The Santa Clara Access To The St. Regis River - Part 3

The dogs and I were enjoying a hike along the St. Regis River (see also previous two posts). The skies darkened just as we arrived at the edge of a bog:

The rain held off until we were back in the car, so we continued to enjoy exploring the bog. It was too wet for me to step foot in the actual marsh, but Seamus had no such fears and went right into it:

And then we pulled away and continued to follow the trail. Little Jack seldom stopped running:

It was a fun romp:

This is perhaps my favorite photo because it shows Seamus, having recently slimmed down, frolicking like a puppy. You can see his ears flopping as he bounced along:

The dogs slowed down only slightly as we neared the end of the trail:

The birch, pine and tamarack trees made nice frames for our hiking photos:

The trail was a loop and brought us back to our car. But we took one last trip to the river's edge before we left:

Daphne and Seamus are my two most water loving dogs:

But all the dogs went into the water at some point on this hike:

And then we all climbed back into the car. It was only fifteen miles from home:

The Santa Clara Access To The St. Regis River - Part 2

The dogs and I were hiking near the St. Regis River on a surprisingly warm day for November (see also Part 1, posted yesterday):

It was a fine day with beautiful scenery and we all had a good time:

And the dogs truly enjoyed getting wet and muddy. The last time we were here, the Cardinal Flowers were in full bloom right in this spot (here):

The calm waters of the St. Regis River reflected the blue skies and puffy clouds above, as well as the green spruce trees on the opposite shore:

Happy dogs:

But it was time to leave the river's edge once again and return to the trail, so I gave the dogs a call:

Back on the trail, the dogs ran and played. Jack ran too far ahead and didn't come when called, so I took the other dogs with me and hid, causing Jack to panic when he looked back and didn't see us. He came running, but only time will tell if he learned his lesson:

There were Milkweed seed pods bursting everywhere. I hope these fields produced a lot of Monarch butterflies this year:

The trail turned away from the river and toward the forest. We continued to explore:

The dogs stopped to sniff many spots:

Glorious scenery made this a pleasant excursion. But we still weren't at the end of our hike. I'll post Part 3 tomorrow:

The Santa Clara Access To The St. Regis River - Part 1

Our Indian Summer continued, so I put the dogs into the car and drove fifteen miles south to the river access for the Santa Clara Tract of the Adirondacks:

There was only one other vehicle parked there, and it belonged to someone who had launched a boat on the St. Regis River. So the dogs and I headed out on the trail:

We stopped at the St. Regis River every time I saw an easy access point and the dogs thoroughly enjoyed each opportunity to get wet and muddy:

They are all going into the water now - even Jack:

The weather and the scenery were beautiful. It was a fine day to be outdoors:

The dogs raced up and down the shoreline. At one point, they scared off a deer which had been hiding near by, but they didn't chase it:

After each visit to the river's edge, we'd get back on the trail and begin walking again:

This area is not deep forest, but largely open:

Clover tends to run too far ahead and I have to call her back many times. But she was much better about it this time:

Daphne is usually very happy to stick close to me but this time showed that she too has a bit of adventurous spirit:

And it was all great fun, a joyful romp through lovely scenery. But we'd just gotten started and there was still more to see. I'll post Part 2 tomorrow:

Santa Clara St. Regis Canoe Carry - Part 4

I'd explored off the trail with the dogs and gotten lost (see previous posts), finding myself without my bearings in the Santa Clara Tract of the Adirondacks:

Walking in the mature forests was relatively easy, but thick stands of ferns and Balsams were difficult to walk through - sometimes impossible:

I traveled downhill and eventually found the river again, thinking that would save us:

There was an old kiosk denoting it as the end of the canoe carry trail. Clearly, however, this trail hadn't been used in decades and there was nowhere on the river which I recognized. Furthermore, the brush was so think along the water that I couldn't push my way through:

The solution, it seemed, was obvious. I'd follow the old trail back to the road. So off we went:

And it was easy walking for awhile. Then the trail ended. But we'd gone so far that I thought it best to keep going, keeping the sun always on my right. We walked for hours, old trails sometimes appearing in the forest and then just ending. Eventually it was obvious that we were lost again. I was 10 to 20 miles from the highway and everywhere began to look like everywhere else. It was predicted to drop into the 30s overnight and no one would notice that I hadn't made it home. There was no cell phone coverage. Eventually, I tried walking back the way we'd come, this time by keeping the sun always on my left. Clover seemed to be the only dog who understood the goal of returning to our starting point and she led the way. We stumbled onto the main trail and, with great relief, turned down it toward the trail head:

I took no pictures during our lost time. I was too focused on the task at hand. Once back on the right trail, however, I got out my camera again. The only problem? I'd turned the wrong way on the trail and wound up back at the St. Regis River. There was nothing for it but turn back and keep hobbling:

It's a lovely landscape and an easy trail. But I was limping and my braces had accumulated pine needles. Poor Seamus had slowed down also:

We passed by the pond and peat bog:

I was much relieved and happy once again, albeit exhausted:

I can't remember when I've ever been so happy to see our little red car:

We all piled in and began the drive home. It took both Seamus and me a couple of days to recover, but we were soon fine again. I won't, however, be straying so far off the trails ever again:

Santa Clara St. Regis Canoe Carry - Part 3

I was hiking with the dogs on the St. Regis River canoe carry trail (see Parts 1 and 2, posted previously). Little Jack had never seen such a wonderful place before:

The low water level in the St. Regis River made it an even better place for the dogs to play than usual:

And play, they did:

When it was time to return the way we'd come, I decided to first explore along the shoreline and gave the dogs a call:

It was a happy day:

We began walking downstream. The walking was difficult but the scenery was outstanding:

Soon we were on what looked to once have been a road:

So we continued on. We were headed in more or less the correct direction to reconnect with the main trail, so I thought that's probably where it would take us:

We followed the old road until it just ended in the forest:

We'd gone so far already that I didn't want to turn back. So I thought we'd just walk ahead a bit more and see where it lead:

Sure enough, we found a trail - not the trail we wanted, but a trail nonetheless:

But after awhile, this trail also just ended. And there we were, lost in the wilderness. I'll post Part 4 tomorrow: