Strong user numbers on par with similar rail-trails
In its first six months of existence the Adirondack Rail Trail counted nearly 92,000 users, a number that impressed but did not necessarily surprise trail advocates.
“It gives some quantifiable numbers to what our eyes have been seeing,” said Brian Greene, vice president of the Adirondack Rail Trail Association. “We’re seeing that the rail trail is incredibly popular, that people really enjoy it, and it’s being used by people from all over — tourists and local people too. It’s a great thing that helps our businesses and helps the quality of life for people.”
The numbers were strong even though the trail has not yet been finished. The count started before the section from Saranac Lake to Floodwood had been opened, and the Floodwood to Tupper Lake leg won’t open until summer or fall. The counter only tracks total use, so if one person rides past the mechanism 10 times they count as 10 users.
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According to the Department of Environmental Conservation, numbers were tabulated by two infrared counters, one at Lake Placid and one at Saranac Lake. Together they recorded 91,968 hits, with a little over 60% recorded in Saranac Lake.
Unfinished trail already on par with peers
Even unfinished, the Adirondack Rail Trail is already stacking up well against other more established rail-trails. For example, the Virginia Creeper, a rural rail trail of 34 miles — same as the Adirondack Rail trail when it is completed — reported between 200,000 and 250,000 users before being damaged by Hurricane Helene.
“You can compare the count to different places, and when you do, our numbers look very favorable,” Greene said. “It shows that this is definitely one of the most popular rail trails on the East Coast already.”
The highest user month, not surprisingly, was August, but even in December that trail was notching nearly 4,500 users, according to the DEC. (The DEC maintains a website with updates on which trail sections are closed for construction.)
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“It runs the gamut, from walking to bicycling to fat biking to cross country skiing to snowmobiling,” said Doug Haney, owner of the bicycle event company BikeADK. “There are just so many unique uses for a vehicle-free corridor.”
Haney said interest has been strong from the beginning from all segments of recreation, and the BikeADK’s rail trail pages are some of the most visited on its website.
“Every time I’m out on the rail trail, I see people that live in my neighborhood, I see people that I’ve never seen before, and I end up talking to people who traveled from a great distance to come and experience the trail. But I think the coolest thing for me is actually seeing folks out on older bikes, who haven’t used them in a long time, and the rail trail gave them the motivation and excuse to pull it out of the back of the shed and get it cleaned up and take it for a ride.”
Doug Haney, BikeADK
Haney also expects the numbers to spike once the trail is completed, based on people who contact his business. “I can’t even tell you how many people call and say, ‘do you know when it’s going to be done? We’re kind of holding off on our trip up there so we can ride the whole corridor.’”
The trail has also boosted and created new businesses, he said, as it has become part of the community that supports the local economy and also serves a meaningful number of people who use the rail trail to commute to work. “And I’m speaking personally,” Haney said. “My family uses it all the time — my kids use it to commute to friends’ houses and to move around the town safely.”
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Trail excitement continues to build
The Adirondack Rail Trail, when completed, will span 34 miles from Lake Placid to Tupper Lake, much of it through pristine forests and blue waters with dramatic mountain backdrops. It’s part of Seward Webb’s “Golden Chariot Route” that was the first and last railroad to bisect the park. The 119 mile from Remsen to Lake Placid railroad also incorporated a segment of the Delaware and Hudson line that began in Plattsburgh and circled down through northern iron-mining towns to Saranac Lake and then Lake Placid.
After the state acquired the abandoned rail corridor, cyclists and railroad buffs each hoped the entire line would be dedicated to their favored pursuit. In the end, the state divided the corridor in two, with a rail trail from Lake Placid to Tupper Lake, and a scenic railroad from Tupper to Remsen.
Dave Cilley, owner of the Floodwood Outpost said that last year riders were already getting a sneak peek on the Floodwood to Tupper section. “We’re very encouraged, the trail is an amazing resource,” he said.
It’s helped that several major publications such as the Boston Globe and National Geographic have written positive reviews. “The word is really getting out,” Cilley said. We’re seeing people from all over the world, and I think it’s going to be a busy summer.”
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Photo at top: The Adirondack Rail Trail has drawn a steady stream of users since opening up to the public, as seen in August. Explorer file photo by Mike Lynch
More to Explore:
Adirondack Rail Trail: Biking, hiking from Lake Clear to Floodwood Mountain
Adirondack Rail Trail phase 2: Loop rides for all levels
Bird songs along the Adirondack Rail Trail
A scenic loop ride off the Adirondack Rail Trail
What to know: Adirondack Rail Trail crossings
Photo by Tim Rowland
To me it’s one of the greater successes of everyone being able to experience the beauty of the Adirondack park.
I’ve seen the success of other rail trail systems ofmulti uses and the same happy respect for ones personal use and space is a joy. Congratulations to everyone for getting along. All users should be proud of it.
Fascinating success. We struggle here in Kingston.
Horse accessories?