§ 49-0503. Establishment of state geological trail.

1. The commissioner, in cooperation with the commissioners of
transportation and economic development, shall establish a state
geological trail to include the areas, territories and sites designated
by the commissioner pursuant to subdivision two of section 49-0501 of
this title. The purpose of such trail shall be to identify and promote
such areas, territories and sites to the public, and promote the
economic, scientific, cultural and conservation aspects thereof.

2. To the greatest extent practicable, the state geological trail
shall include areas and sites across the state going east and west, and
north and south throughout the entire state. Consideration shall be
given to having the designated portions of the state geological trail
intersect at the city of Albany, in recognition of its importance in the
geology of the state. In designating the state geological trail
consideration shall also be given to scientific and/or scenic importance
relating to geological, and related cultural, ecological and
archeological features.

3. In developing and approving such trail, the commissioner shall
ensure that proposed trail routes do not conflict with existing scenic
byways designated pursuant to section three hundred forty-nine-dd of the
highway law or wine trails designated pursuant to section three hundred
forty-three-k of the highway law, and ensure that the trail route is
designed and laid out so that it is relatively simple and easy to follow
for users and contains few branches or laterals that dead end.