Fahnestock State Park trails are open

New York stay at home orders allow for state park trails to be open for day use. It is cool but brilliantly sunny this morning so we decide to go exploring. We pick a trail along 9 near Hubbard Lodge in Clarence Fahnestock Park. When we reach the trailhead around 9:45 there are only a couple cars so it looks like we will have the walk mostly to ourselves. Nice. The walk starts creek side, climbs to the top of the ridge, runs the ridge, then descends to return along another babbling brook. It feels great to get out. Birds must think so too as we see lots of warblers and forest ground birds. There are great views from the ridgeline and the streams bounce down moss covered rock. There are even sections along the way where we completely escape traffic noise and find ourselves wrapped in silence. Awesome! This is classic east coast mountain terrain; rock strewn treed ridges and cuts. The canopy and forest floor are just washed with the green of spring and dotted with wild flowers. 5 ½ miles and 940 feet change in elevation, it is a perfect walk. We might just do it again.

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