Trail Stewardship

The Onondaga Chapter demonstrates its commitment to ADK’s mission of education, recreation, environmental conservation and advocacy by active participation in the following:

Finger Lakes Trail (FLT) www.fingerlakestrail.org (opens in a new window)

Since 1962, ADK-ON has scouted and constructed over 100 miles of the 850-mile Finger Lakes Trail (Rt. 392 near Virgil Mountain to Rt. 26 near South Otselic). Chapter sponsorship spans four counties (Cortland, Onondaga, Madison, and Chenango). In March 2019, the chapter transferred approximately 30 miles of trail to a group of Cortland sponsors, retaining approximately 70 miles. The Chapter currently maintains those 70 miles of FLT and 3 lean-tos (Paradise Garden, Hemlock Glen, Bucks Brook), coordinates 60+ trail stewards, about 50 private landowners, work trips, and landowner negotiations, and invests 2000+ person-hours annually on existing and new trail. About 50% of the trail is on public land and 50% on private land.

North Country National Scenic Trail (NCT, NCNST) www.northcountrytrail.org (opens in a new window)

Fifty-seven (57) miles of our section of FLT are currently certified as NCT (4600 miles when completed from North Dakota to the Adirondacks at Crown Point). Approximately 420 miles of NCT within New York State from the Pennsylvania state line near Allegheny National Forest are co-located on the Finger Lakes Trail.

For existing trails on the Adirondack route and GPS coordinates on the CNY route see the NCT page: “Locating the trail.”

Onondaga Trail (a branch of the FLT and NCT)

ADK-ON has scouted, designed, constructed, and currently maintains approximately 42 miles: Stony Brook Rd. (Cuyler) to New Woodstock via Morgan Hill State Forest and Highland Forest to Tioughnioga Wildlife Management Area at the Link Side Trail junction. Near New Woodstock, the NCT turns north and east to the Adirondacks. For the 2015 Final Plan for the Adirondack route, see: http://www.dec.ny.gov/docs/lands_forests_pdf/ncnst001.pdf

Skyline Trail

ADK-ON has constructed 4 miles from ESF’s Heiberg Forest to the east slope of the Labrador Hollow Unique Area and Onondaga Trail.  A connector from Labrador Hollow to Tinker Falls and the FLT/NCT Onondaga Trail is now marked.

Pigeon Lake Wilderness Area

Adopted by the Chapter in 1998, these 50,100 acres are located in the Adirondacks near Old Forge and Eagle Bay, and bounded by Big Moose Lake, Raquette Lake, the Fulton Chain, and Stillwater Reservoir. Our responsibilities include studying the natural history, recreational opportunities, and trail conditions and being an advocate for protecting its wilderness character. We often do a volunteer project annually.

Little Woodhull Lake Trail

ADK-ON adopted stewardship of this trail in 2017. The Little Woodhull Lake Trail is on the North Country National Scenic Trail—Adirondack Park route. We maintain 5 miles from North Lake Road to the Sand Lake Falls Trail junction in Black River Wild Forest. Hikers reach Little Woodhull Lake after 3 miles.

Trail Stewards

Volunteer trail work is a major activity of the Onondaga Chapter of the ADK. Under Regional Trail Coordinator Harold Kyle stewards assume responsibilities for a section of the Finger Lakes Trail. Several times per year our stewards perform routine inspections, maintenance, and check on trail infrastructure. There are approximately over 70 total miles maintained by the chapter.