Rail Trail Status Update

The 34 mile Adirondack Rail Trail between Lake Placid and Tupper Lake will be completed and open for use in segments. 

• The first step is a transfer of jurisdiction from DOT to DEC that will take place when the contractor completes the removal of all railroad materials, currently scheduled for early this fall.

• Then the first segment, Lake Placid to Saranac Lake, will seek Army Corps of Engineers and APA permits, which typically takes six months. After permitting, this segment will be constructed with basic amenities for public use by September 2023.
• The second segment, Saranac Lake to Floodwood, with be completed with basic amenities, by September 2024.
• The final segment, Floodwood to Tupper Lake will be completed by June 2025.

The corridor is not officially open and public use is discouraged.  Much of the surface is rough gravel and some is dirt (and mud).  Crossings are not signed yet, bridges have open decks, and causeways lack railings making use risky. 

Plans are still to connect the Rollins Pond and Fish Creek campsites to the corridor, with the northern connector from Rollins Pond being constructed first. This is dependent on publication of a Rollins Pond Unit Management Plan, public omment, and adoption.