In partnership with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and Adirondack Hamlets to Huts, and with support from the Town of Wells, the Adirondack Land Trust has protected 1.1 miles of natural shoreline and 60 acres of forest along Griffin Gorge on the East Branch of the Sacandaga River.  

The benefits of this community-inspired conservation project in Hamilton County include: 

  • Adding 60 acres to the forever wild Forest Preserve adjacent to the Siamese Ponds Wilderness.
  • Protecting 1.1 miles of natural shoreline along Griffin Gorge, a dramatic section of the East Branch of the Sacandaga River known for unique rock formations and cascading falls.
  • Securing a public access easement on 18 acres to enhance recreational access to the Wilcox Lake Wild Forest and creating an opportunity to establish a sustainable tourism hub at the same site.

The Adirondack Land Trust and New York State Department of Environmental Conservation worked together to acquire a combined 78 acres from the estate and heirs of Fernando Sisto. In June 2024, 37 acres were donated directly to the state; 41 acres were purchased for $80,000 by the land trust in September 2024. 

Thanks to guidance from additional partners, including Adirondack Hamlets to Huts, the Town of Wells, the Hamilton County Industrial Development Agency, and Adirondack civic leader Bill Farber, these land transactions were configured with an eye toward achieving ecological, social, and economic benefits.  

After the state secures a public access easement from the Adirondack Land Trust on an 18-acre roadside parcel, the land trust will donate the parcel to Adirondack Hamlets to Huts, a nonprofit organization creating community-based hut-to-hut trail routes throughout the Adirondacks. The long-range goal for the site is to transform it into a lodging and education facility that supports outdoor recreation excursions, fosters stewardship of conservation lands, interprets local history, and promotes personal wellness. 

A climate resilience grant from The Nature Conservancy and a grant from the J.M. McDonald Foundation aided the Adirondack Land Trust’s land purchase. 

Photo by Carl Heilman II. Map by Adirondack Land Trust Stewardship & GIS Manager Becca Halter.