Events planned this summer and fall fete historic trail’s impact on recreation in the Adirondack Park
By Holly Riddle
Adirondack organizations are coming together this year to celebrate the 100-year anniversary of one of the region’s most historically significant and notable trails. As the Adirondack Mountain Club’s first project, the 138-mile Northville-Placid Trail set the stage for outdoor adventure tourism in the Adirondacks.
“This trail symbolizes a transitional period in the Adirondacks, where extractive industries were on their way out, land conservation was coming in and outdoor recreation was being seen as a new opportunity for the region,” said Benjamin Brosseau, director of communications at the Adirondack Mountain Club.
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As the club focused on increasing access to the Adirondack Park, it repurposed old logging roads and routes to create trails such as the Northville-Placid Trail, building lean-tos along the way.
From timber to trails: How the Adirondacks shifted to recreation
According to Cheryl Braunstein, director of interpretation at Adirondack Experience museum, the trail is noteworthy from a historical perspective.
“The timing of the trail coincides with when hiking and camping recreation became more accessible and affordable to the middle class. It was no longer the upper classes that had leisure time, and equipment was more readily available due to the surpluses from World War I,” she said.
As the first ‘long’ trail that was completed in the Northeast, the Northville-Placid Trail was groundbreaking for its time. “One hundred years ago, the state was promoting hiking. This trail was built as a connection between two significant train stations that brought hundreds of tourists into the Adirondacks every day,” said Braunstein. “It was part of the origins of the Adirondacks as a popular, not just elite, destination for New York tourists…”
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Adirondack Experience is hosting a special exhibit on the trail’s history, on display for the next two years. According to Braunstein, the exhibit will focus on key individuals who helped build and then maintain the Northville-Placid Trail.
“We are focusing this exhibit on the key people — especially Edwin ‘Doc’ Noyes and Howard Rowe — who spent about two years laying out, clearing and building the trail that so many people recreate on today. It’s also noteworthy that so many of the Adirondacks’ most notable people have hiked or are somehow connected to the [trail] — Noah John Rondeau, Anne LaBastille, Grace Hudowalski and Clarence Petty,” she said.
The trail’s draw and benefits to communities
The trail’s significance in bringing hikers to the region can still be seen today, in Northville, where the trail begins. According to Wendy Reu, Northville clerk, the trail brings outdoor enthusiasts to the small village who might otherwise not stop by.
“Once they are here, they discover our walkable community and explore our commercial district, which financially benefits not only the village but the county,” Reu said. “The Great Sacandaga Lake and surrounding lakes in the county are always a draw to the area. But having the trailhead adds another level of attraction for visitors.”
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Reu noted that, during hiking season, merchants, dining establishments and seasonal rentals in Northville all notice a spike in business.
Despite the Northville-Placid Trail’s significance, it’s not as well-known or highly trafficked as other trails in the Adirondacks. However, that’s part of the allure.
“The trail continues to be a popular attraction for outdoor enthusiasts, though not as heavily trafficked as the High Peaks. The long-distance lowland trail offers a quieter trek through nature versus fighting crowds at Cascade,” said Aurora McCaffrey, director at the Adirondack History Museum. “Running through the heart of the Adirondacks, [the trail] weaves through remote forests, along lakes and rivers and passes by a few local towns, offering continually changing scenery.”
Adding to the appeal is the flexibility. The trail can be hiked in its entirety, over 10 to 14 days, but also in shorter sections, over a few days.
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For those hiking the trail, Brosseau said the southern half of the trail, between Indian Lake and Northville, is a little flatter and easier, with more access. However, overall, the trail is very remote.
“Be considerate of the fact that you may be very, very far from any assistance or resources, throughout your trip. Plan accordingly for that,” he advised. “Always have the 10 essentials, so you can take care of yourself in an emergency. Make sure you pack enough food and water filtration to get through a multi-day event without assistance… And, this is the Adirondacks. There’s plenty of mud and bugs, especially in the beginning of the summer season… If you’re not really into that, consider a hike toward August or September, when the conditions are dryer and insects are fewer.”
Summer celebrations
So, how can visitors and locals alike celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Northville-Placid Trail, or experience the trail for the first time?
The Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism (ROOST) has announced a series of related events. They kick off with a three-day celebration in Northville, May 31–June 2, a community-wide event with vendors, food and entertainment. The Inn on Piseco Lake will host a similar event with exhibits, vendors and live music, Aug. 24. The Lake Placid-North Elba Historical Society will welcome guests at the trail’s terminus, with an event on Sept. 14.
In addition to the Adirondack Experience’s special trail-focused exhibit, the museum will also host a series of related lectures and guided trail outings in the coming months. Likewise, the Adirondack Mountain Club is organizing a series of volunteer projects on the trail.
For those who want to experience the trail in full — or just a section — Adirondack Hamlets to Huts is offering a guided trip, July 14–28, and participants are welcomed for either the full duration of the trip, or for one or two of three legs. While the trip deviates from the organization’s typical trip offerings by integrating backcountry tent camping, it was still an opportunity that executive director Joe Dadey said the organization couldn’t pass up.
“We wanted to join the celebration of this awesome trail that bisects the park,” he said. “I saw this as a neat opportunity to help celebrate the work the Adirondack Mountain Club and all the other organizations [and] communities are putting into this, and it’s consistent with our model in terms of getting people out to experience the amazing Adirondack wildlands, in addition to then experiencing the uniqueness of the communities along the trail.”
Learn more about the Northville-Placid Trail and all upcoming events at ROOST’s designated 100-year anniversary landing page, NPT100.com.
Photo at top: Zachary Matson, Adirondack Explorer writer, left, and Explorer columnist Klarisse Torriente hike a section of the Northville-Placid Trail in Benson. Explorer file photo by Cindy Schultz
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