Adirondack High Peaks trail is getting a new route

LAKE PLACID, N.Y. (NEWS10) - In the Adirondacks, Mt. Jo has long been host to two trails. The short one runs 1.1 miles, with the long one stretching out slightly to 1.3 miles. The longer route is so identified because it takes a less steep route to reach the top of the mountain's 700-foot elevation gain. Now, that leisurely route is getting an overhaul.

This week, the Adirondack Mountain Club announced the completion of phase 1 of a new long trail on Mt. Jo. The trail was assessed in 2020, and was found in need of work, after supporting over 15,000 hikers every year. Sustainability and safety are the name of the game in getting the new trail up and running.

“We are so excited to announce this important project milestone," said Adirondack Mountain Club Trails Manager Charlotte Staats. "Through sustainable trail design, the new Mt Jo Long Trail increases hiker safety and reduces impacts to surrounding vegetation and soils.”

Hikers wanting to venture up that long route for an autumn hike should keep an eye out. The old section of trail has been closed to make way for the new.

In addition to acting as a popular easier hike in the High Peaks Wilderness, Mt. Jo has been used as a classroom site for outdoor education by the Adirondack Mountain Club's fourth-grade school outreach program. The new route broke ground in 2021, with help from donors, volunteers, and later a $50,000 grant from the Local Enhancement and Advancement Fund.

Hike map apps like AllTrails, Gaia and Strava are currently still showing the old version of the long trail. Staats says her team is in the process of getting that information corrected. The new long trail is planned to be completed in fall 2023.