To many people who use the Warren County Bikeway, the multi-use trail is just a neat place to bike, walk or run. But to local history buffs, the bikeway is much more than a recreational outlet, as many sites along the route were the scenes of significant events in two 18th century military conflicts.
To celebrate that history as the nation’s 250th birthday approaches, Warren County Department of Planning and Community Development has created a new Letterboxing challenge that combines history and recreation on the bikeway, celebrating the centuries-old road that became the bikeway with a fun challenge to identify 10 important sites along the trail.
Letterboxing is a growing hobby that incorporates orienteering, art and puzzle solving to find hidden treasures and complete a challenge.
The new Letterbox the Bikeway challenge takes participants from the bikeway’s beginning in Glens Falls to its end at Battlefield Park in Lake George, with stops at 10 historically significant locations in between.
The goal is to find the Letterboxing sites along the trail using clues that are in the form of riddles. Solving the riddles results in the discovery of a stamp in a weatherproof box to stamp a passport to document completion of the challenge. Passports can be found at locations detailed on the challenge website.
The bikeway follows a portion of the path of the old military road that was integral to troop movements during the U.S. Revolution and the French and Indian War. Fort Amherst, Halfway Brook, Colonel Williams Monument and several military engagement sites are among the Letterboxing stops.
“There are so many neat and interesting things to see along Warren County Bikeway, chief among them historic sites where events occurred that helped shape our region and nation. We hope Letterboxers will enjoy this challenge and appreciate the role that Warren County played in the formative years of the United States,” said Sara Frankenfeld, Warren County GIS and co-architect of Letterbox the Bikeway. “Special thanks go to Warren County Historian Stan Cianfarano and Warren County Historical Society Treasurer John Berry for their help with this exciting new challenge.”
Those who find all 10 Letterboxing stamps can send their completed passports to Warren County Department of Planning & Community Development to earn a stylish patch along with some historical knowledge and a feeling of accomplishment!
Letterbox the Bikeway was created by the Planning Department staff, who created the First Wilderness Letterboxing Challenge in 2021 and the Warren County Historians’ Challenge in 2022. The Historians’ Challenge is still alive, while the First Wilderness Challenge has been retired.
Though it’s formally known as the Warren County Bikeway, the 9.4-mile-long trail is actually a multi-use trail open to bicyclists, walkers and joggers. Letterboxers should be cognizant of other trail users, particularly bicyclists who can be moving at a good clip.
More information about Letterbox the Bikeway can be found at www.warrenny250.com/pages/letterboxing.