A popular canoe carry and several campsites were the beneficiaries of stewardship work performed by the Northern Forest Canoe Trail’s crew of professional staff and volunteers.

Work was completed on the Lower Locks portage trail that connects Lower Saranac Lake to Oseetah Pond, thanks to a partnership between the Northern Forest Canoe Trail (NFCT), the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) and local trail stewards. A nearby campsite on the channel from Second Pond to the Lower Locks was also upgraded, and a second site on the Saranac River, downstream from Saranac Lake, was enhanced with new infrastructure.

The work was funded by revenue generated from the ‘Round the Mountain Canoe & Kayak Race, the Adirondack Canoe Classic, more commonly known as the 90-Miler, and the Long Lake Long Boat Regatta. A grant from the Lake Champlain Basin Program also supported the projects.

“When we took over the Adirondack canoe race series from Brian and Grace McDonnell, our intention was always to reinvest those proceeds into paddling infrastructure in the Adirondacks,” said Karrie Thomas, the NFCT’s executive director. “The paddling community here can take a great deal of pride in knowing that by simply participating in our events, they’re improving safe and environmentally responsible access to our waterways.”

The Lower Locks carry saw the bulk of the work and included the leveling and rebuilding of the takeout and portage trail. For years, the beach and trail had been heavily eroded, leading to hazardous conditions for users — especially during the 90-Miler race, which typically sees over 600 people traverse the trail over the course of just a few hours.

“This is a short but heavily used portage trail,” said NFCT Trustee Brandon Devito. “The NFCT felt a responsibility to prioritize this work because two of our signature events — the 90-Miler and the ‘Round the Mountain — generate a tremendous amount of traffic on their own, not even accounting for regular use by local paddlers. We’re grateful to the volunteers who partnered with us on this project and to the racers and paddlers that make up the NFCT’s family — we couldn’t have done it without them.”

At the Lower Locks site, crews leveled the takeout and portage trail, both of which were muddy and heavily eroded, creating unsafe footing and in some instances causing users to veer off the trail, which is harmful to the surrounding environment.

“The goal was to keep folks on the trail itself and to prevent further erosion to the surrounding woods,” said Alex Delhagen, the NFCT’s assistant trail director and leader of the roving stewardship crew. “The newly reconstructed trail is now level, with a gravel path that will channel water away from the footpath; gravel is a sturdy, more sustainable solution in instances like this. We think paddlers — and especially racers — will be happy with the results.”

Upstream from the Lower Locks, crews worked at a popular campsite, constructing three new tent pads and relocating an old privy. Additionally, new wayfinding signage was added to the campsite and the portage trail.

A few miles downstream from the village of Saranac Lake, on the Saranac River, the NFCT installed a new floating dock and replaced 34-feet of bog bridging at the Five Fauls lean-to site, a popular destination for paddlers and outdoor enthusiasts. Prior to the work, users had to access the campsite from a muddy takeout, made worse by fluctuations in water levels.

“Just as with the Lower Locks project, this work aimed to protect this section of the river from further erosion caused by users and water conditions, while also making it easier and safer to access this gem of a campsite,” Delhagen said.

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.

About the Northern Forest Canoe Trail

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.