St. Lawrence County beckons
160 KILOMETRES OF TRAIL OPEN JUST OVER THE BORDER
By Deb Christy, St. Lawrence County Trails
St.
PHOTO BY JASON HUNTER, JOHNSON NEWSPAPERS
Lawrence County, just over the Prescott-Ogdensburg or
Cornwall-Massena bridges into New York State, boasts
160 kilometres of family oriented Multi-Use Trails, one of the few
areas in the state that welcome ATVs on the trails. The trail is open
to hikers, bikers, horseback, and snowmobiles in winter.
A new section of trail ‘The Brasher Community Connector’
starts at North Lawrence Church Street Playground with an ATV
06 | FISH, HUNT RIDE
Parking Area and kiosk with a map of the trail system and rules.
Traveling from the Cornwall-Massena bridge take NY Rt 420 South
to NY 11C East. It is 26 kilometre or about 23 minutes from the
bridge to the parking area. Just a block away from the parking
area North Lawrence has the Pit Stop Diner for breakfast, lunch,
and dinner, North Lawrence Supermarket for gas and snacks, and
the Jug Tavern for a cold beverage after a fun day of riding.
The trail starts along an old railroad bed through open wetlands
and shrub swamps; a great place to view Blue Heron, ducks,
geese, and turtles. The trail continues
through open farm fields and rolling hills
on private lands, and town and county
roads to Ft. Jackson Forest where you will
see beautiful pine and spruce plantations
that were established on what were
formerly farm fields and pastures. Keep
your eye open for deer, turkey, pheasant,
and partridge along the trail.
From there you climb into the
Adirondack Foothills connecting through
scenic wooded areas to the East section
of trail starting in Franklin County on Lake
Ozonia Road in the Town of Hopkinton.
Lydia’s Place, a new campground is just
being completed with water, electric and
septic hookups. At the corner of Lake
Ozonia Road and Route 11B is Lamphere’s
Market for gas, snacks, quick homemade
lunches, and ice cream. The trail
continues to Parishville where there is a
Kunoco Convenience Store for gas, snacks
or a lunch and just down the road is the
Cedar Lodge; a regular stop of trail users
for lunch and dinner.
A visit to the county Chamber
of Commerce website: www.
NorthCountryGuide.com will get you a
free trail map where you will find easy
access to trails, parking, food, gas, and
lodging through the small hamlets along
the trail system. What the map won’t
show is the warmth and hospitality
along St. Lawrence County trails. This is
definitely Small Town, USA and you’re
never a stranger! Everywhere you go
you’re offered companionship, insider trail
tips, good fun and great service.
Deb Christy, St. Lawrence County
trails co-ordinator on the new
stretch of the multi-use trail.
www.fishhuntandride.ca