BikeADK’s Doug Haney—an incredibly generous partner, tireless advocate for Adirondack cycling, and all-around awesome human. We’re lucky to have BikeADK in our corner and look forward to many more miles together!
