LOCALadk Magazine

LOCALadk 59 using the trails on a regular basis. For many, this is their first experience mountain biking, and providing free access to high quality trails has allowed Caroga residents to experience the thrill of the sport without having to travel great distances. It's also been incred- ible just how fast word has spread. Almost overnight people started arriving from all around the Northeast and beyond. Caroga Town Supervisor, Scott Horton, commented, "Just over three years ago, we didn't even have a shovel in the ground. In such a short time, this evolved into one of the premier downhill mountain bike trails in the northeast." Since opening in 2020, we have added more trails, hosted learn-to-ride events, and partnered with na- tional brands such as LL Bean and local not-for-profits to offer skills events aimed at new riders and kids. The Caroga-Wheelerville Connector Trail project (for which we are currently seeking funding through the Recre- ational Trails Program) seeks to connect Wheelerville with the downtown area of Caroga. These trails will also serve as a connection between the environment and the arts, as the trails will abut the property of the Caroga Arts Collective, and establish an immersive connection between the downtown entertainment area at the newly renovated Sherman's Park and the natural beauty of the surrounding landscape. Fulton County Planning Director, Scott Henze, noted that he believes "Wheelerville Trails is in its fledgling stages but growing each year in an exponential way. I believe that this is due to the demand for this type of facility, particularly in the Southern Adirondacks. I envision the downhill aspect of WT to be the main draw and fulfill the more adventurous population group. I see the future expansion of the connector trails leading into the Town's core downtown center and eventually to the Peck Hill trail system and the City of Gloversville/Johnstown with connection to the FJ&G Rail Trail to draw a more diverse group of riders. Fulton County is investing into Tourism more than ever. Part of the County's Tourism efforts has been to develop an organized multimodal trails program made up of biking trails, snowmobile trails and AT V/UT V trails. The Wheelerville Trails system is a major compo- nent of this program." For me, this project has always been about commu- nity development and revitalization. This can be done in many ways, but I believe that in the Northern Forest communities, supporting recreational tourism is vitally important. Mountain bikers have seen firsthand how the sport has quite literally brought small towns throughout America back to life, and I think that with the right support the same story can happen here in Caroga. The Town itself is still coming to terms with manag- ing "the bike trail" (as it's known locally), but due to the incredible talent of our build team, support from Fulton County and a focus on maintaining high trail standards, I'm starting to feel a little more confident that the trails are finally here to stay.

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