Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation

June 04, 2015

Randy Simons | Dan Keefe
(518) 486-1868 | news@parks.ny.gov

Saratoga Spa State Park Celebrates National Trails Day with Dedication of $315,000 Trails Project

Saratoga Spa State Park trails provide vital connections to the broader community

In recognition of upcoming National Trails Day, Saturday June 6, 2015, Saratoga Spa State Park today dedicated two miles of paved multi-use recreational trails and unveiled a new park trail map featuring 13 miles of trails within the park. The $315,000 trail improvement project was funded by Governor Andrew M. Cuomo's NY Parks 2020 plan.

"Our newest trails provide wonderful opportunities to explore the diverse landscape, the mineral springs and historic architecture of Saratoga Spa State Park - and to safely connect to surrounding neighborhoods," said Alane Ball Chinian, Saratoga-Capital Region Director of the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation. "I encourage people to participate in National Trails Day by taking advantage of the park's expanding trail network."

The park's trail improvements include:

• Completing one mile of paved bike-pedestrian trail along Route 9/South Broadway. The trail links East-West Road to Gideon Putnam Road, extending the existing trail that begins at the Avenue of the Pines, and creating a new trail loop within the park. This new trail helps increase the park's connectivity to the community as well.
  
• Establishing a new nearly one-mile paved off-road Peerless Loop trail around the Peerless Pool complex.
  
• Providing an updated trail map to make it easier for park patrons to explore the over 13 miles of trails available at the park. This new map is available on the park website.

"This new trail also plays an important role as part of our city's expanding network of bike and pedestrian routes, connecting our park with our community in a way that is good for our health, our environment and our economy, and, not to be forgotten, also a lot of fun," said Douglas Meyer, chair of the Saratoga Greenbelt Trail Committee.

"Saratoga PLAN and its volunteers have long played a role in working with community partners to further the vision of a robust integrated trail network for Saratoga County," said Saratoga PLAN Executive Director Maria Trabka. "The addition of this new trail is a significant link in lengthening and connecting a trail system that will extend from Moreau to Waterford, providing safe routes for alternative transportation, connecting many communities, and offering outdoor recreational activities for local residents, tourists, and businesses."

"Parks & Trails New York has long had a vision of an interconnected system of parks and trails across New York State. With the addition of this new bike path in Saratoga, this statewide network is another step closer," said Parks & Trails New York Executive Director Robin Dropkin. "What better way to celebrate National Trails Day than with the expansion of New York's trails network and access to healthy outdoor recreation and active transportation opportunities."

Several trail improvement projects have been completed in the park over the last few years. In 2012 State Parks created a new trail on the west side of the park along Route 50. The following year State Parks installed a pedestrian crossing on Route 50 to connect this trail within the park to the Railroad Run trail, which extends north of the park past the Saratoga YMCA. The new trail and pedestrian crossing allows safe access into the park by walking or bicycle on the west side. This project was funded by a Recreational Trails Program Grant and NY Parks 2020.

In addition to these recent projects, the park has an ongoing program of improving bike infrastructure, including installing bike racks throughout the park. Connecting the park's trails to the surrounding community adds value for both the park and the community, and the park plans to continue to work with its partners to do so. State Parks will be coordinating with the City of Saratoga Springs to connect the planned Geyser Road Trail to the park.

Under Governor Cuomo's leadership, New York State is making a historic commitment to improving and expanding access to outdoor recreation. The Governor's NY Parks 2020 program is a multi-year commitment to leverage $900 million in private and public funding for State Parks from 2011 to 2020. The Governor's 2015-16 Executive Budget allocates $110 million toward this initiative.

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