Thanks to a huge outpouring of community support, we reached and surpassed our $8,500 goal in only three weeks. Because the Tool Drive Fundraiser goal was tied directly to a specific list of needed tools, we closed the public campaign on May 1st shortly after reaching our target.

Shortly after the campaign closed, an additional donor stepped forward and generously offered to purchase the power toter for BETA directly, bringing total restricted support connected to this effort to approximately $12,700. The additional funds raised will remain exclusively dedicated to future tool and equipment needs, including repairs, replacement tools, and equipment purchases in the seasons ahead.
​
We are honestly blown away by the response to this fundraiser. Thank you to everyone who donated, shared the fundraiser, and helped make this happen. Because of your support, BETA staff and volunteers will head into this trail season well-equipped and ready to get to work.

We've been fundraising for a wide assortment of tools for our trail crew and volunteers since early April and our community has really showed up.  We're rapidly approaching the end of the fundraiser -- whether we hit our $8.5K goal or reach May 8th -- and we wanted to give everyone a heads up that this is your last chance to snag a limited edition t-shirt as part of the fundraiser.  

Folks who donate $100+ to the Tool Drive Fundraiser can claim  the limited edition t-shirt pictured below.  If you want to get your hands on one of these shirts, we highly advise that you donate sooner rather than later. 

Thank you all so much for making this fundraiser such a success and so much fun to run.  It's clear that our community cares about the trails, the trail crew, and the volunteers all a great deal and that's always awesome to witness.

​After careful consideration, we have decided not to hold BETA’s Wilmington Mountain Bike Festival this year. 

One important reason that led us to make this decision is that Crankworx -- a massive international mountain biking festival -- is coming to Mont-Sainte-Anne, Quebec over Labor Day weekend which is when we have always hosted Bike Fest.

There are a number of other factors we considered, including a busy calendar of mountain biking events around the northeast, that made this the right call.

Bike Fest holds a special place in many people's hearts. It’s created a lot of good days, great memories, and connections that have lasted well beyond a single weekend. While we will not host Bike Fest this year, we remain committed to hosting events that build community around our shared love of trails and riding. We are planning other events across our region that do just that. For the latest updates, please visit our events page. 

Thank you to everyone who has been part of Bike Fest over the years, and to the volunteers, ride leaders, and partners who helped make it possible. It has been a joy to host it and we are excited to bring that energy to more events this season.

It's time for us to retire some of our most well-worn tools, grow our tool inventory, and add a few new items to the mix. The biggest acquisition is a tracked material hauler (AKA mechanized wheel barrow) for faster, less painful, and less dangerous hauling for years to come. We're also planning to order new hand tools, battery tools, chainsaw and personal protective equipment, and leaf blower.  The curious can find a bit more information later in this blogpost.

From now until May 8th, we're fundraising for these exciting tools.

Did You Know: The work done on Bob's Bridge (pictured below), the longest bridge built as part of the new Jackrabbit Ski Trail section at the Keene trailhead, was built entirely with personal tools? Power drills, saws, personal protective equipment (PPE), and more were lent by our dedicated and skilled trail crew. While their tool donation was incredibly generous, it is not sustainable nor fair.

We owe it to our staff, our volunteers, and our community to invest in tools that we own and can count on, but quality tools cost a pretty penny. We are prepared to invest in tools for the good of our community -- please help us make this much needed tool inventory update by donating to this fundraiser by May 8th.

This story was also featured in Adirondack Explorer in an article skillfully written by Tim Rowlands.  Thank you Tim for such a great piece about this project, the people involved, and the ceremony to celebrate it all.

​When we launched our Year-End Campaign in mid-November, we trusted that supporters would respond. What stunned us was how quickly and generously people stepped up. Thanks to this incredible community, we unlocked the full $20,000 match by mid-December, weeks earlier than anticipated. But you didn’t stop there.

All told, BETA raised more than $29,000 in community donations, for a total of over $49,000 with the match. That is remarkable – our biggest fundraiser ever!

This gives us a strong foundation for 2026 and allows us to keep investing in the trails. Trails that link us from place to place and person to person, that dare us to challenge ourselves, that invite us to connect with nature. Trails that bring our community together.

Because of your support, we look to 2026 with excitement and momentum. Thank you for making this amazing moment happen. 

Where does your mind go when you hear the phrase “trail town”?  

Places like Bentonville, Asheville, Park City and Jackson are often cited as big trail towns across the country.  We think great trail towns are much closer.  They’re the towns we call home, right here in the Adirondacks.

As we enter our 40th year of advocating for, building, and stewarding trails that connect us, we encourage you to consider making a year-end donation to support this work.  

Join the 135+ people who have already given this season.  Help us build trails and create community in 2026.

You may have seen the incredible news: together, our community met our goal of raising $20,000 in community donations to unlock the full $20,000 matching donation from a generous anonymous donor.  That’s a powerful reminder of what this community can do together!

Thank you to everyone who has already contributed.  If you were hoping to make a donation this year, you can still be a part of this moment.  Every donation supports our work to build and care for trails and strengthen the community. 

We all know trails are special to people; did you know that they’re also special to dogs? We’re excited to share a story about the well-behaved dogs who work alongside us on the trail.

Of course we can't claim to be dog mind readers so we’re just making an educated guess, but between their dance of anticipation at the doorway, their alert eyes at the trailhead, and their wagging tails in the woods, we think it’s safe to assume the trails are just as special to dogs as they are to you and me. 

​We’d like to introduce you to some unofficial crew dogs of BETA who’ve “helped” with many of our projects: 

​Each dog has their own outdoorsy style -- taking it slow and steady; zipping after good smells; or finding a comfy spot to take a nap -- but they still have a lot in common, just like us.

We all love the special way trails connect us to nature, to one another, and to ourselves. And we know that dogs, like people, need to be well behaved so that everyone has a great trail experience.

There is one difference that stands out between dogs and people: dogs can’t donate to support the trails, but people can. 

Thanks to the gift of an anonymous donor, all community donations through December 31 will be matched. That means your $50 becomes $100. Your $100 becomes $200. Your gift funds trail projects that will put Spud, Stewie, and Rekker to work.

Thank you for being part of this community.
And thank you for helping write the next chapter.
​
Help us meet our goal of raising $40,000 for BETA's 40th year -- donate today to double your impact.

Creatures of all sorts benefit from BETA's work.

While out on a trail visit to Adirondack Land Trust's Three Sisters Preserve in late November, our group spotted this gorgeous ermine, photographed by the ALT's Stewardship Manager Derek Rogers.  These feisty predators are pretty sneaky; seeing them is a rare and coveted experience.

This special woodland resident was a great reminder that the land preserved for recreation provides services even beyond the valuable gift of fun trails.  They offer a home to wildlife, and they offer us a chance to witness that wildlife.  

Fleeting moments of awe in the woods are made possible by land preservation and outdoor recreation.  

Thank you to the Adirondack Land Trust for working with us to manage trails at Three Sisters Preserve. Thank you Derek for capturing this incredible little guy and sharing your photos with us. Thank you to this little guy for letting us peek into the wild lives of woodland critters.  
​
PC: Derek Rogers/Adirondack Land Trust