State Land

Adirondack Rail Trail

On this page
 
  • Open for interim recreation: Year-round. Trail segments under active construction will be closed to public use.
  • Fee: Free
  • Contact Information:
    • DEC Region 5 Ray Brook Office: 518-897-1200; [email protected] (M-F, 8:30am to 4:45pm)
    • Backcountry Emergencies: 1-833-NYS-RANGERS (1-833-697-7264) (24/7) or 911
    • Enforcement Matters: 1-844-DEC-ECOs (1-844-332-3267) (24/7) or 911
  • Location: Lake Placid, Essex County; Town of North Elba, Villages of Saranac Lake; Village of Saranac Lake, Franklin County; Towns of Santa Clara and Harrietstown; Town and Village of Tupper Lake
  • Maps: Overview Map (PDF) || Tupper Lake to Saranac Lake Map (PDF) || Saranac Lake to Lake Placid Map (PDF) || Google Earth || DECinfo Locator

Speed Limits
Please obey posted speed limit signs. NYSDEC recently enacted speed limit regulations, effective immediately, for the length of the Adirondack Rail Trail which posts limits of 15 miles per hour in Saranac Lake and Lake Clear.

Current Status (8/26/24)

The Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and the Department of Transportation (DOT) have begun to implement the management actions outlined in the 2020 Unit Management Plan Amendment for the Remsen-Lake Placid Travel Corridor (Corridor). DOT is rehabilitating the Remsen to Tupper Lake segment of the Corridor. Public access and use of the Remsen to Tupper Lake segment under DOT's jurisdiction is managed by DOT. Jurisdiction of the Lake Placid to Tupper Lake segment of the Corridor, the Adirondack Rail Trail, transferred to DEC in spring of 2022. DEC and the New York State Office of General Services (OGS) oversee construction of the Adirondack Rail Trail along this DEC-managed segment of the Corridor.

DEC is managing recreational activity, public safety, and construction and maintenance of the Adirondack Rail Trail. Phase 3 of construction began August 26, 2024, and includes improvement of the final segment of the trail from Floodwood Road to Tupper Lake. Phase 3 will include a winter pause in construction during snowmobile season December 9, 2024 – March 31, 2025; construction will resume in spring 2025 and is expected to conclude in fall 2025. Phase 2 of construction recently concluded. This section includes the Saranac Lake to Floodwood Road portion of the trail and began in 2023. December 1, 2023 marked the official opening of the Lake Placid to Saranac Lake section of the trail with the conclusion of Phase 1 of construction. Please read below for updates on construction and interim use. 

Specific Notices:

  • Please respect signage and leave it as you find it, where you find it.
  • Portions of the completed trail between Lake Placid and Saranac Lake may experience erosion and washouts due to beaver activity or weather-related causes. Please exercise additional caution along these sections and anticipate unstable trail surfaces.

Construction Update (8/26/2024):

Phases 1 and 2 of construction are now complete, a total of 25 miles of open trail. The first of three anticipated phases of construction began in November, 2022, focusing on the trail segment from Station Street in Lake Placid, just west of the Lake Placid Depot, to just past the Saranac Lake Depot near the intersection of Cedar Street and Route 86. The first phase also included construction of a parking area in Tupper Lake. The second phase of construction was awarded in 2023 and began in summer 2023. Phase 2 of construction remains ongoing, from Saranac Lake to Floodwood Road, Santa Clara.

  • Phases 1 and 2 are now open to public use on the entire length from Lake Placid to Floodwood Road, for a total of 25 miles of open trail.
  • Phase 3 of construction began in August 2024 and is ongoing. This section is closed to all public use from Floodwood Road in Santa Clara to the Washington Street parking lot in the Village of Tupper Lake for the duration of the construction contract except during the winter shutdown between December 9, 2024 to March 31, 2025. Construction will resume in spring 2025 and is expected to conclude by fall 2025.

Construction of the Adirondack Rail Trail is anticipated to be done in three phases. As each phase concludes, the completed portion of trail will open to the public and be managed according to the 2020 UMP Amendment and the Adirondack Park State Land Master Plan. The timeline for constructing the rail trail is tentative and depends on many factors.

Public Use (8/26/2024):

Please note DEC's Adirondack Backcountry page for regional updates on trail conditions, including notices related to the Adirondack Rail Trail. Recreationists along the Adirondack Rail Trail are advised to use caution with potentially unstable, muddy, and washed-out portions of the completed trail as heavy rains, high water, and subsequent erosion is possible.

  • Tupper Lake: This section of the trail is closed from Floodwood Road in Santa Clara to the Washington Street parking lot in the Village of Tupper Lake for the duration of the construction contract except during the winter shutdown between December 9, 2024 to March 31, 2025. Construction will resume in spring 2025 and is expected to conclude by fall 2025.
  • Saranac Lake to Floodwood Road, Town of Santa Clara: OPEN for year-round public use. Please respect posted signage and barricades and remember that trail users should exercise caution at all crossings as road traffic may not stop. Users are advised of an upcoming, temporary trail closure in late fall 2024 for season-dependent work on a portion of the trail.
  • Lake Placid to Saranac Lake: OPEN for year-round public use. Please respect posted signage and barricades, and remember that trail users should exercise caution at all crossings as road traffic may not stop.

Saranac Lake Depot: The parking lot at the Saranac Lake Depot is now open. DEC is reviewing its options for future operations of the Depot. Please note that the Depot building is undergoing renovations and recreationists should exercise additional caution around the work site.

Forms of public recreation allowed are as follows:

  • Motorized vehicles, aside from snowmobiles and class one E-bikes, are prohibited on the entire corridor in all seasons. This will be enforced with gates, bollards, and law enforcement patrol and checkpoints.
  • Winter recreation including snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, fat tire biking, and snowshoeing is permitted.
  • Pedestrian and bicycling including class one E-bikes are permitted.
  • Users should always practice Leave No Trace™ while recreating on the Corridor by carrying out what they carry in, being prepared for the risks and challenges of the unimproved Corridor and varied rail bed surface, respecting wildlife, and being considerate of other users and adjacent private property.
  • Please respect posted signage and barricades.
  • Exercise caution at all road crossings as road traffic may not stop.
  • Trail users must keep dogs on leash and bag and dispose of dog waste on this public, high-use trail. These practices help reduce negative trail user conflict such as stepping in dog waste and unwanted interactions with dogs. Please respect your neighbors and fellow trail users.

Featured Activities

General information on hiking includes how-to and safety tips and links to rules & regulations.

Corridor conditions include a mixed variety of surfaces ranging from large, crushed stone to sand. Occasional rail tie fragments and small metal pieces remain in the corridor. Portions of the trail may be very muddy due to surface conditions. See maps for conditions.

Plan Ahead and Prepare:

  • Wear stable footwear like shoes and boots when walking on the corridor.
  • Trekking poles help with balance on unstable surfaces.
  • Review the map ahead of time to know where approved parking locations and trail access points are, what's nearby, and trail surface conditions.
  • Users should always practice Leave No TraceTM while recreating on the corridor by carrying out what you carry in, being prepared for the risks and challenges of the unimproved corridor and varied rail bed surface, respecting wildlife, and being considerate of other users and adjacent private property.

General information on backcountry camping includes how-to and safety tips and links to rules & regulations.

Camping and campfires along the corridor are prohibited. There are a range of camping opportunities nearby on both undeveloped state land and campgrounds.

Nearby State Campgrounds:

Nearby Primitive Camping Areas:

General information on fishing includes fishing tips with links to seasons, rules & regulations. Ensure continued good fishing opportunities in the future by fishing responsibly. If you have never been fishing but want to try, it's easy to learn how to fish.

There are an amazing variety of angling opportunities that can be accessed by the rail trail, from remote brook trout ponds to large lake trout and land-locked Atlantic salmon lakes, to largemouth and smallmouth bass waters, and some excellent stream fishing for trout. Waters adjacent to the Adirondack Rail Trail contains great examples of what the Adirondacks has to offer in terms of fishing. Lake Colby is particularly popular fishery that can provide excellent angling opportunities. Note that no fishing is allowed on Little Clear Pond.

Please be aware that the use of baitfish is prohibited in some of these waters (check the fishing regulations) and that care should be taken to help prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species.

Adirondack/Lake Champlain Fishing provides information on fishing in the Adirondacks and links to top fishing waters, stocking lists, public fishing access and waters open to ice fishing listed by county.

Help Protect Native Adirondack Fish; populations of brook trout, round whitefish and other native Adirondack fish species have severely declined due to introduced fish.

General information on cross-country skiing includes how-to and safety tips and links to rules and regulations.

The corridor makes an excellent cross-county ski adventure with adequate snow cover. The wide, level pathway provides miles of scenic travel. Winter use is shared with snowmobilers and fat-tire bicycles, so be cautious and follow the yielding tips below.

Be considerate of others on the trail:

  • Ski single file to leave space for other users.
  • Stay to the right and pass on the left. Always look before changing positions on the trail.
  • Yield the right of way to those passing from behind.
  • If traveling at night, wear proper reflective gear, a head lamp and a flashing light on your back to ensure visibility by snowmobilers.

General information on snowshoeing includes how-to and safety tips and links to rules and regulations.

The corridor makes an excellent snowshoe adventure with adequate snow cover. The wide, level pathway provides miles of scenic travel. Winter use is shared with snowmobilers and fat-tire bicycles, so be cautious and follow the yielding tips below.

Be considerate of others on the trail:

  • Snowshoe single file to leave space for other users.
  • Stay to the right and pass on the left. Always look before changing positions on the trail.
  • Yield the right of way to those passing from behind.
  • If traveling at night, wear proper reflective gear, a head lamp and a flashing light on your back to ensure visibility by snowmobilers.
  • If possible, avoid snowshoeing in ski tracks.

General information on snowmobiling includes how-to and safety tips and links to rules and regulations.

Safety Tips:

  • Comply with all signs and respect barriers.
  • Avoid trails with inadequate snow cover
  • Keep speeds low around populated areas, road intersections and staging areas. Follow all speed limit signs.
  • When riding at night, use extra caution, wear reflective clothing and reduce your speed.
  • Buddy up with two or three riders, reducing your vulnerability if you have an accident or breakdown.

Be considerate of others on the trail:

  • Ride single file, keep to the right and pass on the left only when the trail is clear.
  • When stopping on the trail, pull your snow machine as far right and off the trail as possible.
  • Yield the right-of-way to skiers, snowshoers and other non-mechanized forms of travel, as well as those passing or traveling uphill.

General information on animals includes links to information about birds, mammals, fish, reptiles, amphibians and insects that inhabit or migrate through the state.

Hunting and trapping are prohibited along the corridor.

The Adirondacks contain large tracts of wildlife habitat with some boreal, bog, alpine and other unique habitats. Many species of birds and mammals are unique to the Adirondacks or are mainly found here. More than 50 species of mammals and hundreds of species of birds inhabit or pass through the Adirondacks at one time of the year or another, so you might catch site of wildlife during your trip.

More information on Adirondack flora and fauna (leaves DEC Website) from the SUNY ESF Adirondack Ecological Center.

You can protect wildlife and wildlife habitat when viewing them.

Wildlife Commonly Found in the Adirondacks

General information on bicycling includes how-to and safety tips with links to rules & regulations.

Corridor conditions include a mixed variety of surfaces ranging from large, crushed stone to sand. Occasional rail tie fragments and small metal pieces remain in the corridor. See maps for surface conditions.

Plan Ahead and Prepare:

  • Bikers should be extremely cautious and be prepared with tools in case of a flat tire. Use of road bikes with thin tires are not recommended at this time.
  • "Stop" and "Stop Ahead" signs were installed in 2021 where the trail intersects main roadways; however, crosswalks are not marked. Stop at all road crossings to check for oncoming traffic.
  • Some bridges along the corridor have open decks with large gaps between the cross ties. Use caution when crossing bridges until decking is installed.
  • The corridor may not have signage at every cautionary location. Always be aware that the unfinished corridor poses safety risks and take all necessary precautions before recreating on the corridor.

Be considerate of other trail users:

  • Slow down and yield to walkers.
  • Bike single file to allow space for other users
  • Users should always practice Leave No TraceTM while recreating on the corridor by carrying out what you carry in, being prepared for the risks and challenges of the unimproved corridor and varied rail bed surface, respecting wildlife, and being considerate of other users and adjacent private property.

Accessible Features

At Fowler's Crossing Parking Area, wheelchair accessible features include:

  • Rail Trail

At Union Depot Parking Area, wheelchair accessible features include:

  • Rail Trail

The Rail Trail will be a 34-mile corridor connecting Lake Placid, Saranac Lake, and Tupper Lake. The trail has a shallow grade (typical slope 2%, max. slope 5%), wide tread (typical width 5'), and firm surface of compacted stone and pavement. Trail segments under construction are closed to the public. See above for access updates. 

Background

The Adirondack Rail Trail will connect Lake Placid, Saranac Lake, and Tupper Lake, allowing trail users to enjoy the unique charm and amenities of each community while providing access to miles of breathtaking trails, numerous campsites, and abundant waterways in the Forest Preserve lands adjacent to the travel corridor. The 34-mile corridor will also feature interpretive signage to help visitors understand the history of the railway, the cultures of adjacent communities, and the natural resources of surrounding lands and waters, creating a linear museum.

The rail trail is a key component of the recently completed 2020 Remsen-Lake Placid Travel Corridor Unit Management Plan (UMP) Amendment, which provides a blueprint for sustainably developing the picturesque 119-mile travel corridor as both a rail trail and a scenic railroad to bolster tourism and further recreation opportunities. The corridor follows the path of a once-thriving rail line constructed in 1892 and operated continuously until 1972. The line and its right-of-way were purchased by New York State in 1974. Following the removal of rail infrastructure from the Tupper Lake to Lake Placid segment by a Department of Transportation (DOT) contractor, jurisdiction of that segment transferred to DEC in spring of 2022.

DEC has responsibility of the Tupper Lake to Lake Placid segment of the Corridor. Upon completion of construction, DEC will maintain day-to-day management of the Adirondack Rail Trail and, working closely with stakeholders and municipalities, will ensure it remains a world-class outdoor recreation destination. The New York State Office of General Services (OGS) is overseeing the trail's design and construction and working to ensure it will be compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to the maximum extent practicable. The Corridor is currently unimproved and has a rough, inconsistent surface in some stretches. Until construction of the rail trail is complete, the Corridor will be open to public use on a limited and fluctuating basis, depending on the manner of use, construction status, and existence of hazardous conditions.

Construction of the compacted stone dust surfaced trail will be undertaken in phases. The first phase of construction on the Lake Placid to Saranac Lake segment of the trail began in fall of 2022 and concluded in December 2023. The second phase of construction on the Saranac Lake to Floodwood Road segment of the trail began in 2023 and concluded in August 2024. The third phase of construction on the Floodwood Road to Tupper Lake segment of the trail began in August 2024 and is expected to conclude by fall 2025, resulting in the conclusion of trail construction.

The Remsen to Tupper Lake segment of the Corridor is under DOT's jurisdiction. DOT is rehabilitating that segment of the Corridor. Public access and use of the Remsen to Tupper Lake segment is managed by DOT.

Directions

All coordinates provided are in decimal degrees using NAD83/WGS84 datum.

Parking Areas and Directions

  • Fish Pond Truck Trail Parking Area is located off State Route 30, 3 ½ miles west of the Hamlet of Lake Clear Junction. (44.3554° N, 74.3037° W) Google Maps 
  • Haystack Mountain Ray Brook Trailhead Parking Area is located along State Route 86 between Ray Brook and Lake Placid (44.2925°N, 74.0511°W) Google Maps 
  • Little Clear Pond Parking Area is located off State Route 30, 3 1/2 miles west of the Hamlet of Lake Clear Junction (44.355725°N, 74.291624°W) Google Maps 
  • Oseetah Trails Parking Area is located on State Route 86 east of the Village Saranac Lake. (44.305071°N, 74.111352°W) Google Maps
  • Scarface Mountain Trailhead is located on County Route 32, 0.2 miles south of State Route 86. (44.298201°N, 74.083397°W) Google Maps

Rules, Regulations, and Outdoor Safety

Practice Leave No Trace Principles  when recreating in the Adirondacks to enjoy the outdoors responsibly; minimize impact on the natural resources and avoid conflicts with other backcountry users.

All users of the corridor must follow all State Land Use Regulations and should follow all Outdoor Safety Practices for the safety of the user and protection of the resource.

During active construction along the corridor public recreation is prohibited. Sections of the corridor not yet under construction will allow recreation as follows:

  • Motorized vehicles, aside from snowmobiles, are prohibited on the entire corridor in all seasons. This will be enforced with gates, bollards, and law enforcement patrol and checkpoints.
  • Winter recreation including snowmobiling, cross country skiing, fat tire biking, and snowshoeing will be permitted.
  • Pedestrian and bicycling will be the only non-winter uses permitted.
  • Users should always practice Leave No Trace while recreating on the corridor by carrying out what you carry in, being prepared for the risks and challenges of the unimproved corridor and varied rail bed surface, respecting wildlife, and being considerate of other users and adjacent private property.

Planning and Management

DEC manages these lands in accordance with 2020 Amendment to the Remsen-Lake Placid Travel Corridor (no appendices) (PDF). In addition to management objectives, the UMP contains detailed information on natural features, recreational infrastructure, geology, and natural and human history, habitats, wildlife, fisheries and much more.

For more information visit the Remsen-Lake Placid Travel Corridor - Unit Management Plan webpage.

Adirondack Rail Trail Fact Sheet (PDF)

Closed - Request for Information Submissions for Saranac Lake Depot - Submissions were accepted through Nov. 3, 2023

Thank you to all who submitted to the RFI with ideas and plans for use and public access to the historic Saranac Lake Depot building on the Adirondack Rail Trail in the Village of Saranac Lake, Franklin County, New York.

DEC looks forward to reviewing the submissions.

View the Request for Information (no appendices) (PDF)

Appendix A: 2020 Amendment to the Remsen-Lake Placid Travel Corridor (PDF)
Appendix B: 2022 Existing Conditions Study of Saranac Lake Depot (PDF)

Public Question and Answer Document (PDF)

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Region 5 - Eastern Adirondacks/Lake Champlain
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