Champlain Area Trails kicks off the Adirondack Harvest Festival with a Pre-Festival Hike.

  

For Immediate Release

September 15, 2023

Contact: Amber Adamson, 518-962-2287, Amber@champlainareatrails.com

Picture: Hikers on Viall’s Crossing

  

Champlain Area Trails kicks off the Adirondack Harvest Festival with a Pre-Festival Hike.

  

On Saturday, September 23rd, Champlain Area Trails (CATS) invites you to lace up your hiking shoes and join them for an easy, guided 6-mile loop hike and walk. The Farms and Forest Hike will be on the Westport Loop Trail and begin at 10 a.m., just before the Adirondack Harvest Festival kicks off in Westport, NY, at the Essex County Fairgrounds. 

  

Founded in 2009, CATS is an accredited land trust with a mission to build and maintain a network of hiking trails, protect land, connect people with nature, and promote economic vitality in the Champlain Valley. The Westport Trail Loop is one of 78 miles of trails created by CATS to provide outdoor recreation opportunities and boost tourism in the Adirondacks.

  

The Farms and Forest Hike starts on an old railroad bed, winds through wooded hills and farmland, crosses railroad tracks, loops through the Hemlock Hill and Woods & Swale trails, and then returns to Westport on roads. The terrain is easy to moderate, perfect for hikers and walkers of all ability levels. Along the way, you'll enjoy scenic vistas of the Adirondack countryside in early fall foliage.

  

The hike and walk ends at the Essex County Fairgrounds, where participants will join with everyone coming to enjoy the Adirondack Harvest Festival. The festival features local food, crafts, music, kids' activities, and more. It's the perfect way to support local farmers, artisans, and businesses in the Champlain Valley.

  

Plan to meet at the Essex County Fairgrounds at 10 a.m. for the guided hike. Please make sure to allow time for registration and signing waivers. If you can't make it at 10 a.m., feel free to come later and hike on your own. The festival runs from 12 pm to 5 pm.

  

The hike is free, but donations to CATS are appreciated to help CATS make and maintain more trails, protect land, and spread the joys of nature and outdoor recreation. Learn more at champlainareatrails.com

  

# # #

About Champlain Area Trails (CATS): Champlain Area Trails is an accredited land trust founded in 2009 to make trails, protect land, connect people with nature, and promote economic vitality in the Champlain Valley. CATS has created 78 miles of trails, protected 983 acres, and hosted hundreds of hikes, outdoor education outings, and volunteer events, attracting thousands of visitors to the Adirondack's Champlain Valley.