Moreau Lake State Park - Western Ridge Trail - 2/11/17

Moreau Lake State Park is one of the most popular parks in the State of New York.   It is convenient to the Capital District and lies right off I-87, exit 17.  Many people enjoy the lake and the campground but it also has a vast trail system the covers some rugged terrain.

We had a few hours free on Saturday and we chose to snowshoe the Western Ridge trail, starting on Spiers Falls Road.  The summer parking lot was not plowed, but there was a nearby pulloff on the road where we were able to park.

There were no recent tracks at the entrance to the trail.  We broke trail, but it wasn't difficult with only 6 inches or so of snow on the ground.  Snowshoes weren't really necessary, but we chose to wear them anyway.

Starting on our way.

The Western Ridge Trail is the yellow trail on the park map and is marked with yellow discs.  The trail offers many viewpoints of the Hudson River, the hydroelectric dam and points north and west.  

A first look at the Hudson River in the distance.

Junction with the Orange Trail (Cottage Park Trail).

Once we reached the orange trail we ran into a pair of fresh snowshoes tracks.  They followed the yellow trail for a bit, then turned off on the red trail.  We eventually ran into a lone snowshoer heading the opposite way from us on the yellow trail.  

Rev - standing at one of the overlooks 

My favorite picture from the day.  A look down at the Hudson.

Man's best friend

The closest viewpoint to the dam from the yellow trail.

Leesa, on the trail. 

Near the end of the trail we chose to bushwhack through the woods a bit on the return, as opposed to following our tracks back.   Later we went to the Moreau Lake State Park trails on the north side of the Hudson River and cross country skied from Hawk Road south to the hydroelectric dam and back on the maintenance road. 

Hike Stats:
Hike Distance:  6 miles
Hike Time:  3 hours
Total Vertical Gain:  ~700'

XC Ski Stats:
Ski Distance:  4 miles
Ski Time:  1.5 hours

The route

Moreau Lake State Park trail map.

Grant Mountain - 12/11/11

Grant Mountain is part of the Palmertown Mountain Range located in Moreau, NY just off Exit 17 of I87.  Almost the entire range is now state land and it abuts Moreau Lake State Park.  With recent land acquisitions, the park now boasts 4000 acres.  There is a great trail network that goes along Palmertown Ridge as well as into the interior of the range and down to Moreau Lake.

A nice article on the trails and history of the area can be found on the ADK website.  A portion of the park map is shown below and the entire map can be found on the website of the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation.

I was on my way to Albany today with my wife and son and we stopped by here for a half day of hiking.  While close to the City of Glens Falls and Town of Corinth, the park is large enough to feel like wilderness.  The orange and yellow trails that we were on were well marked and the terrain was somewhat rugged and wonderful.  We started at 10:30 and were back to the car at 1:30.

Hike Stats:

Trailhead Elev:   375'
Summit Elev.:  1247'
Total Hike Distance:  5.5 miles
Hike Time:  3 hours

Also within the boundary of the state park is the Ulysses S. Grant Cottage, the death place of President Ulysses S. Grant.  It is open from Memorial Day through Labor Day and then weekends through Columbus Day.

The Ulysses S. Grant Cottage State Historic Site is operated by The Friends of The U.S. Grant Cottage, Inc. in cooperation with the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation and the New York State Department of Correctional Services.

As I'm interested in history and American architecture, I've made a note to myself to visit the cottage next summer.

Moreau State Park

Our route shown in blue

Historic foundation remains

Near the Sherman Picnic area boat launch and trailhead (about a mile below the dam), four cottages and a hotel were built to accommodate the employees and visitors who came to witness the building of the “great enterprise”.  This cluster of  buildings was later known as Cottage Park. The hotel (The Imperial) burned down in 1930. All that remains today are the stone walls and foundations.

Point 14 on park map... intersection of Orange and White trails

There was about an inch of snow up high and nothing down at the road

Summit of Grant Mountain

The first viewpoint looking down on the Hudson River

The second viewpoint

Spier Dam

When the Spier Falls hydroelectric dam was completed on the Hudson River upstream from Glens Falls in 1903, it was the fourth largest dam in the world, the largest built by private enterprise (the Hudson River Power Company), and the largest in the world used to generate electric power.

Another look at Spier Dam

Moreau State Park has something to offer everyone:  camping, hiking, picnicking, cross country skiing and snowshoeing, boating, fishing, ice fishing, and the Grant Cottage.  I found the park to be very pleasant and worthwhile and was surprised by the rugged wilderness feel of the Palmertown Mountain Range.  I'll be back for further exploration of the park.