County bus driver Ken White drives the hiker shuttle on state Route 73 in October 2021. (Enterprise photo — Lauren Yates)

KEENE VALLEY — The free state-funded, county-operated Route 73 shuttle system will return to serve hikers and leaf peepers for its third year on Sept. 23, running from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays until Oct. 9.

“DEC and our partners in Essex County, the town of Keene, and ROOST are proud to resume the Route 73 hiker shuttle for the busy 2023 fall hiking season,” New York state Department of Environmental Conservation commissioner Basil Seggos said in a statement Thursday. “The shuttle improves access to some of New York state’s most popular natural resources while reducing trailhead and roadside parking pressure. This collaborative and environmentally conscious program demonstrates our commitment to a proactive and data-driven approach to help manage visitors.”

The shuttle system is funded through the New York state Environmental Protection Fund and operated by Essex County Public Transportation. It was launched in 2021 due to longstanding public safety concerns stemming from a crush of nature-seekers on peak weekends. Trailhead parking lots would fill up early on peak weekends — often the Labor Day and Columbus Day holiday weekends — prompting later-arriving hikers to park illegally along the roadside and walk to their desired trailhead, making Route 73 more hazardous to navigate.

The shuttle route starts and ends at the Marcy Field parking area due to its plethora of parking spaces. The shuttle will make stops on its loop at several trailheads: Giant Mountain Ridge Trail, Rooster Comb and Roaring Brook Falls. A route map and shuttle schedule are available on the DEC website. Both parking at Marcy Field and the shuttle ride are free.

One bus, which will accommodate up to 20 riders, is currently scheduled to operate. Boarding is available on a first-come, first-served basis. Pets are not allowed on the shuttle; service animals are permitted.

The town of Keene’s long-standing shuttle service will also transport hikers from Marcy Field to the Garden Trailhead on weekends until Oct. 8. The shuttle will be free on the days that the Route 73 shuttle is also running. Typically running from late June or early July to early October, the town’s shuttle did not start operating until Aug. 26 this year due to staffing struggles.

“The late start is entirely due to the difficulty staffing and hiring a qualified driver,” Keene town Supervisor Joe Pete Wilson Jr. told the Enterprise in August, shortly before service resumed for the year.

Despite the glut of illegally-parked cars on Route 73, which prompted the DEC to ramp up ticketing efforts, ridership on the hiker shuttle has been slow to catch on. The shuttle only ran for a few weeks in 2021. During its first full season in 2022, it saw a total of 214 riders, DEC spokesperson Lori Severino told the Enterprise earlier this year.

“The highest ridership occurred during select weekends in September and October (2022). A second shuttle route operated the first two weekends in October for those looking for a scenic ride to view the fall colors. The scenic shuttle saw 47 total riders over those two weekends,” according to the DEC.

Four shuttles were purchased in 2021 when this service was launched. The Enterprise reported last month that one of the shuttles will be repurposed for use as an educational resource.

“The station will first be deployed at Marcy Field for the 2023 fall hiking season,” Salka said. “The bus is equipped with a TV allowing for video education opportunities in addition to resources like maps, alternate locations, trail conditions, parking information and safety and preparedness information.”

The DEC confirmed Thursday that the educational station is still slated for the 2023 fall hiking season, but could does not have a set date for the program to begin.