Catskillmountaineer.com Forum

Just out of curiosity does anyone have info. on this place?

Nice area. But, there is a Timber Rattlesnake den there. There is now a trail the circles the swamp. You can sometimes find rattlesnakes on the trail.

Ok, thanks for the heads up. Didn't mean to post three different threads...these machines, or users for that matter are not perfect

So is this area near the Vernooy Kill? There are known copperheads/rattlers in this area, that I know. The reason I ask about this area is because I'm having trouble locating it on a topo. Is "Balsam Swamp" a local nickname? There is a large wet area that I've been meaning to check out near the Vernooy Falls. If you're looking at a NY/NJ topo of the area there is an unmaintained trail that dead ends in this wet spot. The unmaintained trail is reached via the snowmobile trail, which is also the Long Path.

I've been exploring the Lundy Rd area over the past year, or so. Been all over the place, but haven't check out the wetlands that are near the Vernooy Kill. On my to do list.

Yes, Vernooy Kill is virtually the same area. The Vernooy Kill Falls are on the trail. The swamp actually comes across the trail. I have an old map form the 1970's that shows this. A little confusing at first glance.

I don't think that there are any Copperheads there. But, I could be wrong. There ARE Timber Rattlesnakes there. You can expect to find the 2.5 miles out from the center of the swamp. And it is possible to see them 4.5 miles out in rare cases.

Some people like to find the Rattlesnakes. I have a group of friends that go hiking to find them. I can hook you up with them if you like. There is also a Timber Rattlesnake Presentation in Saratoga on the January 16th.

Thanks for the offer! haha. I'm actually more interested in land locked brook trout that may have entered the wetland, or small beaver ponds near the wetland (if there are any, beaver ponds that is). I'll have to check it out sometime. Thanks for the follow up.

-Sam

Sam, not sure if you are looking for beaver activity in that specific area or just in general. There's some beavers that I have seen in the swamp on Rt31 (Hearts Content Rd) just south of the intersection with RT23. I always want to take a kayak out in that swamp/pond, but haven't looked up whether it is private property or not.

Another area for beavers is the beaver pond on the trail to Sugarloaf. Below are two pictures I took there some time ago.





Sorry to hijack your thread if you aren't interested in these other areas!

Definitely didn't hijack the thread! haha. I actually haven't walked past the beaver pond on the way to Sugarloaf. I did the Devils Path in a traverse, so I wasn't down in that notch, but judging from your pictures it would be worth a trip. However I did read on ADK High Peaks that the pond drained out...This would have happened pretty recently. Hopefully the beavers return, or get off their lazy asses and repair it

Mainly interested in brook trout (big brook trout...I know where I can catch plenty of 12", but looking for some fat land locked ones..locally), but beavers are fun to watch and are also protected by the state I once had a problem with a neighbor who had water on her lawn due to a beaver dam on my property. To make a long story short she wanted me to break the dam thus solving her grass problem. Well I got on the phone with the DEC and explained the issue and they made it quite clear that if I destroyed the dam I'd be damned myself.

If the beaver pond drained out on Sugarloaf it'd be a shame... Very nice area to explore!

Unfortunately, one of the beavers was hit over the summer on RT 31, but there is still plenty of activity there. There are two large beaver huts that are less than 200 feet from the road. If I can get up there this weekend (dependent on the snow), I'll take a pic from the road and post it up.

The pond is still there. I did the hike last Friday with a friend. We were the only ones on the trail that day, coming down in the snow was little tuff but we did fine. The beaver pond on the way down at the end is simply stunning, the beavers did work in that area! Its definitely still there, just frozen over at the moment.

Someone told me that the pond by Sugarloaf is empty.