The state Department of Environmental Conservation has released a concept plan for a hut-to-hut system in the Five Towns area of the central Adirondacks: Newcomb, Long Lake, Indian Lake, Minerva and North Hudson.

The plan was developed by Leading EDGE of Saranac Lake and had been requested by the Five Towns.

The idea behind the hut-to-hut system is that it would encourage visitors to stay for longer periods of time and would promote more visitation to villages and towns in the park. The hut-to-hut plan is also geared toward increasing winter tourism.

The plan calls for a number of “traverse” trails that would lead visitors to the area from one lodging option to another using existing and new trails.

The plan includes a number of routes that would go through both state and private land, and would offer a wide variety of lodging options. From self-serve, low-cost options to upscale lodging, the hut-to-hut system is meant to be affordable for a wide range of tourists.

The plan calls for distances of 8 to 12 miles between lodging options, and included input from dozens of stakeholder groups and would “create regional tourism destinations and more sustainable communities by expanding the tourist-based economy and increasing multiple overnight stays,” the DEC said in a press release. The plan should “promote conservation by broadening the demographic constituency for protecting the Adirondacks, focusing backcountry camper impact and modeling green building practices, and increase international awareness of the Adirondack Park.”

To read the entire conceptual plan, visit online at www.dec.ny.gov/lands/106101.html.