Wilmington’s Scenic Road Corridors

Wilmington is very fortunate to have scenic corridors that provide a natural backdrop of forest and water along the roads that connect points of interest around town. These scenic corridors are an irreplaceable asset that needs to be protected. Unfortunately, Wilmington’s zoning code provides minimal protection, and the Town needs to give a higher priority to protecting these corridors. Several of these scenic corridors are under great pressure for development that will degrade their natural beauty. It is likely that the pressure for development will continue or even accelerate in the future. Let’s take a closer look at these scenic corridors.

State Route 86 from the Town of North Elba line to the Flume Bridge over the Ausable River

The drive along the Ausable as it tumbles down Wilmington Notch into the Town of Wilmington is as beautiful as any road in the Adirondacks, and it has a perfect ending in the wild rush of water through the Flume.

State Route 86 from the Town of Jay line to Bilhuber Road

This stretch of Rt. 86 provides a lovely view of the valley through which Beaver Brook flows on its way to the West Branch of the Ausable, with a backdrop created by the Sentinel Mts, Whiteface Mt., and part of the Wilmington Range.

Whiteface Mountain Memorial Highway (State Route 431) from Route 86 to the Toll Gate

The “big climb” for cars and bikes leaving the 4 corners in Wilmington and heading uphill to Whiteface Mt. or west to Franklin Falls. Great view of the valley below Whiteface.

Hardy Road from State Route 86 to Springfield Road

A biker’s dream with miles of mountain bike trails in the Beaver Brook Tract of the Wilmington Wild, as well as the Three Sisters trail that connects Hardy Rd. to Wilmington’s town center. Hardy Rd. provides a bike-friendly corridor with views of Whiteface Mt at its southern end and views of Bassett Mt. and Rattlesnake Rd in it’s more northerly half, as well as nice sections of tree-lined road along the way.

Bilhuber Road from County Route 19 (Haselton Road) to State Route 86

This corridor winds through open fields and past Hamlin Mt., then descending through a forested section to Haselton Rd. and ending very near a bridge with a lovely view of the West Branch of the Ausable River. This corridor connects to the Hardy Rd. corridor at Rt. 86, providing about five miles of a superb biking corridor from Springfield Rd. to Haselton Rd.

Fox Farm Road from Route 86 to the Springfield Road

A nice corridor linking Rt. 86 to Springfield Rd, but also a corridor that is currently negatively impacted by the deconstruction and reconstruction of the KOA campground.

John Bliss Road - from County Route 19A (Bonnie View Road) to County Route 19 (Haselton Road)

A forested corridor that winds uphill from Haselton Rd, near the West Branch of the Ausable, to Bonnieview Rd.