Welcome to FNT!
Want to get involved? Go to Events
Want to become a member? Go to Membership
Want to support FNT? Shop our online merchandise store or shop with Amazon Smile
Wondering about etiquette on the trail? Go to COVID-19 Health & Safety and Trail Etiquette
Looking for something to do this weekend? Go to Local Outdoor Adventures or try our Great Tree Bike Tour
Want to learn more about FNT? Watch the recording of our 2021 Annual Meeting.
4th Annual Great Tree Bike Tour
Grab your helmets and blow up your tires because our Great Tree Bike Tour 2022 map is available for download now through Sunday, May 29.
Take a self-guided tour through the neighborhoods of Northampton while experiencing these 11 champion trees. Each stop features an audio description of the story and unique nature of these 11 champion trees, accessible by QR code. The map for this free activity can be accessed at the link below.
CREDITS & HISTORY
The 2019 Great Tree Bicycle Tour grew out of a 2018 summer project by Smith College Botanical Garden Intern Madeleine Lombard who worked with both Smith College and the City of Northampton to highlight exceptional tree specimens in downtown Northampton and integrate them into Smith’s existing campus-wide “TreeSpeak” program.
TreeSpeak allows passersby to learn about a given specimen tree by scanning with their smartphone a QR label on the tree and access an audio file that teaches about that tree.
In Fall 2019, two local non-profit organizations, Tree Northampton (TN) and Friends of the Northampton Trails (FNT), teamed up to expand the “Tree Speak” in Northampton and promote extraordinary trees–as well as biking–by co-sponsoring a city-wide “Great Tree Bicycle Tour”. Many talented TN and FNT volunteers, in coordination with Smith College and the Northampton Department of Public Works, researched and recorded more audio files, and created an interactive map and signage for biking the tour. Over 150 bicyclists joined the tour which highlighted three “state champion” trees as well as trees that have deep historic importance to Northampton.
In 2020, as part of Bay State Bike Month, FNT revised the brochure and made it freely available online.
WHERE DO I START?
- Download and print the brochure here.
- If you’re coming from out of town, we recommend parking in the Old South Street lot. Plug in the code “8989+JG Northampton MA” or “Old South Street Parking” into your Google Maps app.
- Once parked, follow the map to destination #1 on Old South Street. When you arrive, pull out your map & use the camera app on your smartphone to scan the first QR code.
- The tour finishes at Maines Field.
What is Bikes for All?
What is FNT’s Bicycle Benefits Program?
Calling all local businesses!
We are partnering with Bicycle Benefits, a program that offers discounts and benefits to customers who bike to participating shops.
Here’s how it works:
Businesses become Bicycle Benefit members through FNT and sell a bike helmet sticker to cyclists for $5 each.
Businesses will be listed on the Bicycle Benefits website as well as a shoutout from us.
Once cyclists buy the sticker, they are eligible for discounts or deals at participating businesses (BOGO, or 10% off etc). We’ll help with outreach to encourage cyclist participation in the program.
The cost of a starter kit is $25 and includes 10 stickers to sell to customers for $5 each, decals for your shop window and cash register and informational material.
We are pleased to offer the first 20 business participants the kits at no cost — just fill out this form and we will be in touch and drop off your kit to your location.
Fill out the form here:
http://bit.ly/FNTbikebenefits
Let’s get folks on their bikes this spring!
News
[Webinar] Trails For Everyone: Creating and Using Accessible Soft Surface Trails
This free webinar is intended to spread awareness around accessible recreation trails and give some insight into these trails from project creation to the final user experience.
•Jeff Bagg, Easthampton City Planner, and Peter Flinker, President of Dodson & Flinker Landscape Architecture and Planning, will give a presentation and take questions about their current project, Mt. Tom North, which is Easthampton’s newest accessible trail and is scheduled to be completed this summer.
•Karen Foster, Executive Director of All Out Adventures will talk about the organization’s adaptive recreation programs, and give some tips about making outdoor programming more accessible.
•Meg Bandarra, a Director on FNT’s Board as well as the founder of Unpaved Trails For All and Amy Sugihara, an accessible trails advocate will speak about the trail user experience, barrier identification, and ways to make existing trails more accessible.
This webinar is both for people who want to build accessible recreation trails, and those who want to use and enjoy them, but anyone who’s interested in learning more about unpaved accessible trails and adaptive recreation activities is welcome to attend.
Registration is required, and can be found at us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0kfu6vrTssHdOGJ11XbyS0ESrvCePqX_tZ
![[Webinar] Trails For Everyone: Creating and Using Accessible Soft Surface Trails](https://scontent-ort2-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/283038237_1457504088017067_5718681336676213923_n.jpg?_nc_cat=100&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=1091cb&_nc_ohc=eiFoBQWtxMEAX-GKK48&_nc_ht=scontent-ort2-2.xx&edm=AH-QVG4EAAAA&oh=00_AT8F8aNxSmWmPmS41d5XkcgowKmJawtHuCmHVj3vmIXT6g&oe=628F76CE)
Wouldn’t miss it for the world!Posted @withregram • @unpavedtrails4all
Kestrel is pleased to share this opportunity from our partners!
To coincide with events surrounding @americanhiking National Trails Day-@unpavedtrails4all is hosting a webinar on June 2nd to raise awareness about accessible trails. Link for more info or to register in their bio. ♿️. They say:
We’ll have some great topics and speakers- @easthampton_planning and @dodsonflinker will do a presentation and Q&A about Mt. Tom North, a new mountainside trail in Easthampton Ma. that meets USFS accessible trail guidelines. @aoaalloutadventures will talk about their fantastic adaptive recreation programs and give some tips on ways to make outdoor activities more accessible. We’ll also be talking about the trail user experience, identifying barriers and ways to make existing trails more accessible with two trail users/advocates. Thanks to our co-sponsor for this event @fntrails
#nationaltrailsday #hikingtrails #masstrails #trailbuilding #trailbuilder #accessibletrails
All the Bike Month details you've been waiting for! Check out our latest newsletter to find out!
mailchi.mp/1e113d57d659/fnts-at-it-again-bike-month-other-shenanigans?e=eda6e34401
Stop by the Art Wall near the skate park on the Northampton trail to splash some creative color of your own.
Happy happy Bay State Bike Month!
Visit www.baystatebikemonth.org for more!
Critical Mass Ride
Critical Mass Rides are a form of direct action wherein cyclists gather on a main road to "occupy" the space and get drivers' attention.
These rides are intended to highlight one of the many alternatives to driving and bring attention to the need for improved bicycle infrastructure and safety. We ride to support the planet, promote alternative transportation, build community, and remind drivers that these are our streets too! Bring your friends and family!
Meet us at Pulaski Park on Thursday, May 19 at 6pm.
Wow, this is a fantastic recap of our "It's My Rail Trail" cleanup party earlier this month! Thanks again Budget Dumpster Rental for the generous donation of a dumpster. We couldn't have done it without you!
Cleaning Up With Friends of Northampton Trails
www.budgetdumpster.com
We donated a 20 yard dumpster to Friends of Northampton Trails earlier this month. Together, we cleared a popular bike path near downtown Northampton.Coming soon!
Trailhead, accessible trail taking shape on Mount Tom
ow.ly
EASTHAMPTON — The outlook of an ongoing city project is getting clearer as the Mount Tom North Trailhead Park nears completion. Since the fall of 2021, the city has been constructing a trail system ...Good news - local walkers n hikers. CT river valley.