Recent Notices

The following are only the most recent notices pertaining to public lands in the Adirondacks. Please check the Backcountry Information webpage for a full list of notices, including seasonal road statuses, specific trail conditions, and other pertinent information.

New This Week (9/3)

If you notice any damage or hazardous areas not listed below, please report to info.r5@dec.ny.gov.

Western

• Five Ponds Wilderness: Red Horse Trail- Hikers will need to navigate around two bridges that have washed away between Witchopple and Clear Lakes, and beaver flooding between Salmon and Witchopple Lakes. A trail crew will be working on the trail 9/8 – 9/17, and may be camped at the lean-to or along the trail during this period.

East Central

• Jessup River Wild Forest: Watch Hill Trail- Hikers travelling from the second overlook to Indian Lake need to stay on the current marked trail. Construction of a new segment of trail will resume in September and this section is taped off with caution tape.

Eastern

• Lake George Wild Forest: Trail marker colors on Cat and Thomas Mountain are being updated to improve navigation in the area. Intersections provide directional signage that reflect the marker color changes. Please be mindful and prepared to adapt.

Southern

• Wilcox Lake Wild Forest: Please be aware that wasp nests have been reported at the southern end of the Murphy Middle Bennett Trail between Creek Road and Bennett Lake.

Other

• Forked Lake Campground: Attention boaters, backwoods campers, and hunters – Forked Lake Road from North Point Road to the Forked Lake Campground will be closed to all traffic starting on 9/11 for a bridge replacement project. DEC will notify when it’s reopened. Be aware that access to the campground parking and boat launch will be shut off starting on 9/8.

• Upper Chateaugay Boat Launch: NYSDEC will be closing the Upper Chateaugay Boat Launch site starting 9/21 for up to 3 weeks for construction. During this time, the entire facility will not be accessible for any purposes to the public. Thank you for your patience during these necessary repairs.

Last Week 

• High Peaks Wilderness Complex: The bridge on the Avalanche Pass Trail right at the Algonquin Trail Junction, north of Lake Colden, has been replaced. DEC High Peaks Trail Crew and DEC Ray Brook Trail Crew teamed up to replace this bridge. Thanks to DEC Forest Rangers, DEC Lands and Forests, DEC Operations, Mitchel Stone Products LLC and NYS Police Aviation for the planning and execution of this project. 

• Lake George Wild Forest: DEC will be enforcing the No Parking Zones along River Road in the Hudson River Special Management Area located in the Towns of Lake Luzerne and Warrensburg.

-NYSDEC