Gates on snowmobile trails on Adirondack Forest Preserve lands in Franklin County are now open, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Regional Director Betsy Lowe announced today.

“DEC is pleased to work with local snowmobile clubs to allow residents and visitors to participate in this recreational activity,” said Regional Director Lowe. “We ask that snowmobilers take measures to ensure their own safety, respect others using the trail system and help protect the natural resources of the Adirondacks.”

DEC typically waits until there is a foot of snow cover before opening the gates in order to protect the trail surface, the riders and natural resources adjacent to the trail. Gates are now open on the following trail sections:

• C7B between the Village of Saranac Lake and Lake Kushuqua;
• C8 between County Route 26 in the town of Franklin, and the Blue Mountain Road in the town of Waverly. Significant portions of this trail have been rerouted, see below for details

Members of the Franklin Snowmobilers Inc., the organization that maintains the snowmobile trails under an “Adopt a Natural Resource” agreement with DEC, have worked hard to clear the trails of blowdown and groom them. Trail maps, trail conditions and other information regarding snowmobiling may be found on the Franklin County Tourism website at: http://www.gosnowmobile.com/

There are some changes including some major reroutes due to logging operations on both the Santa Clara Tract Conservation Easement Lands and the Sable Highlands Conservation Easement Lands as noted below. These route changes are a result of the cooperation of the landowners of the easement lands, and their willingness to maintain the snowmobile network. The cooperation of snowmobilers will ensure future reroutes when the need arises.

Santa Clara Tract Conservation Easement Lands,
Towns of Waverly and Santa Clara

Due to logging operations on the Santa Clara Tract Easement Lands, the Madawaska Road and Conversation Corners Road will be closed to snowmobiles and the Snowmobile Corridor C8 will be rerouted as follows:

Beginning at the intersection of the Hooker Road and the Madawaska Road (approximately 0.3 miles west of the Madawaska Road’s intersection with state Route 458) the C8 corridor will follow the Hooker Road for approximately 9 miles in a north westerly direction to its intersection with State Route 458. Then the corridor will follow the shoulder of Route 458 in a westerly direction to the hamlet of Santa Clara. After crossing the bridge over the Saint Regis River/Santa Clara Flow, the corridor will turn south onto the Dexter Road and follow this road in a southwesterly direction for approximately 3 miles to its intersection with the Blue Mountain Road. The C8 then follows the Blue Mountain Road for 1/4 mile and then turns west onto the Brown Tract Road. A map of the reroute can be viewed at www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/71534.html

Sable Highlands Conservation Easement Lands
Towns of Franklin and Bellmont

A parking area has been built on Goldsmith Road for snowmobile tow vehicles and trailers. The southern terminus of Linear Recreation Corridor 8 (Liberty Road) lies several hundred feet to the east of the parking area and connects to the C8A Snowmobile Corridor Trail (Wolf Pond Road) via Linear Recreation Corridor 7

(Wolf Pond Mountain Road). Construction of the parking area was a cooperative effort of the landowner, the Town of Franklin, and DEC. The Town of Franklin donated time, personnel and equipment from their highway department and will be plowing the parking area.

Due to planned logging operations by the landowner on lands north of Loon Lake, the western portion of the snowmobile trail (Old Liberty Road/Wolf Pond Mountain Road) that connected with the C7 Snowmobile Corridor Trail (the utility corridor) just north of Loon Lake near Drew Pond and lead to the C8A Snowmobile Corridor Trail (Wolf Pond Road) has been closed this winter. The eastern portion of that snowmobile trail (Wolf Pond Mountain Road) now connects to Goldsmith Road near the parking area.

Snowmobiles planning to travel between Franklin County and Clinton County using the C8A Snowmobile Corridor Trail must access C8A at the junction with C7 or use Goldsmith Road and the trail from the Goldsmith Road to C8A (Wolf Pond Road).

The Mullins Road has been opened to snowmobiles to connect County Route 26 (Loon Lake Road) to C7. The road is located approximately halfway between the intersections of Route 26 with C8 (Debar Game Farm Road) and Route 26 with C7.

Signs on the trails instruct snowmobilers on which routes are open this winter a map of the open routes in that area can be viewed at www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/71219.html. Portions of these routes may be plowed from time to time so riders should be cautious and aware of motor vehicles that may be on the road.

Snowmobiling Safely

Snowmobilers are reminded to be properly equipped and prepared before going out. Plan your trips, know your route and check weather conditions before going out on the trail. While riding, stay on marked trails, obey the rules for safe snowmobiling, and be respectful of other snowmobilers, skiers or snowshoers you may encounter on trails.

Speed and alcohol are the two main factors in snowmobile accidents. Always travel at speeds that are reasonable or prudent under the surrounding conditions, obey posted speed limits, and don’t exceed the state speed limit of 55 mph. Never drive while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

More safety tips and a complete list of rules and regulations can be found in the “New York State Snowmobiler’s Guide (PDF)” and on the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation’s web site: http://nysparks.state.ny.us/