Ideas for enhancing hill town trails

Winn Preserve
Photo by Daniel A. Driscoll

Trails could be touted as a major reason for visitors to come to the hill towns.

Benefits of Community Trails

Trails are excellent resources for healthy, vibrant communities.

Trails promote sustainable transportation and lessen traffic and pollution
Trails help revitalize neighborhoods, support local businesses and raise property values
Community and family are at the heart of the American trail experience. Trails build connections and strenghten communities
Well-designed trails transform "community" from an abstraction into a real place.
Trails promote health and fitness by providing safe surroundings for families to enjoy active lifestyles

There are many opportunities for expanding the existing system of trails.

The towns should encourage the planning and construction of scenic trails for use by hikers, bikers, horseback riding, fisherman, photographers, cross country runners, etc is encouraged. In the fall they might be used by hunters; in the winter by cross country skiers.
Promote a system of bike trails though-out the hill towns.
Add new trails to connect existing natural reserves.

Truax Road trail extension in Knox - Truax road trail extends from Street Road most of the way to the State-owned Burke Wildlife Management Area. It would be desirable to develop a public trail to the State land, and from there, along the Helderberg Escarpment edge, to High Point and the Long Path.
Warners Lake Trail - There could be a trail from the top of Cole Hill starting at The Long Path and down the hill somewhere and along the tree line on the east side of the Cole Hill valley, across Fox Creek at the bridge on Cole Hill Road and up the old Camp Orinsekwa Lane and along the west side of Warners Lake and on to the Knox (Burke) Preserve. Along the lake it might be used by bicyclists and runners as well as hikers.
Develop a Fox Creek Trail trail along the banks of Fox Creek.
The Long Path, which crosses Partridge Run NYS Wildlife Management Area near the northern town line between Rensselaerville and Berne should have an extension trail to the Huyck Preserve.