Construction is complete on the third and final phase of the Adirondack Rail Trail, making the 34-mile, multi-use recreational corridor between Lake Placid and Tupper Lake available year-round.
In addition, the train platform and maintenance shed project at the Adirondack Scenic Railroad’s Tupper Lake rail station is also now complete, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced Saturday.
The state sees these projects as offering “outdoor enthusiasts and those seeking improved passenger rail connectivity more opportunities to experience the Adirondacks.”
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The New York State Department of Transportation’s (NYSDOT) $13.5 million upgrade to the Tupper Lake station, which began in February 2024, included an 18-foot-wide by 550-foot-long low-level platform with a canopy and wheelchair lifts for accessibility and a baggage platform for loading bicycles and kayaks. A new maintenance shed will facilitate year-round maintenance of the locomotives and improved railroad operations well into the future.
About the rail trail
The Adirondack Rail Trail is now open for hikers, bikers, cross-country skiers, and snowmobile enthusiasts and connects the communities of Lake Placid, Saranac Lake, and Tupper Lake. The 34-mile trail corridor has a shallow grade, wide tread, and a firm surface to make it accessible to people with disabilities, Hochul’s office said.
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) manages and maintains the trail and the Office of General Services (OGS) led the trail design and construction throughout all three phases. Funding for the almost $40 million rail trail included $13.1 million from the 2022 Clean Water, Clean Air and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act, in addition to capital investments from New York Works and the State’s Environmental Protection Fund.
The Adirondack Rail Trail Association (ARTA) also assists DEC with trail maintenance, amenities, and stewardship through a Volunteer Stewardship Agreement with DEC, per Hochul’s office.
Work on the rail trail started in October 2020 when the NYSDOT began work to remove rail infrastructure from the Tupper Lake to Lake Placid segment of the corridor. In March 2022, DEC and NYSDOT announced the transfer of jurisdiction to DEC, marking the formal completion of the rail removal phase and the start of the formal trail design and construction phase, Hochul’s office said.
The entire corridor remains open to winter snowmobiling managed under the New York State Snowmobile Association.
