NFCT Continues Lower Locks portage restoration

In June, staff and volunteers with the Northern Forest Canoe Trail's stewardship program rebuilt the staircase at the Lower Locks portage, improving safety and enhancing the long-term environmental sustainability of the access point. — In June, staff and volunteers with the Northern Forest Canoe Trail’s stewardship program rebuilt the staircase at the Lower Locks portage, improving safety and enhancing the long-term environmental sustainability of the access point.

A professional trail crew and local volunteers teamed up earlier this summer to continue the rehabilitation of the Lower Locks portage trail.

In 2024, the Northern Forest Canoe Trail (NFCT), in collaboration with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), began work on the carry that connects Lower Saranac Lake and Second Pond to Oseetah Lake. The first year of the project included the leveling and rehabilitation of the takeout and portage trail; this year’s work focused on rebuilding old steps on the downslope of the portage and fixing an existing retaining wall at the put-in.

In addition to regular traffic during the paddling season, the Lower Locks portage sees heavy use during two of the NFCT’s marquee annual events: the ‘Round the Mountain Canoe & Kayak Race and the Adirondack Canoe Classic, more commonly known as the 90-Miler.

“Stewardship is the most important piece of our work,” said NFCT Executive Director Karrie Thomas. “We want everyone to enjoy paddling, regardless of skill level or background, and that’s not possible without safe infrastructure that can hold up to human use and natural erosion. We strive to take care of infrastructure across the entire canoe trail, from Old Forge, NY, to Fort Kent, Maine, but we do feel a particular sense of responsibility along the sections where our events generate a higher impact. We’re grateful to the DEC and our volunteers for helping us continue this work on the Lower Locks portage.”

The NFCT’s roving stewardship crew, led by Assistant Trail Director Alex Delhagen, partnered with volunteers in June to complete the second year of work. The crew rebuilt an old retaining wall at the put-in to Oseetah, and restored an existing staircase that leads to the put-in. Further up the portage, crews restored a second set of steps, helping to stabilize a steep section of trail that was unsafe for paddlers.

“Our crew always looks forward to setting up in Saranac Lake at the beginning of summer,” Delhagen said. “The community and our volunteers are incredible, and the paddling is some of the best around. The Lower Locks portage is an important connector along the NFCT — we want to be sure people can use it safely while also protecting the surrounding woods and water.”

The Lower Locks portage work was supported by revenue from the NFCT’s Adirondack Race Series as well as grants from the Lake Champlain Basin Program and Two for the Trails, an initiative of the Athletic Brewing Company.

As the only dedicated water trail crew in the Northeast, the NFCT’s stewardship crew specializes in projects at the interface of land and water, including campsites, portage trails and access points. To learn more about the NFCT’s stewardship work, contact Trail Director Noah Pollock at noah@northernforestcanoetrail.org.

For more information about the NFCT, visit northernforestcanoetrail.org.

The Northern Forest Canoe Trail is a nonprofit organization that maintains and promotes the 740-mile water trail that runs from Old Forge, NY, to Fort Kent, Maine, and connects New York, Vermont, Quebec, New Hampshire, and Maine. The trail showcases the mix of landscapes and communities currently lining the traditional routes used by Indigenous peoples, settlers, and guides. It is the longest in-land water trail in the nation and consists of 23 rivers and streams, 59 lakes and ponds, 45 communities, and 65 portages. To learn more, visit northernforestcanoetrail.org.