TRANSFORMATIONAL PROJECT: 
​East branch Community trails, Keene

The East Branch Community Trails is a new multi-use, non-motorized trail system in the Town of Keene. 

The trails are located on county reforestation lands owned by Essex County on Route 9N along the Keene-Jay town line.  The project is the result of a partnership between the Town of Keene, Keene Youth Commission and Barkeater Trails Alliance, who worked with Peduzzi Trail Contracting in 2021 to develop a concept plan for a new trail system and pump track system along with a phased approach to trail development.  

Phase 1
was completed in September, 2022, and included over 2 miles of new multi-use trails.  The project was "kickstarted" with $50,000 in funding provided by BETA's Sterling Watchorn Trail Fund and a matching grant of $25,000 from the Stewart's Shops and Dake Family Fund of the Community Foundation for the Greater Capital Region, along with over $10,000 in grassroots donations.    These new trails allow hikers, mountain bikers, trail runners and non-motorized winter travelers to access key points of the property and serve as the backbone of the larger trail system that is planned for the future.  

Phase 2
With your help, we successfully met our fundraising goal of $30,000 and Phase 2 of trail construction was completed in the fall of 2023.  This expanded on the success of the multi-use trails, and added a new 3/4 mile, machine-built, mountain bike specific trail. The new trail is fun for beginners and rippers alike and serves as base line that brings riders back to the Leepoff Loop without riding down the climbing trail.  See the overview map below depicting the current status of trails. 

Phase 3
With a grant from the NYS Environmental Protection Fund, Adirondack Park Community Smart Growth and additional funding from the town of Keene Community Enhancement Fund and People for Bikes we are hard at work on trails for Phase 3. Our plan for Phase 3 of the East Branch project includes construction of a skills loop near the parking area and pavilion, a ¾ mile more challenging descent trail from the current height of land that builds progression into the system and complements the existing trails for skills development, and advanced enduro-style trail planned for fall of 2025 and more.

The overall goal is to create access to a 7-mile progressively designed trail system and bike skills park.  All facilities are built to be inclusive of people of all ages and abilities, including adaptive riders and youth. 

Thank you for your continued support! We are so excited to share these trails with our community.

Background
In 2021, the Keene Youth Commission came together with the Town of Keene, Barkeater Trails Alliance and members of the community. Their aim was to address the town of Keene’s  strategic plan goal to “provide safe, positive and ecologically sound recreation experiences for residents and visitors alike.”  More specifically we identified a need for more youth-oriented biking opportunities like pump tracks, as well as a new trail system in Keene to be designed to be inclusive to people of all ages and abilities, with some trails built for mountain biking only while others are designed to accommodate hiking and other non motorized recreation.

Planning, Construction and Stewardship
Through a site analysis of numerous locations in the town, this piece of Essex County owned land on Route 9N was identified as an ideal location to implement this vision. The property has enough space to include a pump track and bike skills area near the road and parking area as well as a scenic hillside to accommodate a community-oriented trail system. Terrain features include numerous outcrops and possible vistas that will be attractive destinations for walkers, trail runners and winter travel in addition to dry gullies and natural terraces that are favorable for mountain bike trails. 

In order to communicate the vision of this project, a conceptual plan was developed that outlined a potential trail system at this location. This concept plan allowed agreements for land use to be drafted, fundraising to be initiated, and helped to organize efforts toward construction of the trail system and accompanying skills area. A phased approach was decided on for the design and construction of this trail system in order to create realistic goals for fundraising, construction and community acceptance. 

Peduzzi Trail Contracting has produced a master plan for the property which includes approximately 5 miles of new trails, with a focus on mountain bike specific options. The climbing trail built in 2022 will eventually provide access to the six new trails segments below the power line, ranging from a beginner-friendly descending trail to intermediate flowing trails and more technical advanced trails as well as 2 new trails above the power line.  To continue the “stacked loop” orientation of the trail system, the new trails are designed to be easiest at the bottom and will progress to more challenging higher in the system.

Implementation of one-way, mountain bike only trails will be engaging for mountain bikers while helping to avoid potential user conflict as the trail system continues to attract more riders, walkers and hikers. A skills park and pump track is also being planned for future phases, and will be located in the base area near the parking and pavilion. 

​The construction and further maintenance of the trail system will be conducted through BETA with an agreement similar to the one it has with other towns such as Elizabethtown and North Elba. BETA has contracted Peduzzi Trail Contracting, LLC to perform the majority of the design and construction. Luke Peduzzi is the owner/operator and a professional trail builder with many years of experience developing quality, sustainable trails for mountain biking and other human powered activities. He is a graduate of Keene Central School and resides in Jay.  ​

---

Ribbon cutting for the grand opening of the Phase 1 trails, September 2022

---

The BETA Trail Crew worked alongside Peduzzi Trail Contracting and dozens of volunteers to complete work on Phase 1 in 2022.

---

The East Branch trail system provides more youth-oriented biking opportunities in the community, as well as trails designed to be inclusive to people of all ages and abilities

---

IN THE NEWS

"New Keene Trail Unveiled"

​"Keene Celebrates New Bike Trails"

"Keene to Move Ahead on New Mountain Bike Trails"

---

---

Thank you to the East Branch Community Trails  Project Sponsors and Community Partners. 

This project has been funded in part by a grant from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Adirondack Park Community Smart Growth Program through appropriations from the New York State Environmental Protection Fund (EPF).

Thank you to the Stewart's Foundation / Dake Family for generously donating $25,000 to make it possible for us to complete work on Phase 1 in 2022!

---