Nestled in the town of Jay is a community run network of trails offering a serene setting to enjoy the outdoors. The Jay Community Recreational Centre (Land Trust) is a volunteer-based non-profit organization consisting of 300 acres for activities including snowshoeing, x-country skiing and fat biking in the winter as well as mountain biking and nature walks in the summer. Visitors can roll, glide and snowshoe their way through eight miles of maintained tracks and trails that cover about 1,500 feet of vertical landscape, while meandering through a diverse forest surrounded by streams flowing into the Jay Branch. A new two mile connector trail was recently added to the mix that starts from the Jay Peak Nordic Center and crosses through the golf course before eventually joining the Jay Rec. trails below.
The Jay Community Rec. Centre and trail system are made possible thanks to local fundraising efforts by dedicated organizations and individuals like the Jay Focus Group and the Jay Community Recreational Centre Committee along with volunteers like Sally Rivard who works with the town of Jay as the Land Manager, while overseeing projects like trail expansions, educational programs and construction of features like the new pump track, gazebo and bathroom facilities.
Nearby schools like Jay/Westfield Elementary and Troy School use the area to enjoy outdoor programs with their students, and the community comes together on several occasions for events and trail stewardship efforts. The winter trails are also maintained by volunteers as needed. Folks like Ethan Dull, owner of the Jay Cloud Cyclery and Jay Peak’s Vehicle & Roads Manager, Rick Thompson donate their time to grooming the trails throughout the season, before things switch over for summer use.
