Funding Boost for Mt. Pisgah and East Branch Community Trails

We are so excited to announce that the NYS DEC Adirondack Park Community Smart Growth Program has awarded a combined $225k to mountain biking trail projects at Mount Pisgah and East Branch Community Trails in Saranac Lake and Keene, respectively. 

The $125k awarded to St. Armand will go towards modernizing and expanding the Mount Pisgah Trail System. This funding will make it possible to implement the 2025 Summer Trails Enhancement and Master Plan which aims to improve sustainability, enhance the user experience, and boost the local economy through mountain bike tourism. To the folks who poured countless hours into building the original trails at Mt. Pisgah, thank you for that incredible work. You created something special, lasting, and impactful in Saranac Lake. Now, some 15+ years later, we're updating those trails and adding beginner-friendly routes to the mountain so they can keep serving our community. We'd like to give a special thank you to local advocates Karen Miemis, Kris Miemis, Ezra Schwartzberg, and Chris Gosling for your tremendous work on crafting a successful grant application for this project.  

The $100k awarded to Barkeater Trails Alliance will go towards the final phase of construction at East Branch Community Trails (EBCT) in Keene.  After years of community-led advocacy, planning, and trail work, the final phase of construction at EBCT is within reach. We'll build about one mile of new trail, expand the parking lot, and restore the pavillion. This trail network is such a gem in our region and we are so excited to tie a bow on it. Of course, we'll still work at EBCT as needed -- those berms don't maintain themselves!  

We owe a huge thank you to each of our partners at the NYS DEC, Town of Keene, Town of St. Armand, and Village of Saranac Lake. With a total of $225k from the NYS Environmental Protection Fund, Adirondack Park Community Smart Growth Program and $80k in matching funds, more than $305k is being invested into biking trails in our region. Looking forward to working on these projects in the seasons to come.

Group photo (including Ezra, Chris, and Karen) from the Saranac Lake Innovative Cycling Kids' volunteer work party at Mt. Pisgah in the summer of 2025.