05-11-2019: Scott Patent State Forest

Taking a brief reprieve from my roadwalking endeavors, last Saturday I headed to Scott Patent State Forest in Broome, NY to hike some trails. Although there are no marked trails in this forest, there are a number of jeep roads and herdpaths that blur the line between road and trail. I found these trails during a drive through the forest some time ago, but they are in such a condition that I am unwilling to try taking my own car down them, so I decided to come back hike them. Saturday's weather there was a bit cool, in maybe the mid-50s, and rather breezy, but it was very sunny and in general a nice day. Unfortunately the breeze made it difficult to obtain clear pictures of the trees, as they were in near-constant motion.

Teter Lake, located along Teter Road, is located near the center of Scott Patent State Forest.

Varying forests of pine, hemlock, birch, and spruce line Teter Lake.

Spring flowers on some sort of shrub that grew extensively along the lake.

Waves on Teter Lake, driven by the day's high winds.

The moon in early afternoon. Craters are visible in the high-quality version.

Spruce forests, likely abandoned plantations, are scattered throughout Scott Patent.

Several salamanders swam through a massive red puddle that prevented me from hiking down one trail.

This path through the spruce forest was interrupted by the puddle above, prompting my return.

Early leaves top an aspen colony in swampland along Teter Road.

Mount Hayden rises above a larch forest in this view from one of the jeep trails. Mount Pisgah is obscured to the right.

A closer view of Mount Hayden. Its subsidiary peak Mount Nebo isn't visible from this angle.

Fresh growth on larch trees along the trail. Larix laricina is oddly absent from the Catskills, but present here just fifteen miles to their north.

Mount Pisgah from the north, partly obscured by a late-leafing maple.

To my surprise, the distant Black Dome and Thomas Cole Mountain were visible from the trail, seen here among larch tips.

A number of butterflies seemed to chase me as I walked the sunlit trail. Only this one stood still long enough for a picture.

Grassy forests are almost nonexistent in the Catskills, and I was surprised to find one this close to home.

More larch trees shaded the trail as it descended into a steep valley.

This distant-seeming spruce forest, seen from the jeep trail, is still located in Scott Patent State Forest.

A look back up the trail, returning from the deep valley.