Clarkson’s Back 40

There was a time in the mid 1990’s that on any given weekend you could find me on a trail somewhere in the Adirondack Park. My mother and I would pack up the ol Geo Tracker with mountain bikes and hiking shoes and hit the trails. Those moments on the trails are some of the best memories I have as a teenager. No late night parties or evenings at the mall for me, I had to be somewhere out in the woods. Well today the nostalgia came racing back as I hit the trails over at Clarkson University.

The campus was all but a ghost town as I rolled in. The property was manicured to perfection but the parking lots currently sit empty. Dorms and classroom halls are vacant taking a much needed break for the summer. Today I’m not here for higher education, I’m here to ride. I was still a bit skeptical about mountain biking on a college campus as I pulled my bike from the back of the truck, but I had to give it a try. Strapping on my helmet I took a quick look around and found the trail sign just off the side of the road, so I figured I was in the right spot. “Looks like I’m starting with the yellow trail today,” I thought to myself as I jumped on my bike. The first 30’ or so started off as a smooth grassy trail. Quickly the trail veered off into the woods and I no longer felt like I was on a college campus. Surrounded by the lush green trees and the earthy smell of fresh mud I felt like I was 17 again.

Seeing the first puddle ahead I peddled harder. The black and brown water sprayed everywhere as my knobby tires went rolling through. This is what I was looking for. A chance to get good and dirty. The trail meandered over rocks, roots and downed trees.

My breathing and heart rate increase rapidly, reminding me that even though I felt 17 again, my body is definitely not 17. Climbing small hills and dashing down the declines I couldn't wait to see what was around the next bend in the trail. Finally I made it to the trail junction. The green trail was much smoother and wider. It reminded me of an old logging road that had been well maintained. You could easily drive a small SUV on it. The break my legs and lungs needed. Cruising at a comfortable pace, the trail started to go downhill. For several hundred yards I picked up speed as the wind whipped by my face. But what goes down must go up when you are trail riding. Around the corner the incline began. Huffing and puffing with every pedal stroke I gained a few feet. At the top of the hill I decided to take a break and catch my breath. It was at that moment I realized how dirty I really was. I hadn't seen that much mud on my body since I rode the Averyville Road in Lake Placid nearly 25 years ago.

A swig of water from my sludge covered water bottle and I was on my way. I was now on a mission, I had to find the beaver pond overlook. Remembering what the last trail map had shown me I knew I wasn't too far. Another few hundred yards down the trail I found a side trail that looked like it had a bit of a clearing through the forest. I took the trail and before I knew it I was riding across a maze of balance beams made of boards.

I had found it, the overlook. I climbed the stairs and looked out over the large pond.

Between the heart beats that I could feel in my head, the croaking of hundreds of frogs could be heard. It was absolutely beautiful. The North Country was in full bloom. Shades of green surrounded the pond as the birds sang and the turtles lazily slept on some logs. I took a few photos and headed back to my bike.

I decided to ride the rest of the green trail back to the main trail gate. From there I rode the campus road back to my truck. “What a great morning ride” I thought to myself as I kicked off my muddy shoes and helmet. With burning leg muscles and a smile on my face I headed home knowing that I would be returning soon to ride amongst the trees again.

About this location:

The Clarkson Woods are a 400 acre forest that sits on the Clarkson University campus in Potsdam NY. The campus sits right off of Route 11 near the intersection with Route 345. Once on the campus follow the road that takes you over to Cheel Arena. From there you have two options, you can access the yellow trail next to the football field (like I did) or you can continue down the road.

It will take you around the water tower to a gravel parking lot. According to the Clarkson website this is considered the main entrance to the trails. Once there you will see a yellow gate across the road with just enough room to ride a bike through and a large trail map. All the trail signage clearly states that the trail system is open to the public. Once you are on the main trail you will see large obstacles just off the sides of the trail. These obstacles are used by the ROTC program.

Moving along the main path you will notice a bunch of small single track trails that spider web all through the property. These single tracks are the most fun in my opinion.

If you take the main trail all the way around it's about 1.7 miles long. If you add in all the single tracks, there is close to 6 miles of trail to use. While out on the trails I highly recommend that you take the time to check out the pond. I was amazed at how beautiful it was.

The university does a great job of keeping the trails maintained so please follow all their rules and make sure you Leave NO Trace. According to their website the trail system is open all year round for hiking, biking, cross country skiing, and snowshoeing. I will definitely be checking this out come winter. After all the years of attending hockey games on campus I couldn’t believe that I had never heard of this before. I happened to find it on the St. Lawrence County trails website. If you are looking for a place to have a Northern NY Adventure not too far from home you need to check out the Clarkson Woods. You won't be disappointed. LET’S GO TECH!!!!!

Aaron Hardy

Northern NY Adventures