The Board of Supervisors continues to step up with exciting new trail projects.  We hope you have gone on line to check out the mapping of most of the trails in the county - Go to PLAN's web site home page for instructions.  You can access them three different ways.  I needed some assistance from our intern to download Google Earth and then follow the overlay.  I find that easier than the county website - although when you play around with that website for a while there is an incredible amount of information. Supervisor Veitch assures me that the county technology committee is looking for ways to upgrade the site to make

it more user friendly.  

  Julie Stokes, Chair

Saratoga PLAN Trail Committee

The Saratoga County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to move forward with the effort to connect the Zim Smith Trail at Coons Crossing in Halfmoon to the City of Mechanicville.  Saratoga PLAN's Trail Committee has worked closely with the Supervisor's Trail Committee (Chaired by Ed Kinowski of Stillwater) and the County Planning Department Director (Jason Kemper) to achieve the vision laid out more than a decade ago for a trail system that would create a spine from the City of Saratoga Springs to the City of Mechanicville.  Last year the county opened the section from Route 67 north to Oak Street in the Village of Ballston Spa.  PLAN recently met with representatives of CP Rail, DOT, State Parks and the City of Saratoga Springs to examine routes to make the connection to the Spa Park.

Two years ago, Norfolk Southern RR agreed to give PLAN (or our designee - the county) ROW on the south side of the rail yard development - leaving less than 1/2 mile to make the connection to Coons Crossing.  Please THANK your Supervisors for agreeing to move forward on securing this important link before the RR's offer runs out.  The Supervisor's from Halfmoon, Mechanicville, Waterford and Stillwater have been huge supporters of this effort - when constructed - this will connect the Zim Smith to the Champlain Canalway Tow Path which will extend from Waterford to Whitehall w. the crossing into Washington County at the Dix Bridge in Northumberland.

PLAN is proud to have encouraged this effort and now we are enjoying the product... my new puppy and I walked the northern extension last week in this beautiful fall weather - hope all of you are getting out as well. 

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Trail projects have continued this summer:

*  The Dix Bridge in Northumberland that will connect Saratoga and Washington County at Lock 5 is out for bid, *  Malta is moving forward with construction of the trail which will connect the Zim Smith Trail with Route 9 and the Luther Forest Tech Campus, *  We met w. National Grid on parking for the Spring Run Trail and Commissioner Scirocco has staked out a potential parking area, *  Halfmoon and Clifton Park held a stakeholders meeting on a project to connect the Crescent Trail and Vischer Ferry Preserve, *  High waters made kayaking on the Kayderosseras and Fish Creek faster than usual! some of the counties "blue trails" AND Saratoga PLAN with the assistance of multiple volunteers opened the Hennig Preserve Trail System in Providence - 2 miles of trails just below the "blue line" which totally feels and sounds like the Adirondacks. These connect to county forest lands and offer a vast opportunity for multiple trails.   PLAN will open the Colebrook Preserve Trail in Northumberland on September 24th at 10 am.  This trail was designed and constructed with the assistance of the Saratoga County Chambers Leadership Class. Check PLAN's web site for more information.   Hope to see many of you at the meeting on Tuesday - lots is happening and we need your interest and effort.   

FROM THE JUNE 28, 2011, COUNTY TRAILS MEETING:

From Crescent Trail in Halfmoon to the Erie Canal Tow Path at Clutes Dry Dock in Clifton Park - this new, in-process trail system will connect Halfmoon with Clifton Park's Vischer Ferry Preserve along the Mohawk.  Henrietta O'Grady of the Halfmoon Trail Committee shows of some of the key points to Saratoga PLAN.

The Stakeholders meeting for this new trail connection last week brought out a diverse group of not only trail users but the President of the Southern Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce, key town economic development and planning staff from both towns, town historians, Audubon and town officials supporting the project. Design is underway and construction grants have been received!

Bog Meadow Trail

Kayaderosseras Creek Canoe and Kayak Trail

Railroad Run

Saratoga National Golf Club Trail (Lake Lonely)

Spring Run Trail

Zim Smith Trail

Trails Committee Notes

Please take a look at the notes and weigh in on projects in your communities.  Many of our Supervisors are very supportive of these trail initiatives and deserve thanks and encouragement.   If you have any items for the agenda, please let me know.

Join us to lend your voices and energy. 

Julie Stokes (click for email)

Saratoga P.L.A.N. Board of Directors and

Chair of Saratoga PLAN Trails Committee 

Trail Notes - 11-15-11

Trail Notes - 9-08-11

Trail Notes - 6.28.11

Trail Notes - 4.26.11

Trail Notes - 2.15.11

Trail Notes - 11.15.10

Trail Notes - 9.20.10

Trail Notes - 4.12.10

Trail Notes -  2.08.10

Trail Notes - 11.16.09

Trail Notes -  9.22.09

Autumn on Spring Run Trail

photo by Isobel Flake

Get out and enjoy the trails - walk, bike, ride - it's good for you!

If you are not a donor to Saratoga PLAN - we would really appreciate your support.