Foxy Brown Ski Loop | Piseco, NY
The Foxy Brown Trail, named after Adirondack hermit Foxy Brown, is a multi-use 5.6-mile loop located within the Jessup River Wild Forest. Foxy Brown worked in logging around Lake Pleasant and Speculator before building himself a small log cabin in the backcountry outside of Piseco. The trail runs along the Piseco Airport runway before routing users through hardwood forest with patches of spruce-fir forest and meadow-shrub swamp mixed in. On a recent sunny day, Evan made his way to Piseco to scope out the trail system. With fresh snow on the ground, the path under foot wound through beautifully-coated forest and drew near to Fall Stream at around the halfway point.
Non-motorized recreation is permitted year-round, with skiing and snowshoeing being the preferred uses in the winter. In a partnership with the NYSDEC through a Volunteer Stewardship Agreement, the Piseco Lake Association and its volunteers help to maintain the Foxy Brown Trail. In 2020, NYSDEC staff and volunteers constructed a 150’ ski bridge, repaired existing bridges, removed brush and blowdown, and installed new signage and trail markers. The improvements have definitely attracted more skiers and snowshoers to the area. The established norms of common courtesy on winter trails are to be practiced by users of the Foxy Brown Trail, including avoiding any foot traffic, including snowshoeing, in the established ski track by walking to the side whenever possible.
