Page 24 - Town of Newcomb Comprehensive Plan - 2010

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2.7 Recreational Resources
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State Owned & Forest Preserve Lands
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The Town of Newcomb is the southern gateway to the Adirondack High Peaks, one of the most
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popular hiking areas in the northeast. There are over 77 miles of New York State Department of
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Environmental Conservation (DEC) marked and maintained trails within the Town, traversing
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such Adirondack High Peaks as Iroquois, Santanoni, and Mt. Marshall, as well as smaller
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summits such as Mt. Adams. SUNY ESF maintains a private trail open to the public up Goodnow
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Mountain. Along many of these trails are designated campsites and lean‐tos for public use.
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Perched atop Goodnow Mountain and Mt. Adams are two historic fire towers that attract many
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visitors. Both towers offer outstanding views of the Adirondacks High Peaks.
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There are the more than 70,000 acres of State owned Forest Preserve in the Town. Most of this
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land is classified as Wilderness or Wild Forest by the Adirondack Park Agency. The primary
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difference is that motorized uses are allowed in Wild Forest areas, but not in Wilderness.
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Recreational opportunities abound throughout the Forest Preserve. Snowmobiling, hiking,
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camping, rock and ice climbing, hunting, fishing, bird watching,
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mountain biking, horseback riding, cross‐country and backcountry
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skiing, canoeing, flat‐water and whitewater rafting and kayaking,
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photography, are just some the activities one can participate in .
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One of the major access points to the High Peaks Region is located
within Newcomb at the end of Upper Works Road. The trails
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leading to Calamity Pond, the Flowed lands, and the High Peaks
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are some of the most heavily traveled in Adirondack Park.
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According to the DEC, in 2008, 333 hikers registered at the
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Shattuck Clearing trail registry on Northville‐Placid trial, 1,138
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H Hi ik ki i i in ng g i in n t th he e hikers used the Bradley Pond trail, 1,269 used the East River trail,
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A Ad di ir r r ro on nd da ac ck ks s 3,316 individuals signed in at Camp Santanoni, and 4,734 hikers
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signed in at Upper Works. According to SUNY ESF, approximately 5,692 hikers used the
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Goodnow trail. The DEC estimates that only about half of those using a trail sign in, so actual
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usage is approximately twice as high. Figure 9, Recreational Resource (see Appendix I)
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illustrates the Town’s many trails and recreational resources.
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Parks
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For those who like camping with amenities, the New York State DEC operates a campground
along the north shore of Lake Harris. The Lake Harris Campground is a 90‐site facility that can
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accommodate anything from tents to 40 foot RVs. The campsite offers a variety of recreational
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opportunities including: canoeing and boating, fishing, hiking, and bicycling. The campground is
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Town of Newcomb Comprehensive Plan
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March 2010