Silver Lake trail gets touched up in Adirondacks

BLACK BROOK, N.Y. (NEWS10) - Adirondack Park recreation and stewardship group ADK has partnered with the global conservation group The Nature Conservancy to put in some work at a bog trail in the northern Adirondacks. The nature trail at Silver Lake Bog Preserve has been spruced up.

The 98-acre public preserve features a boardwalk trail that guides visitors through an ancient peatland bog and hardwood forest. Now, the trail features a rebuilt bridge, a formal trail leading to its bluff lookout point, and trails that have been rerouted to keep travelers away from unsafe or unsustainable sections.

“This is the first step in a multi-year plan to improve accessibility to Silver Lake Bog Preserve, and we’re grateful for the impeccable work of the ADK trail crew to create a safer and more sustainable trail,” said Peg Olsen, Adirondack Director of The Nature Conservancy. “We are now planning for a wheelchair-accessible boardwalk as part of our work to further expand access to populations that have historically been excluded from nature.”

 The trail runs 1.5 miles through the Silver Lake Bog Preserve. The new trail to the lookout bluff scales 200 feet, with new, wooden ladders in place to improve safety while minimizing environmental impact.

“Well-built trails protect ecosystems by keeping hikers on a safe, navigable path and away from surrounding vegetation. By investing into projects like this one, we ensure that people can explore the outdoors in a way that is sustainable,” said ADK Trails Manager Charlotte Staats. “With these improvements to the Silver Lake Bog trail in place, ADK hopes that more people will be able to enjoy the fantastic benefits that come with getting outdoors.”