Trail Updates, Nov. 2025: New trails at East Branch, Rock & River Jackrabbit Trailhead Complete

11/5/2025

Our last trail work update was in late July. Major developments since then include:

Elizabethtown: new trail (Deerleg) completed and open at Blueberry Hill.
Keene: Two new upper mountain trails (Trail 7 Climb & Trail 7 Descent) completed and open at East Branch Community Trails. Funding sought for the final phase of construction.
Jay: Planning underway for potential new trails in the Four Peaks Wilderness.
Saranac Lake: Construction of connector trail from Park Ave to Mount Pisgah delayed until 2026. Funding sought for implementing Mount Pisgah Summer Trails Enhancement Plan.
Wilmington: Talks with landowners and Adirondack Land Trust underway to secure agreement for connector trail from Three Sisters to Hardy Road.
Jackrabbit Trail: Mountain Lane reroute finished and open. Eastern terminus trailhead, bridges, parking lot, and trail section under construction; expected completion by December 2025.

Read on for more information about the above updates as well as an overview of all the work done in the 2025 trail work season.

Elizabethtown

BLUEBERRY HILL
Deerleg, a mostly machine-built trail that connects Bronson fire pit trailhead to the rock quarry with a pleasantly meandering route (no fall line climbs on this one!), is completely finished and open for riding. This summer we hosted two volunteer work parties at Deerleg -- one focused on snipping back troublesome roots and the other focused on finishing the end of the trail by digging to durable mineral soil. We’ve gotten a lot of positive feedback on this new trail; to those who haven’t ridden at Blueberry before, this is the perfect excuse to check it out.

COBBLE HILL
New signage has been installed throughout. Gear up before or chill out after your ride at the E’town Trail Center at the base of Cobble Hill – you will not be disappointed.

Keene/Jay

EAST BRANCH COMMUNITY TRAILS

Four new trails opened in the 2025 season: Boulder Rush and Duzzi in early June; trails known for now as Trail 7 Climb and Trail 7 Descent in late October. To access Trail 7 Climb, proceed clockwise around Sentinel Loop. Signage for Trail 7 Climb will be on your left.
The Skills Loop path around the trailhead field was built; skill features are coming soon.
We are pursuing funding for final work which will include more trails, expanded parking, and a set of jump lines.

JAY

We are working with the Town of Jay to make plans related to recreation opportunities. One area of great interest is the potential for future trails within the Four Peaks Tract which was acquired by the NYS DEC in July of 2024. The Four Peaks Tract has potential to connect to Hardy Road/Beaver Brook trails.

Lake PLacid

CRAIG WOOD

Improvements that began in 2024 have continued. This season, we tackled a machine built reroute of the climbing section of Back Nine to improve the riding experience and long term sustainability of this climbing section. This was quite the undertaking, but if you’ve ridden the new trail we think you’ll agree – it was worth it.
We teamed up with the Lake Placid Outing Club to host a youth-focused volunteer session at Craig Wood. We worked on removing problem stones and roots as well as clearing drainages.

Saranac Lake

MOUNT PISGAH

With support from the Village of Saranac Lake and the Town of St. Armand, we contracted Peduzzi Trail Building to develop the Mount Pisgah Summer Trails Enhancement Plan. This plan has helped us identify key needs at the mountain, such as trail reroutes to improve the riding experience and trail sustainability, new green trails on the lower slopes to expand the range of experiences available to Mount Pisgah, and more. We are currently working with the Town of St. Armand to apply for a Smart Growth Grant to fund these projects. Funding-dependent, construction on some projects could begin in 2026.

The connector trail from Park Ave into Mount Pisgah was delayed this season because of conflict between the original route and future plans by the developer, but we’ve since created a new trail alignment that accommodates their plans for development. Trail construction is expected to begin in 2026.
We teamed up with the Saranac Lake Innovative Cycling Kids group to host a youth-focused volunteer session at Mount Pisgah. We cleared blowdown, trimmed roots, and lopped back branches in the corridor.

DEWEY

In partnership with a few local business sponsors, we hosted numerous volunteer work parties to address specific wet sections, pop rocks, and remove troublesome roots.

Wilmington

THREE SISTERS PRESERVE

Flobus – Rebuild of some sections of lower Flobus to improve the riding experience was completed in early summer.
Town Connector – New route flagged and approved from Outlook Lane to Three Sisters with construction planned for 2026. This reroute will preserve access between the Wilmington Town Recreation Park, Three Sisters, and by extension Hardy Road even as the Outlook Lane neighborhood continues development. Thank you to the landowner for his support of our effort to maintain access!

HARDY ROAD

Procrew and volunteers worked together to make significant improvements to the lower section of All In, including restoration that addressed some of the more extensive wear due to use and erosion.
We are working with land owners and the Adirondack Land Trust to find potential new connections between Three Sisters and Hardy Road. Our long term goal is to create a trail that will keep you in the woods and off the road when biking between Hardy Road and Three Sisters. We’re excited to work with the landowners involved in this agreement and are grateful for their early support.

Ski Trails

Between Lake Placid and Keene: Reroute of 0.5 miles of the Jackrabbit Trail (JRT) off of Mountain Lane and onto state land has been completed. This reroute removes the worst part of walking/skiing on Mountain Lane. This project was completed ahead of schedule thanks to procrew’s efficient use of the chainsaw window and a tenacious volunteer work party held in mid-September. Thank you for your hard work!
Eastern JRT terminus: Construction of new trailhead parking lot, three bridges (one with a 64' span which was featured recently on our social media), and a section of new trail at the eastern end of JRT near Rock & River is underway. We expect to finish in time for this ski season.

System-Wide Projects

SIGNAGE: Getting lost in the woods is no fun. We’re posting more informative and consistent signage across the region to help with navigation and safety.
RESTORATION: We’ve focused on maintenance and restoration in locations where erosion or use has reduced the quality of the trail. It’s our pleasure to care for the trails that are our responsibility.
PLANNING: The most exhilarating kind of trail work! Quality new trails come from quality planning. We’re collaborating on and crafting master trail use plans in areas where it’s needed in order to creatively and sustainably enhance the riding experience.

More to Come

BETA’s work is multi-facetted, ever-evolving, and always dedicated to maintaining and building trails and creating community. The end of the 2025 trail work season is rapidly approaching, but we're still busy planning for next year's projects.

If the 2025 trail projects have benefitted you or your community, please consider supporting our work by becoming a member or renewing your membership at a higher giving level. We are so deeply grateful to the hundreds of people who build, fund, champion, and enjoy these trails -- you're both the reason and the way that we do what we do: build trails and create community. Thank you!

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