2021-06-12: Natural Stone Bridge and Caves

On the southern edge of the Adirondack Forest Preserve, the Trout Brook runs through a series of interesting erosion features in the town of Chester NY. West of the hamlet of Pottersville, the cumbersomely-named "Natural Stone Bridge and Caves" is home to a series of easy walks through the rock formations and small caverns carved through the region. I've seen the sign for this attraction on the Northway countless times during trips to the Adirondacks, and finally headed up with the family on a weekend whim.

As I seem to have misplaced my wide-angle lens, the last three pictures were taken with my phone.

At the start of the trail is a collection of petrified wood collected in the area, seen here laying beside some un-petrified, living wood.

Rocky rapids along the Trout Brook. A series of small cascades runs through the area.

A view of rocks and a dead tree beneath the Natural Stone Bridge. The river flows through here towards a cave beneath.

One of the entrances to the underground cave; unlike most of the others, this opening was dry.

A collection of 'potholes' several feet across dot the rocky riverbanks. These geological features are formed when a rock or pebble gets caught in a whirlpool or current over geological timescales.

Water flows through one of the area's many caves. At first I thought that was snow at top left; it's more likely foam from the water's motion.

An underground waterfall, lit up by my camera's flash function. Trails lead partway into one of the small caves, where the river flows in darkness.

A view through "Peter's Peephole", a gap in the ground revealing the flowing brook beneath.

The widest shot I could get of the Natural Stone Bridge with my camera. The whole feature is dozens of feet tall.

Reflected greenery contrasts with the orange-red rocks in one of a series of falls along the Trout Brook.

East of the Natural Bridge is a gorge, seen here in a spot partially filled by boulders.

The smooth, patterned walls of the erosion-dug gorge belie watery caverns beneath.

Hemlock trees soak up the shade along the moss-covered rocks. The smoothness of the unbroken rock riverbed in this area was remarkable.

Green moss basks in the light of early evening along the riverside.

This cave was home to standing water, and just enough sunlight poured in to light its walls and cast a beautiful reflection on the water below. I had the flash on and exposure turned up as high as possible, but this was the best picture I could get unfortunately.

The park's gift shop had a number of gimmicks including a selection of UV-sensitive rocks. I thought this out-of-focus shot of them seemed strangely pleasant.

A wide-angle shot from my phone better shows the imposing overhang of the Natural Stone Bridge.

A view from underneath the bridge. Most of the area was roped off due to threat of rockfalls; a significant portion of the bridge collapsed in the 1950s.

A feature along the gorge section of the brook, known appropriately as the "Oyster's Shell", is likely a deep pothole that's been split in two.