PARISHVILLE — St. Lawrence County has quietly opened its all-terrain-vehicle trail.
Maintenance on the much-delayed trail has been done for more than a week and volunteers have spent the last several days discussing riding times with law enforcement and printing maps and rules. With little riding season left, the county has forgone a grand opening and ribbon-cutting.
"I'm sure little kinks and problems will occur," said Legislator Alex A. MacKinnon, R-Fowler. "Maybe we'll be able to use this opportunity so when spring comes and the frost goes out, we'll be able to address them."
After 18 months of repeatedly delaying approval to make sure the trail will stand up to legal challenges, town councilors agreed in June to allow riding on sections of eight roads. County legislators OK'd riding in some forests and along a stretch of County Route 58 in December 2006. ATV riders first asked the county to create a trail in 2004.
"The whole point is to see if we can open a trail, run it and keep it in the proper condition," said Judy Wendt, president of the county ATV Association.
More than 50 volunteers cleared brush and removed trees across the forest logging trails that make up most of the 22-mile track.
Triangle signs alerting riders to curves and hazards have been posted. A June thunderstorm knocked down many trees and delayed work, Ms. Wendt said. A July 4 opening once was eyed.
The work was coordinated by the county's recreational trails advisory committee. Technically, it's a multiuse trail, but the emphasis has been on ATVs and testing a state Supreme Court decision regarding the use of roads. Roads can be used only to connect established trail heads that are otherwise separated.
A parking area is available at the Fire Department's field near the old town landfill on Rutman Road. A kiosk there will have copies of maps and rules. The speed limit is 15 mph.
Association members will patrol the trails on weekends to offer guidance and solicit reactions.
"We want to see how much wear and tear we actually get. We want to see if signs need to be moved," Ms. Wendt said. "If we find the trail is getting more use than practical, we'd have to consider some kind of trail hardener like gravel."
The trail goes from White Road to Picketville Road, the end of which has neighboring forest areas that permit riding. Picketville Road connects with Perkins Road, which riders will use to travel to Cook Road and a forest area.
Perkins Road continues to Chapel Hill Road, where riders will turn left onto a short section of County Route 58, which becomes Russell-Turnpike Road. A forest along County Route 58 is open for riding.
The Russell-Turnpike Road connects to Cobble Road, which dead-ends into a forest where riding is allowed.
It continues to Benson Road, from which riders can access the westernmost forest area included in the trail.
