We have a particularly wide assortment of guided walks this spring! They include birding, hiking, and mushrooming opportunities, though there are always the spring ephemerals to discover. Joining us to lead two of the walks are representatives from Historic Altamont and Hudson Taconic Lands. Not all walks are on Tuesday, though all start at 10 a.m.; all last around 2 hours. There is no pre-registration. For information email [email protected]. Cancellations or changes may be found at www.ecosny.org or www.facebook.com/ecosny.
TUESDAY, APRIL 21
Dwaas Kill Preserve, Clifton Park: A dynamic and very beautiful area recently opened as a preserve. Some of us will explore the creek and ephemerals in the fairly even east side of the preserve, while hikers may want to head west to the terrific Far Outlook, which has a very well marked, one-direction trail that can get rugged. The preserve is largely bog, and even the trails may get a bit wet. Leader: Steve Jones. Directions: From Rt. 146A one can turn right (east) onto Kinns Rd., and in two miles left (north) onto Pierce Rd. The parking area is on the road, to the left, opposite Mazzone Hosptiality, 743 Pierce Rd. From Rt. 87 take exit 10, Ushers Rd., and almost immediately turn left onto Pierce Rd.
TUESDAY, APRIL 8
North Woods Preserve, Clifton Park: Comprising some 80 acres on the south side of the road Shadow Wood Way, this woodland is the former Village of Round Lake reservoir, with a pond streams, and offers nature trails for hiking, snowshoeing, and wildlife enjoyment, including deer, fox, owls, ducks, and wood peckers. Leader: Steve Bianconi. Directions: From Ushers Rd. turn north on to Burning Bush Blvd. This is about 2 miles from North Way exit 10, or 0.1 miles from Long Kill if coming from Jonesville. In about 2 tenths of a mile take 2nd left on to Thunderbird Dr.; in another 2 tenths take the first right on to Blue Spruce Ln. Straight 1 mile to first stop sign, turn right on to Shadow Wood Way. The park is 0.3 miles on the right, between street numbers 38 and 40. There is a kiosk with map. There is no parking area so parking is on the street. Be careful not to block driveways. (38 Shadow Wood Way, Ballston Lake, NY)
TUESDAY, APRIL 15
Reist Sanctuary, Niskayuna: A special opportunity in a Hudson-Mohawk Bird Club sanctuary. Its woods, dunes, and wetlands also include a variety of flowers as well as ferns, mosses, giant trees, and of course birds. The trail is often very muddy, so wear boots. We’ll meet at the west end of the Sanctuary, which has better parking. Bring binoculars if you are interested in birding. Leader: Kathleen LoGiudice. Directions: From the intersection of Balltown and Consaul, go east past the Hannaford Plaza. Take the first left onto Oakmont. Pass all the town houses. When you’ve passed the last one, parking for the Sanctuary is on the right. (Just north of 35 Oakmont St., Niskayuna, NY)
SATURDAY, APRIL 19
Peebles Island State Park, Cohoes: A well known yet often overlooked treasure, right in the middle of the Capital District. There are remnants of Revolutionary War fortifications as well as a historic textile factory. The park includes diverse upland forest and small prairie-style grasslands, with wide and well maintained gravel paths, and a few rolling hills. For those with mobility challenges we will stick to these for the first half of our walk, making a loop around the island’s northern end; for the second half we will do a little exploring of the wetlands and shorelines, so be prepared for wet feet. Leader: Skye van der Laan. Directions: Peebles Island is accessible from Rt. 32 in Waterford (take Second Ave.) or Rt. 4 in Troy (112th St. to Rail Road Dr./Delaware Ave.). Parking is free and located at the northern end on Delaware Ave. From either direction, cross a narrow bridge and follow the arrows into the parking lot. (1 Delaware Ave. North, Cohoes, NY)
TUESDAY, APRIL 22
High Point Trail, Thacher Park, Altamont: A two-mile long hike. Highlights will include the High Point multi-state view, old stone walls, karst topography, and new friendships There is no significant elevation change; some of the footing is rocky. Avid hikers may want to try the new Long Path extension down to Leesome Lane, though that may involve some further carpooling. Leader: Dave Bourque. Directions: Either go through Thatcher Park on Rt. 157, turn right on Ketcham Rd., right again on Rt. 157, right onto Old Stage Rd., past Carrick Rd., and a quarter mile on is parking along the High Point Trail. OR, from Altamont, drive up the hill from the Stewart’s Shop on Rt. 156, turn left onto Old Stage Rd.; after a steep switchback turn left into the parking area for High Point Rd, on Old Stage Rd.
SATURDAY, APRIL 26
Fisher Trail, Slingerlands: Fisher Trail is named for the fisher, a member of the weasel family found at Five Rivers, and for Fisher Blvd. It is ADA accessible to people with mobility disabilities and runs 0.66 mile from Fisher Blvd. to a viewing platform overlooking the Phillipinkill. Avid hikers can continue down a fairly steep trail into the ravine of the Phillipinkill and on to the Five Rivers Wild Turkey Trail. Join Ken Crosby, local nature photographer and land steward, on this walk to see and discuss some of the interesting aspects of established woodland, wetland, and fields. Directions: The kiosk where we will meet is at 47 Fisher Boulevard, Slingerlands, on the west side of the road. Fisher Blvd. runs between New Scotland Rd. (Rt. 85) and Delaware Ave. (Rt. 443) on the western edge of Slingerlands; the kiosk is not far from the northern (New Scotland) end. Please park efficiently. If needed, roadside parking the left of the parking lot is possible. Please note: Dogs are not allowed on the trail. (47 Fisher Blvd., Slingerlands, NY)
TUESDAY, APRIL 29
Lanford Wood Community Forest, Hoosick Falls: A new 500-acre preserve owned by Hudson Taconic Lands. It is mostly wooded and should have early spring wildflowers along the trail. The trail does climb several hundred feet so you may want to bring hiking poles. Leader: Tom Phillips. Directions: Follow Rt. 7 east of the Tomhannock Reservoir to a right turn on Babcock Lake Rd. In a half mile turn right again onto Baerschi Rd., and in another half mile turn right into the preserve’s parking area with the kiosk sign. (90 Baertschi Rd., Hoosick Falls, NY)
TUESDAY, MAY 6
Knox Wetland Preserve, Knox: A broad boardwalk, accessible for people with mobility issues, takes us through prime birding habitat, where we can see species like Virginia Rail, Sora, Common Gallinule, American and Least Bittern, as well as Swamp Sparrow and Marsh Wren. The boardwalk enables us to get close to marsh/wetlands plants that are usually difficult to see, such as arrowhead, watermeal, cattail, water avens, and five species of pondweed. Leader: Sigrin Newell. Directions: Located off Street Rd., between Rt. 252 / Knox Cave Road and Rt. 255 / Knox-Gallupville Rd., adjacent to the lower portion of Knox Town Park, where there’s a small parking lot on the left, but it is necessary to walk along the road to the entrance to the boardwalk trail. There is room for about two “special needs” cars at the beginning of the boardwalk. From there it is a short walk over dry gravel to get to the start of the boardwalk. (Street Rd., Knox, NY)
TUESDAY, MAY 13
Vale Park and Cemetery, Schenectady: This walk will focus on trees, wildflowers, ferns, and mushrooms (if we find any!). Vale Cemetery is an historic “rural” cemetery that opened in 1857 with the planting of over 1,000 trees. Today, it is a Level 1 Accredited Arboretum, with trees in the cemetery proper as well as a wilder section in the wooded ravine area where we will be walking. Co-leaders: Betsy Henry and Steve Jones. Directions: Use the entrance off Nott Terrace; from Schenectady’s State St. turn north on Nott Terrace and then right through the entrance; from Union St. turn south on Nott Terrace and left through the entrance. The address of the park is 171 Nott Terrace. (The State St address is for the cemetery proper.)
TUESDAY, MAY 20
Winn Preserve, Knox: This is a beautiful wooded preserve with low to medium-effort trails that wind through ferns and shady forests. Limestone fissures, rock outcroppings, and cliffs demonstrate the limestone karst geology of the Helderberg Escarpment. Leader: Debra Barnes. Directions: From Altamont, follow Rt. 146 (NOT Rt. 156), which turns north onto Maple Ave. in the village, then turns west in one block and proceeds approximately 4 miles to a Y intersection just past Township Tavern. Take the far left fork of the Y intersection onto Street Rd., and proceed past the Knox Transfer Station to the kiosk and parking area on the left. (www.hilltowns.org/winn-preserve.html)
TUESDAY, MAY 27
Bennett Hill Preserve, Feura Bush: This is a 155-acre property managed by the Mohawk Hudson Land Conservancy. It has excellent views of the Helderberg Mountains to the north and Albany to the east. There are three miles of trails, some that traverse moderately steep terrain. At the top is flat plateau with a winding loop trail containing visible limestone layers, some large crevasses and rivulets. The plateau also includes a small wetland and a large variety of wildflowers. Look for the porcelain bathtub on your way to the top. Leader: Susan Toohey. Directions: Take Rt. 443 (Delaware Ave.) through Clarksville to Clarksville South Rd. If you are coming from the Delmar area, this will be just after the town of Clarksville on the left. Once on Clarksville South Rd., take an almost immediate left onto Bennett Hill Rd. The parking lot will be on the right, just up the hill and after the farm. (Bennett Hill Rd., Feura Bush, NY)
TUESDAY, JUNE 3
Pine Hollow Arboretum, Slingerlands: If we’ve timed this right we’ll be able to wander through magnolias in bloom, as well as exploring various plant regions from Europe to Asia to America. Easy hiking, mostly level, though it might be muddy. Leader: Gabrielle Sant’Angelo. Directions: Take Rt. 890 east to the NY Thruway; get off at its exit 24 and follow onto Rt. 90, taking its exit 4 to Rt. 85 and continuing until the left turn onto Maple Ave. The arboretum is on the left. (34 Pine Hollow Rd., Slingerlands, NY)
TUESDAY, JUNE 10
Hop Field Trail, Thacher Park, Altamont: We begin this hike through a small picnic area and up a brief incline along a fast-running stream and waterfall. This orange trail intersects the yellow trail, which loops around a wetland for about a mile and a half, then merges again with the orange trail and back down to the parking lot. It’s a beautiful, deeply wooded hike through a mixed forest, with a wide variety of landscapes, plants and birds. Although some areas can be very muddy, there is much to view. There is a new warming hut (cabin) with a beautiful bluestone fireplace, slate floors, picnic tables, and a year-round restroom. Leader: Susan Toohey. Directions: Take Rt. 85 (Town of New Scotland) to Rt. 157, also known as Thacher Park Road. Hop field is the first parking lot on the left. Look for the new visitor’s cabin.