Revenge Tattoo
5 Short Family Friendly Hikes By Joe Solmo Hidden on the back roads of many of the 518 rural
regions are easy hikes that lead to some spectacular areas. Most of these only
take an hour or so to reach their scenic destination. The following is a list
of short hikes I like to travel when I don’t have the time to commit to a
longer traverse into the wilderness. ·
Hope Falls (Tenant Creek) The trailhead for this hike,
and Wilcox Lake is at the end of Hope Falls Road just north of Northville. Make
sure to park on the left hand side and not block the private driveway located
here as well. Once you approach the bridge, take a right along the creek and
head upstream. Some of this is private property so respect the owner’s wishes
as you pass through their land. It
doesn’t take long to reach the falls or the brisk pool of water pictured above.
This is a good spot to take a break and take in nature. When you are ready to
continue, the trail leads up and over the falls farther into the forest onward
to two more sets of falls, approx. 2 miles in from trail head. With an
elevation gain of around 626 ft for the 2 mile one
way hike it doesn’t have many steep parts to navigate. This
portion of the trail is a lot less travelled so if you want to be out in nature
without seeing another person you definitely want to hike all the way to the
third falls. The trip from trail head to the third falls and back can be done
at a leisurely pace in about two and a half hours.
·
This hike, another waterfall, located at 3281
Schoharie Turnpike in Delanson, is a short easy hike. With two loops to hike,
you have a choice in how long you want to spend here. Parking is usually an
issue here so be prepared to park along the road, as there is only room for a
few cars. At the trail head is a map of the area. The Bozenkill, with its
30-foot waterfall and many smaller cascades, flows through this area. Other
things to note is the lean-to near the falls and the short side trail leading
to a memorial stone for Will Christman and his wife,
who helped preserve this wonderful piece of nature. The trail is well marked,
and with only an elevation gain of 300ft or so, it is one of the easiest hikes
on this list. ·
·
For those of you who are more adventurous, or
have older children, there is Kane Mountain. One of the Fire Towers in the “ADK
Fire Tower Challenge”, 2180ft Kane Mountain is a popular hiking spot. The .5
mile main trail head can be found on Green Lake road, located in Caroga
Lake. This short trail climbs around 600ft up the side
of this mountain to reach the fire tower. The trail can be a little steep in
places and run off from rain can cause mud, so wear boots. From the top you can
look out on a green and blue landscape for miles and miles around, including
both Canada Lake and West Lake.
Nine Corner Lake
Another gem near Caroga Lake is Nine Corner Lake.
The trailhead to Nine Corner Lake begins west of Pine Lake on RT-29A, not far
from Kane Mountain. It has a slight uphill grade and is about 2.0 miles round trip, the trail passes some waterfalls on a mountain stream
at about half a mile into hike. Once you
get near the lake, about .9 miles into hike, take the fork to the right, the
left is for winter snowmobiling, although you can hike down it for a different
view of the lake. The water itself is crystal clear mostly. With an elevation
gain of around 300ft it’s not a difficult climb for children. Fawn Lake Fawn Lake is a decent sized lake located in the
Jessup River Wild Forest near the town of Speculator. There is a small parking
area at the end of Fawn Lake Road, Lake Pleasant, after it turns into a dirt
road. There is a half a mile trail that leads to the
eastern shore of the lake from here. Or there is a longer trail that branches
off the main trail to the right, which is used by snowmobiles in the winter. If
you take the right fork you will end up at the north end of the lake, where the
trail crosses a stream that acts as the outlet for the lake. Dogs are allowed on this trail if they are kept on a leash. The elevation gain on this trail is under 100ft so it makes it the easiest of all these trails mentioned. |
