Tonight I write this words on my laptop, camping on West River Road, along the West Branch of the Sacanadaga River. This a beautiful site, soon to be gated off miles in the distance, to supposedly improve the “wilderness” character of this area.

Despite the fact that …

The lands of the state, now owned or hereafter acquired, constituting the forest preserve as now fixed by law, shall be forever kept as wild forest lands. They shall not be leased, sold or exchanged, or be taken by any corporation, public or private, nor shall the timber thereon be sold, removed or destroyed.

… the Department of Environmental Conservation and the Adirondack Park Agency feels it neccessary to close off West River Road to “enhance” the wilderness quality of the “Silver Lake Wilderness”. West River Road will never be expanded or extended, and it’s unlikely many campsites will ever be added to it because the lands are forever wild, and no tree over 3″ may ever cut.

I am not advocating for paving over the Adirondack Park for strip malls, or running high-speed expressways through virgin forest. I am advocating for keeping traditional, well maintained, roads open, and protecting our remaining roads and campsites in their traditional uses.

Yet, still the DEC finds it’s hands tied due to Adirondack Park State Land Master Plan that dicates the Adirondack Park’s state land must become increasingly restricted in public use, and that more restrictions must be placed on public use — less camping, less roads open to the public.

It’s sad, because people like myself liked camping on these lands. While in the future, people will be able to walk on this perfectly good road for vehicular traffic, and backpack into the limited number of campsites, roadside camping might forever be gone from this area. More and more Adirondack Park Roads are forever gone, and unless your willing to backpack in often many miles, these lands will forever be closed off for public use.