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DEC to ban roadside parking at Roaring Brook Falls

Roaring Brook Falls is seen in March 2016. (Enterprise photo — Chris Knight)

ST. HUBERTS — The state Department of Environmental Conservation announced that starting Friday, roadside parking along state Route 73 at Roaring Brook Falls will be permanently banned.

The ban, according to DEC, will help reduce the number of hikers and increase safety for drivers, hikers and pedestrians. The Roaring Brook trailhead is the main parking area for Giant Mountain – one of the Adirondacks’ High Peaks – as well as the falls and other shorter hikes.

“Parking will be prohibited on the shoulder of the northbound lane from the entrance to the Roaring Brook Trailhead Parking area north to the bridge over Putnam Brook,” a press release from DEC said. “Parking will be prohibited on the shoulder of the southbound lane between the guiderails south of Putnam Brook Bridge.”

The department also said that the state Department of Transportation will install “no parking” signs in the appropriate areas.

“There is limited sight distance because of the curve in the road and shoulders are narrow,” the press release said. “Legal parking is not available where guiderails prevent vehicles from parking along the road to the right of the white line.

“On busy weekend dozens of vehicles typically park in these sections. Due to the narrowness of the shoulder, occupants of vehicles open their doors into the lane of traffic and hikers have to walk in the highway to reach the trailhead. Closing these sections to parking will protect the safety of hikers and drivers.”

The press release also encourages hikers to visit a DEC webpage that lists hikes outside of the High Peaks region.

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