The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and Essex County are launching a new shuttle route to help manage safe, sustainable visitation to backcountry destinations in the Adirondack High Peaks.
The new route builds on the existing Route 73 shuttles and will run on select summer and fall weekends from Frontier Town Gateway in North Hudson, to transportation to some of the region’s most scenic locations.
August Thru-Hike Shuttle
On August 8th and 15th, visitors can board the shuttle at the Frontier Town Gateway (the A-frame building in North Hudson, just off Exit 29 of I-87) to begin their overnight camping trip by thru-hiking one of the most unique wilderness areas without the burden of parking a vehicle at both ends. The shuttle will drop riders off at the Adirondak Loj in North Elba to provide entry into the High Peaks Wilderness.
Visitors would then hike and camp overnight for up to three nights and four days as they make their way to the opposite side of the High Peaks Wilderness to the Tahawus Upper Works trailhead in Newcomb. The shuttle will pick up participating riders from Tahawus Upper Works at 2 pm daily on the following Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday before returning riders to the Frontier Town Gateway.
The shuttle accommodates up to 20 people and pre-registration for the August trips is required. Sign up by visiting the Love Your Adirondacks website. Make sure to plan accordingly for lengthy trips by visiting DEC’s website and other resources to ensure proper preparation before going into the Adirondack backcountry.
October Foliage Shuttle
To accommodate visitors seeking fall foliage hikes and views, no-cost shuttles will run on October 1st and 2nd and again over Indigenous Peoples’/Columbus Day weekend on October 8th, 9th, and 10th.
The route will go from the Frontier Town Gateway to the Giant Mountain, Roaring Brook Falls, Rooster Comb trailheads, and the Marcy Field Parking Area. These are the same drop-off locations currently offered by the Route 73 Hiker Shuttle from Marcy Field, but the route provides increased access for visitors to further alleviate unsafe and illegal parking in the Route 73 corridor. The gateway shuttle stop is also conveniently located near the DEC Frontier Town Campground, Equestrian and Day Use Area.
These new shuttle programs are an expansion of the Route 73 Hiker Shuttle program first piloted by Essex County and DEC in 2021 and currently running on weekends from Marcy Field in Keene with stops at the Rooster Comb, Giant Mountain, and Roaring Brook Falls trailheads. The Route 73 Hiker Shuttle operates Saturdays, Sundays, and holiday Mondays through Columbus Day weekend from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. No reservations are needed. Stewards are stationed at Marcy Field to help hikers navigate the shuttle system and educate on responsible recreation, including preparedness, hiking safety, and Leave No Trace principles. Learn more about the Route 73 shuttle program and find a route map and shuttle schedule on the DEC website.
The Frontier Town Gateway shuttle partnership also includes the Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism (ROOST), the towns of Keene and North Hudson, and the Frontier Town Gateway.
Photo of Frontier Town Campground, Equestrian and Day Use Area courtesy DEC.
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