Fort Jackson State Forest - Part 3

The dogs and I had hiked down to the St. Regis River in the Fort Jackson State Forest (see also Part 1 and 2, posted previously). We ascended the riverbank up to the main trail to begin our journey back to the car:

This trail follows the river through a largely Hemlock forest. It is level and scenic, perhaps 30 feet from the river, high enough not to flood:

We turned left, up the steep hill which would return us to our car, when I saw an eyeball in the trail - yes, an eyeball! It was shocking and gruesome, its size and pupil shape indicating it was from a deer. I didn't want to touch it with my finger, so I used a twig and discovered it was made of glass:

I picked it up and brought it home, then checked online and learned that it was a taxidermist's eye for a deer head. I figured that it must have been from a deer decoy being carried into or out of the forest last autumn during hunting season. For me, it was a highlight of our little adventure and it now sits permanently on my kitchen counter:

 The Hemlocks began to be replaced by Northern Red Oaks:

And as we climbed higher, the soil became very sandy and the trees became mostly Red Pines:

This was an entirely different landscape than we'd encountered previously, though a fairly common type in the Adirondacks:

Green mosses and blue Reindeer Lichens carpeted the ground:

And the coolness we'd experienced down by the river turned to hot summer, with the loud buzzing of insects (still no biting insects though):

The pines began to change to hardwoods and the sandy ground began to be more like forest soil when we reached the top:

I must have have inadvertently taken a different turn than usual, for we emerged into a clearing exactly at our parked car. That was highly convenient, but I wouldn't have wanted to have accidentally gone past it. I'll be alert to that possibility the next time:

Fort Jackson State Forest - Part 2

The dogs and I were hiking in Fort Jackson State Forest (see also Part 1, posted yesterday) and arrived at the banks of the St. Regis River:

The dogs always are overjoyed to come to a river, and this was no exception:

Jack and Daphne arrived at the water first. Daphne took a drink of the clean, cool water but Jack sat right down in it to cool off:

We'd had several days of rain, and I'd feared the river would be swollen and treacherous, but it was not. In fact, it was ideal for cooling off. This was the view northward toward the mighty St. Lawrence River:

And the view toward the south:

Seamus was feeling his age, with an old dog's heart and unsteady legs, so he never went into the water. He and Jack led us back up the bank to rejoin the trail and begin our walk back to the car:

We did begin our walk back to the car, but when I saw this easy water access, we returned to the river. Jack and Clover led the way:

Clover, Jack and Fergus marched boldly up to the water's edge:

And Daphne went right in:

Then the happy dogs explored the wet rocks along the river's edge. Seamus and I, both elderly and a bit wobbly, stayed back where it was easier to walk:

And then, once again, Seamus was happy to lead us back up to the riverside trail. I'll post Part 3 tomorrow:

Fort Jackson State Forest - Part 1

Our weather was hot and we hadn't been out for an adventure in some time, so I put the dogs in the car and headed to the nearby Fort Jackson State Forest. It was only 4.3 miles from our door, and about 2 miles of that was a tiny dirt lane such as this. I parked and let the pooches out to run - and run they did:

The Wood Thrushes and Ovenbirds were singing beautifully and I didn't want to disturb the peaceful beauty by hollering at the dogs, but soon I was forced to start yelling "Stop!" and "Get Back Here!" Sometimes, though, they stopped on their own to smell something fascinating:

I had parked where I did because I knew the lane became impassable for a car just up a bit farther. Indeed, we quickly arrived at a mud hole. Daphne celebrated by going in up to her chin:

We were taking the same route my sister and I walked last autumn. It was so peaceful and beautiful that I'd been looking forward to walking it again. I'd been hoping to wait until bug season was past, and indeed it was. I never got a single bite of any kind:

We came to the stone foundation of a former cabin, and turned off the trail to investigate:

The old stone well, barely ten feet from the foundation, was still there but the stones had caved in somewhat, making it safer than it must have been when it was a well:

And near the well was this tiny toad, barely bigger than my fingernail:

Then we headed off along the trail once again. The dogs had already slowed down. Like me, they're not as young as they used to be. Also, it was hot:

Then we turned left down a gradual slope which I knew would take us to the banks of the St. Regis River:

The trail down to the river was also one of the nicer walks in the state forest:

Soon we could hear the roaring river up ahead, and the dogs knew what it was. They began picking up their speed. I'll post Part 2 tomorrow:

County Reforestation Land, Sheldon Road, Fort Jackson NY

Normally I take a few scenery photos while hiking with the dogs, but then weed them out while editing photos. But I took so many of them while hiking with the dogs in the Fort Jackson State Forest (see previous two posts) that I decided to present them as a separate post. I began with these Pileated Woodpecker holes in a White Pine:

Technically, we were walking along County Reforestation land, though I think of it as Fort Jackson State Forest because this is the road which leads us there:

The forest was a mixture of Red Pine, White Pine, Red Maple, Sugar Maple, Beech and Aspen. I'm sure there were lots of other trees also, but these were the main forest denizens:

There was a snowy ridge along the road to our right (on private land), which I decided must be an old stone wall. I'll try to remember to look the next time we're there when there's no snow:

A forest troll:

The road took us through both tall timber and scrubby woods:

When we came to an old logging header, I snapped a picture and turned back toward our parked car:

It was obvious that this section had been logged, but how long ago I could not tell. I also didn't know if it was logged before or after being designated as County Reforestation land. I would think that "reforestation" means no more logging, but I realize "it ain't necessarily so:"

Beech trees and White Pines:

We would have ventured off into the forest if hadn't been for the snow. Maybe we'll do so this summer:

I am always inclined to wander off into the trees, just to see what mystery and beauty lies therein, but the time I got lost in the forest a few years ago has made me much more cautious. I am, after all, a crippled old codger:

More forest beauty:

We were soon back at our car and this excursion came to an end. I hope that you enjoyed the wintry loveliness along the way:

Happy Dogs In Fort Jackson State Forest - Part 2

The dogs and I were taking a short winter hike on Sheldon/Barret Road in the Fort Jackson State Forest (see also Part 1, posted yesterday):

While only an unplowed, single lane, dirt road, it had a few road signs. The dogs ignored everything but exciting smells. They loved to find odoriferous surprises:

The pooches had been running ahead, but after awhile they slowed down:

The scenery was pleasant, mostly Red Pines and White Pines, with small Beech trees still holding onto their coppery leaves:

Fergus is quite the sprinter, and his ears flop as he runs:

And after each running session, the dogs would quiet down for a minute or two and investigate their surroundings:

Even old Seamus got playful:

But we didn't go far, and were soon retracing our steps, heading for our parked car:

The woods were so lovely that I kept taking scenery photos. I'll post them tomorrow:

Happy dogs:

I used to walk this trail/road all the time, but have since found so many new places to go with the dogs that it had been a long time since we'd been here. It's less than five miles from home, so we should go here more often:


I couldn't see our car because it was behind giant snowbanks, but I sensed it was just up ahead:

Indeed, the darker road up ahead was where the plowed road had ended and I parked the car. We were almost there. It had been a short but enjoyable hike, a pleasure to be outdoors with the happy dogs: