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So Much Work to Be Done

Barbara McMartin
Opinion
Ferris Lake Wild Forest, Giant Mountain Wilderness, Hammond Pond Wild Forest, High Peaks Wilderness, Hoffman Notch Wilderness, Hudson Gorge Wilderness, Hurricane Mountain Wilderness, Jay Mountain Wilderness, North Country National Scenic Trail, Pharaoh Lake Wilderness, Shaker Mountain Wild Forest, Siamese Ponds Wilderness, Silver Lake Wilderness, West Canada Lake Wilderness, Wilcox Lake Wild Forest

Part 4 of 4 I believe that it is important to know the history of Adirondack trails in order to participate in the public process of creating plans for the units of the park. So, I have written this to give perspective to those who will do the planning.

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An Advocate for Trails

Barbara McMartin
Opinion
Black River Wild Forest, Ferris Lake Wild Forest, History, Independence River Wild Forest, North Country National Scenic Trail, Northville-Placid Trail, Siamese Ponds Wilderness, Silver Lake Wilderness, Wilcox Lake Wild Forest

Part 3 of 4 Here this account takes on a new perspective, because I view what happened during the past quarter century as one who was actively involved. In the early 70s I completed my graduate work, started hiking again, and became an advocate for trails. As an advocate for dispersing hikers throughout the Park, I was frustrated from the start in ways I never expected.

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Trails in the Mountain Pleasure Grounds

Barbara McMartin
Knowledge
Ferris Lake Wild Forest, Five Ponds Wilderness, Giant Mountain Wilderness, High Peaks Wilderness, History, Hoffman Notch Wilderness, Jessup River Wild Forest, Lake George Wild Forest, Northville-Placid Trail, Shaker Mountain Wild Forest

Part 2 of 4 The Laws of 1895 authorized the state to lay out paths in the newly created Adirondack Park. There is little evidence that anything was done at that time. In 1909 Governor Hughes advocated trails and roads to give greater access to the “mountain pleasure grounds.” As it turned out, recreational trail building by the state began a few years later, not because of Hughes’ plans, but in a rather circuitous way.

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